This flyer contains information from DCYF on how (and if) you can count different activities towards required licensing training hours.
Approved training activities
The easiest option is training or book clubs organized through the Alliance (https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/services/foster-parenting/training). All training received through the Alliance is approved towards your continuing licensing hours, along with time spent in a CaRES Book Club. The Alliance should track your attendance and provide certificates on their webpage.
The following activities can be counted, but will need to be individually approved by the licensor. Documentation such as a certificate from the trainer, syllabus and transcript for a college class or written record of the training from the therapist should be submitted for each activity.
- Foster parent support meetings when training is included (hours from training portion of the event only)
- Parental Compass Podcast, produced by Family Education and Support Services.
- Child specific therapy when addressing behavior management
- College courses meeting one of the Core Competencies (1 class credit = 1 hour of training)
- Child specific training for a medical condition (feeding tube, diabetes, etc.). Not for routine medical care.
- Child specific culture event (example: Pow Wow)
- Child Placing Agency (CPA) in-person training
- Book clubs: for books that are pre-approved by DCYF, time spent in the book group discussion.
You cannot receive training hours from:
- time spent reading approved books
- CPR/Blood Borne Pathogens training
- training sessions where you are the teacher.
Continuing Education Hours Required:
24 hours of ongoing training for every three-year cycle.
1. Applicants can count up to 12 hours of training prior to being licensed for their first licensing cycle. The training must have been completed within 12 months of LD receiving the foster care application and meet one of the Four Core Competencies.
2. Foster parents can carry over up to 12 hours of training to their next licensing cycle if they completed more hours than required.
Note: For BRS providers, each foster parent must complete 30 hours of training annually. This is monitored by DCYF BRS Contracts.
Training topics
All trainings must meet one of the four Core Competencies to be approved. As a reminder, these are:
1. Understanding and Working within the Child Welfare System
2. Parenting and Family Management
3. Caregiver Self-Awareness and Development
4. Racial Equity and Social Justice (RESJ)
(One training from each of the Four Competencies is required during the first and second licensing cycles.)