Copyright ©2014 by The Pressley Ridge Institute. All rights reserved.

Without limiting the rights under the copyright reserved above, no part of this
Manual may be duplicated, reproduced, translated, modified, used to create
derivative works, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, for any purpose, without first obtaining the written permission of The
Pressley Ridge Institute (“Pressley Ridge”).
Use of the Pressley Ridge Treatment Foster Care training program is reserved
exclusively for the internal use of organizations that have purchased the curriculum
package. Training or sharing of the materials outside the venue of purchasing
organizations is prohibited.
Pressley Ridge has taken all reasonable steps to ensure that the material provided is
representative of effective and accepted practices in the treatment foster care and
child welfare fields. However, the behavior interventions and strategies presented
are not substitutes for individualized assessment and/or individualized treatment
planning for children and families.
Pressley Ridge and the Pressley Ridge logo are the service marks and/or trademarks
of Pressley Ridge.
Pressley Ridge may be contacted at 530 Marshall Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
15214.
 Treatment Parent Training
Version 4.0

Parent Training Manual

Treatment Foster Care

Curriculum Development Team:

Rhonda Alkire, LCSW.-C Rachel Duvall, MS, NCC, LPC

Program Supervisor, Maryland Program Supervisor, Pennsylvania
Treatment Foster Care Treatment Foster Care

Donald Burge, M.S. Tanya Ford, LPC, ALPS

Instructional Designer Program Director, West Virginia
Treatment Foster Care
Alexander Cameron, M.S.
Director of Clinical Service Michael Kaelin, M.S.
Director of Training
Erica Crisp, MSW
Licensing & Recruitment Specialist, Ohio Eric Perry, M.A.
Treatment Foster Care Instructional Design Specialist

Joelle Dann, MBA Tom Sullivan, M.P.A

Licensing & Recruitment Specialist, PA Executive Leadership & Organizational
Treatment Foster Care Development

James Dowd, M.S. Paul Wolfe, B.A.

Coordinator of Multimedia Production Maryland/Delaware/Central Pennsylvania
Training Coordinator
Introduction
Welcome to the Pressley Ridge Treatment Foster Care Training. This curriculum is written for new and experienced
parents who are either currently working with children or who are preparing to do so for the first time. The
content of this training reflects many years of research, writing, and experience. It represents one of the most
comprehensive training programs available to treatment foster parents today.
The Pressley Ridge Treatment Foster Care Training was developed in recognition that those who work to serve the
needs of children in foster care take on extremely complex and challenging responsibilities. In order to provide
services effectively, treatment foster parents must have considerable specialized training; they must know their job
responsibilities and do them well.
Our ultimate goal is to help children succeed through your success as a treatment parent. We hope that your
participation in this training will advance your skills, knowledge and outlook to have a positive effect in the lives of
children in your care.

Training Design and Methods

The design of the curriculum includes a variety of teaching/learning methods, including structured presentations by
the trainer, individual and group exercises, experiential activities, and skill practice scenarios. Several visual aides are
incorporated to enhance your learning. These include PowerPoint slides to capture the main learning points, video
vignettes to model skills, and the reading material and worksheets contained in the Parent Manual.

Your Role as a Participant

Your main responsibility throughout the training is to learn as much as you can while also contributing to an
atmosphere that will promote the learning for others. To do this effectively, we suggest the following:
• Maintain an attitude of openness and acceptance. Parenting is greatly influenced by one’s beliefs, values,
and backgrounds. Approach this training with openness to individual and culture differences and an
attitude of acceptance that being a foster parent may require that you do things differently.
• Take personal responsibility for your own learning and support others to do the same. This means several
things:
- Arrive to each session on time prepared with notepaper and pen.
- Complete homework assignments, including reading the unit chapters.
- Get involved; take an active part in discussions and activities.
- Relax and have fun during the training – you will enjoy the experience and learn more if you do.
Curriculum Overview
The following is a summary of each the units contained in the Pressley Ridge Treatment Parent Training. The
summary is in the form of critical questions that you can expect to answer at the conclusion of each unit.

Unit 1: Introduction to Treatment Foster Care

 What are the purpose, goals and expectations of the training?
 What is the history and purpose of treatment foster care?
 What are the core elements of treatment foster care and where does it fit in the continuum of services for
troubled children?
 How does treatment foster care differ from traditional or regular foster care?
 What do we mean by “permanency planning”?
 What are some of the realities and challenges of being a treatment parent?

Unit 2: Professional Parenting I

 What does it mean to be a “professional parent”? What are the key behaviors and characteristics of
professional treatment parents?
 What are some of the challenges for treatment foster families?
 What are some of the “sticky situations” that foster families might experience, and how should we handle
them?
 What level of supervision should parents provide children?
 What is a Family Policy and why are they important for foster children?
 What is a Sexual Safety Contract? How does it maintain safety in our relationships?
 What is my role as an advocate for children in my care?

Unit 3: Professional Parenting II

 What exactly is my role and responsibilities as a treatment foster parent?
 Is there paperwork requirements -- forms or documents that I need to complete?
 What type of support will I receive from others?
 What are the legal obligations and expectations of a treatment parent?
 What about correcting misbehavior – can I discipline as I do/would my own children?
 How do I respond to allegations of abuse? What if a child shares secrets of abuse?
 What is my role as a member of the agency’s treatment team?
Unit 4: Understanding Childhood Development I
 What do I need to know about child and adolescent development?
 How should I respond to developmental needs and behavior challenges?
 What affect does childhood trauma have on children and their development?
 How do I support a child with a history of traumatic experiences?
 What do I need to know and understand about sexual abuse?

Unit 5: Understanding Childhood Development II

 What are neurodevelopment disorders and how do they affect treatment foster children?
 What are some of the common psychiatric diagnoses of children in care today?
 What are some skills and techniques I can use to support children with some of the most common
psychiatric diagnoses?
 Will my foster child have a psychiatric diagnose and be on some special medication? What do I need to
know and do about medication?

Unit 6: Developing Healthy Relationships

 How do I go about forming a relationship with a foster child? What can I expect?
 What influence does a child’s separation from his/her real parents have on their new relationship with the
foster parents?
 How can I demonstrate respect for the child’s biological family? What are some ways that I can include a
child’s cultural background into my home?
 How can I promote attachment and build a positive relationship with my foster child?

Unit 7: Therapeutic Communication

 What is therapeutic communication and how does it differ from typical parental responses to a child?
 How can I communicate in a way that builds relationships?
 How can I listen so that children will talk? What is active listening?
 How can I communicate in a way that helps children manage their feelings, behavior and solve problems?
 How can I use non-verbal communication effectively with children?
 What are the components to therapeutic communication?

Unit 8: Understanding Behavior

 Why do children behave that way, and what can we do about it?
 How do children learn to behave? What is the difference between natural and imposed consequences?
 What are the criteria for selecting a child’s behavior for change?
 How can I manage my own feelings during difficult interactions with children?
 Discipline versus punishment – what’s the difference?
Unit 9: Changing Behavior
 What parenting skills do I need to influence a child’s behavior?
 What is a behavior motivation system? Do they really work?
 What are behavior contracts, and how can they help change behavior?
 What behavior support and discipline strategies do professional treatment parents use to promote positive
behavior change?

Unit 10: Skill Teaching

 What if a child is able but not willing to behave appropriately?
 How do I know when and what to teach? Is there a criterion for deciding?
 What does skill teaching look like? Are there steps I can follow to teach a child more positive behaviors?
 Why is it important to focus on a child’s personal strengths?

Unit 11: Conflict Resolution

 What kind of conflict might I experience as a treatment parent?
 Can conflict be healthy and constructive?
 What approaches can I use in responding to conflicts?
 Is there a technique or steps that I can follow to resolve conflict?

Unit 12: Understanding & Managing Crisis

 What is crisis? What does crisis look like in treatment foster care?
 What are the main objectives for a treatment parent in response to a crisis?
 How can my understanding of the Crisis Cycle and Stages help me manage my response to children in
crisis?
 What are some early prevention techniques that I can use to prevent a crisis?
 How can I help turn a crisis into a learning opportunity?
Parent Unit 1

Table of Contents

Welcome............................................................................................................................................................1
Purpose of Treatment Foster Care Training............................................................................................1
Goals and Expectations...............................................................................................................................1

What is Treatment Foster Care..................................................................................................................2

Treatment Foster Care Defined..................................................................................................................2
Key Elements of Treatment Foster Care..................................................................................................2
Treatment Foster Care vs. Regular Foster Care.......................................................................................2
Our Children.................................................................................................................................................3

Need for Permanency...................................................................................................................................4

Permanency Planning...................................................................................................................................4
Facilitating Permanency for Children........................................................................................................4
Planning for Reunification or Adoption...................................................................................................4
Planning for Independent Living...............................................................................................................4

A Success Story: “The Martins”................................................................................................................5

Frequently Asked Questions.......................................................................................................................6

Homework........................................................................................................................................................8
Personal Reflections.....................................................................................................................................9

Glossary.......................................................................................................................................................... 10

References..................................................................................................................................................... 12

Parent Unit 1 Copyright © 2014, Pressley Ridge.

All rights reserved worldwide.