Finding time to attend training opportunities and conferences can be a challenge for foster parents, yet continuing education and development is important.

Vancouver Coastal Region Foster Care Education Online Training

Hollyburn Family Services, in conjunction with MCFD, has modified the 53 hour training program to make it available to those caregivers who cannot make it into the classroom. This highly interactive on line program places you into a group with 5 or 6 other foster parents and creates opportunities for discussion on the 14 required topics.

The requirements to join this training opportunity are:

· Permission from your resource worker

· A good working knowledge of your computer and how to navigate a web site

· The ability to find the time in your busy schedule to come on line three times a week to both read and complete the exercises by posting your comments to your small group. (Please note that on line does not mean work at your own speed. It means creating your own flexible schedule to meet the weekly requirements.)

This online experience takes two weeks to complete each module therefore the entire program requires a commitment of 7 months to complete the entire course.

There are two new groups starting this fall: September 21 st and October 19 th . If you are interested in completing your foster care training from the comfort of your own home and are a caregiver from either the Vancouver Coastal Region or Fraser Region please contact Lori Rose at [email protected] and register to be part of this on line experience. Once you are registered the on line facilitator will contact you to explain the program in detail.

To check out the online training site please go here: http://www.bcfosterparentseducation.ca/