The Allegheny County Department of Human Services contracts with a network of non-profit agencies to recruit, train and approve foster parents in Allegheny County. Current foster parents are under contract with one of these agencies.
The Foster Parent Advisory Board was established as a forum for families who are dedicated to and experienced with fostering teens to share their knowledge and experiences and thereby improve the child welfare system for all. Individuals with at least five years experience are invited to apply for membership. Learn more
DOWNLOAD THE January - June TRAINING COLLABORATIVE SCHEDULE
Two family support partners from Allegheny Family Network (AFN), who are experienced foster and adoptive parents, are available to assist individuals who are fostering teens and young adults.
For additional information regarding the services available to families who foster teens and young adults, please contact the Allegheny Family Network at 412-246-2030.
All foster parents are required to receive training hours each year to maintain their certification. In Allegheny County, most foster care agencies participate in a training cooperative that offers a broad spectrum of trainings at convenient times and locations. Please talk with a representative at your foster care agency to find out how many hours they require. Then review the schedule below to see what topics, times and locations best fit your needs. Please remember to RSVP so the trainer can make the appropriate preparations.
DOWNLOAD THE January - June TRAINING COLLABORATIVE SCHEDULE
Resource Parent Training Calendar
Prudent Parenting - Foster Parent Tip Sheet
Provides a quick overview of ways foster parents can bring normalcy to the lives of the children and youth in their care.
Stepping Up for Kids - what government and communities should do to support kinship families
Examines the challenges and rewards of providing kinship care and makes suggestions to improve the circumstances in kinship families to promote better outcomes for children. Allegheny County is spotlighted on page 11. The Annie E. Casey Foundation, May 2012
Kinship Care in Pa. - Support for Families with Grandparents and Other Kin Raising Children
Published by The Pennsylvania State University, 2005
What's Happening in Dependency Court - An Activity Book for Children Going to Court in Pennsylvania
Young children who are removed from their birth families due to abuse or neglect can find helpful information in this age-appropriate booklet. Foster and kinship parents may find it a useful tool to help children understand what is happening in their lives. Available as a pdf and for order on the
Pa. Office of Children and Families in the Courts website.
HealthShack™, is the place to keep life records – everything from your birth certificate to social security card to medical history. It’s a secure and simple-to-use site developed for youth like us, by youth like us, to store documents that are super important, yet easy to lose.