Foster & Kinship Care Education Program (FKCE) Classes

 

Pre-Service Trainings/Certifications

Specialized Foster Care Pre-Service (D-Rate)
Total 16 hours

This training is designed for the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Resource Foster Care providers who are interested in caring for children living in out-of-home care presenting with severe and persistent emotional and behavioral challenges. The Department of Mental Health assesses these children to the status of D-rate. The resource parents must be referred by a DCFS Child Social Worker (CSW) in order to attend the D-Rate pre-service training. The resources parent must then complete the 16-hour D-Rate pre-service training program in order to qualify to receive the D-Rate incentive for the extraordinary costs they will incur while providing care of the children.


Medical Foster Care (F-Rate)
Total 16 hours

The F-Rate certification classes are designed for resource foster care providers who care for children who are medically fragile. Resource parents must have at least two years of experience as a Resource parent and must be referred by the DCFS social worker in order to qualify for the training. Each resource parent will be certified by the DCFS Medical Placement Unit to complete the 16-hour F-rate pre-service training program. Upon completion of the training they will be eligible to receive the F-rate incentive to cover the extraordinary costs incurred while providing services to the children in their care. DCFS approval must be obtained before new or additional children with special medical conditions can be placed in foster homes. Priority enrollment is reserved for DCFS' and relative caregiver homes.


Whole Family Foster Care (SB500)
Total 16 hours

The training is designed by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to prepare resource parents to mentor and care for parenting teens.

Renewal Classes

B-Rate Renewal
Total 12 hours

B-Rate foster care providers must complete 12 hours per year.


F-Rate and D-Rate Renewal Classes
Total 18 hours

Between July 1 and June 30, D-Rate foster care providers must complete 18 hours of D-rate Renewal classes and F-rate foster care providers must complete 18 hours of F-Rate renewal classes.

Classes for Kinship Caregivers

Kinship Orientation (KO) & other classes design to address their unique needs
The purpose of this training is to assist the relative caregiver adapt to new and/or continuing roles as relative caregivers. These relatives will gain a better understanding of the DCFS system and how it works and receive information that will enhance their ability to be effective. There is also the opportunity to participate with educational support groups.

Resource Family Approval (RFA)
Total 20 hours

This program is the pre-service training mandated by the Department of Children and Family Services for all prospective resource and adoptive parents in Los Angeles County. The length of the training is 12 hours with eight hours pre-placement training, facilitated by three professionals: an experienced resource parent, a DCFS social worker, and a community college trainer. All participants must complete the orientation conducted by the Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD) for the State of California.