Foster Care and Adoption provides a variety of trainings and conferences for licensed Fairfax County resource parents occurring in 2025-2026. Dates are subject to change, so check back often.
If you have questions or need additional support, please reach out to one of the in-service trainers: Neda Ghodsi and Jennifer Woods.
Note: Some trainings may require attendance for multiple dates.
The 28th Annual Kids' Adoption Network (KAN) Conference Activate Your Inner Compass: Finding Your Quiet Power hosted by C.A.S.E.
Saturday, November 15
9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
McLean School
8224 Lochinver Lane
Potomac, MD 20854
This is a full day of fun and learning that includes lunch and engaging activities for children, teens, parents, caregivers, and prospective adoptive parents. Plus, there are opportunities to connect with other adoptees and adoptive families! Register now.
Too Many Losses Too Soon: Addressing the Loss and Grief Experienced by Children in Foster Care and Foster Families
Wednesday, December 10, 2025
6-7:30 p.m.
Virtual via Zoom
Dr. Anthony Hynes will address the unique losses experienced by children in foster care including:
- Factors that influence children’s reactions to loss.
- Strategies for best practice with families.
- Critical aspects of loss in foster care and adoption.
- How these losses impact children.
The discussion will also explore how foster parents experience grief and loss when a child transitions from their home and how to manage their feelings. For more information email Patricia Aviles-Cubillos, Psy.D. or call 703-324-7919. Register online by November 25, 2025.
Behavior & Discipline
January 2026 (Date and Time TBD)
Virtual
Resource parents will learn about common behaviors for youth and adolescents in foster care. Develop useful skills and methods to improve communication with children. Explore various ways to approach discipline and how to defuse potentially difficult situations such as tantrums and power struggles. We’ll cover expected behaviors by age and a wide range of ways to solve common challenges.
Foster-to-Adopt
February 2026 (Date and Time TBD)
Virtual (2 sessions)
Foster to Adopt training will help resource parents to identify adoption challenges that may affect your child’s life. We’ll define the unique roles of foster parenting and adoptive parenting. Other topics will include fostering a positive racial identity, the impact of adoption, and levels of openness. There is also a presentation to prepare parents for the financial side of adoption (i.e., adoption subsidy).
Mental Health First Aid
March 2026 (Date and Time TBD)
Resource parents will learn the signs, symptoms, and risk factors of mental health problems in youth and how to effectively help a youth in crisis. The training will focus on:
- Identifying mental health problems.
- The importance of early intervention.
- When, where, and how to get help.
- The types of help shown by research to be effective.
Special Education
April 2026 (Date and Time TBD)
This training will explain the basics of special education rights and responsibilities as well as some very practical strategies for maximizing educational benefits for children in your care. Resource parents will get concrete strategies for improving delivery of their children’s individualized education program.
Foster Parent Appreciation Event/Raising Resilient Children Training
May 2026 (Date and Time TBD)
This is a celebration of our foster parents as well as a training that will provide an overview of biopsychosocial impacts upon children, adolescents, and their families while growing up in a time of societal challenges including the current pandemic and social justice concerns. The presenter will take a developmental approach examining how children and adolescents process information and then help the audience develop skills to help children and adolescents cope and reenter a world that has been unpredictable and scary. It will also facilitate understanding of screening, assessment, and identification methods to assist social workers and their families. There will be a discussion of how trauma may present in children and adolescents.
(return to Foster Care and Adoption)