Trainings
With Siblings offers trainings to assist agencies and parents in better-understanding the unique perspectives of birth children and the challenges that they face. These trainings are designed to equip parents and professionals to effectively support birth children.
Trainings are offered in varying formats. Trainings can be presented virtually to members of hosting organizations or agencies, as well as virtually through With Siblings directly.
Supporting Your Biological Child - Parent Training
Many foster and adoptive parents have questions surrounding the impact that foster care and adoption will have on their birth children. This presentation will examine the experiences of birth children, how to prepare them for the journey ahead, and ways to support them along the way.
Learning Objectives:
Be able to define and describe "birth children.”
Be able to identify potential challenges that birth children may face.
Be able to explain the possible positive and negative impacts of foster care and adoption on birth children.
Be able to articulate the importance of communicating with birth children.
Be able to articulate the variety of ways to support birth children.
Grief, Loss, and Your Biological Child - Parent Training
The birth children of foster and adoptive parents experience grief and loss in a unique way. This presentation will examine losses experienced by birth children, how they may grieve, and ways that parents can support their children in processing the uncomfortable emotions.
Learning Objectives:
Be able to explain unique losses experienced by birth children.
Be able to list possible signs of grief.
Be able to identify ways to assist birth children in processing grief and loss.
Encouraging Sibling Relationships - Parent Training
Foster and adoptive parents want to encourage positive, healthy relationships between their children - whether those children joined the family by birth, foster care, or adoption. This training will examine the sibling relationship in light of the unique perspectives of birth children.
Learning Objectives:
Be able to identify encouraging signs of connection in children.
Be able to identify potential barriers to sibling relationships.
Be able to articular significance of attachment on sibling relationships.
Be aware of at least three activities that invite connection.
Understanding the Impact of Birth Order - Parent and/or Professional Training
Foster and adoptive parents often wonder about birth order in relation to fostering or adopting when they already have children by birth. This presentation will examine the significance of birth order, and encourage participants to consider how it relates to foster and adoptive families.
Learning Objectives:
Be able to identify each birth order position.
Be able to distinguish between actual and psychological birth order.
Be aware of the impact of fostering and adopting on birth order.
Mitigating the Impacts of Secondary Traumatic Stress in Children - Parent and/or Professional Training
Unique challenges can arise from a family becoming involved in the child welfare system. This presentation will examine secondary traumatic stress (STS) as may be experienced by children, particularly biological kids in foster and adoptive families. This training will explore symptoms and risks of STS, as well as ways that parents and professionals can help children who are impacted by STS.
Learning Objectives:
Define and recognize secondary traumatic stress (STS) in children.
Identify key risk factors for STS in children.
Implement evidence-based strategies to support children affected by STS.
Identify practices and techniques to minimize caregiver impact on children.
Considering the Biological Child - Professional Training
Professionals and agency staff often wonder how they can best support foster and adoptive families, including the birth children. This presentation will examine the experiences of birth children, allow agency staff to consider approaches to engaging with birth children, and inspire a more holistic care for the entire foster or adoptive family.
Learning Objectives:
Be able to define and describe “birth children.”
Be able to identify potential challenges that birth children may face.
Be able to explain the possible positive and negative impacts of foster care and adoption on birth children.
Be aware of avenues and resources available to prepare birth children.
Be able to articulate the variety of ways to support birth children.
Consultation
Are you hoping for an opportunity to brainstorm how your organization can go deeper in its support of the whole family? Would you like someone to talk to, in order to walk through what questions and options you might have? You may be interested in a consultation with Daniela!
With Siblings does not offer individual consultation for families, parents, or birth kids. At this time, consultation is available only to organizations, agencies, and professionals.