Current Training Schedule - Iowa Foster and Adoptive Parent Association

IFAPA Six Hour Trainings:

The IFAPA training seasons run from September through January and February through June. We do not offer trainings in July or August. The Spring 2008 Training Schedule is posted below. It is crucial that you plan ahead for these trainings in order to have them completed prior to your re-licensure date. Some of the classes fill up quickly, while other classes must be cancelled because they do not meet the requirement of having at least 10 people enrolled.

Schedule:

Each training class is worth 6 hours of foster parent training credit and is held on Saturdays from 9:00am to 4:30pm, unless otherwise noted. There will be a one-hour lunch break, on your own.

Cost:

There is no cost for foster and adoptive families to attend the trainings listed below.

Child Care:

Children are not permitted at these trainings and child care will not be provided.

Register for a Training Class:

To register for any of the following trainings, please call 800-277-8145 ext. 5 or send an e-mail to

cthomason@ifapa.org with the following information:

- Name of training

- Date of training

- Training location

- Name(s) of attendees

- Attendees mailing address and phone number

Driving Directions to a Training Class:

After you have registered for a class you can expect a confirmation letter in the mail about one week prior to the training date. This confirmation letter will tell you the location of the class and include maps of how to get to the training location.

Click Here to View Spring Training Schedule & Training Descriptions

(February 2008 - June 2008 Trainings)

ATTENTION - Changes to Training for Foster Parents

Important changes are happening at the Iowa Foster and Adoptive Parents Association (IFAPA) in the training arena for foster parents. In the past, DHS has provided the majority of IFAPA’s funding. DHS is now changing how they will fund the work that IFAPA has done in the areas of support and training. DHS is now allowing other organizations to apply for the funding contract that has been previously given to IFAPA. Organizations (including IFAPA) will bid on the contract, and DHS will choose the organization they believe will best meet the contract requirements. In the event that IFAPA does not receive the contract, there could be a gap in time before trainings are resumed by the new contractor. How training will be offered beyond September 2008 has not been decided yet, so please plan accordingly.

If your foster home license is due before the end of 2008, it is CRITICAL that you get your training hours completed before the end of September to avoid any problems with re-licensure. There might be limited foster parent training opportunities during the months of October through December. Below are different options available to complete your foster parent training hours prior to September 30, 2008. IFAPA is currently making arrangements for six-hours trainings to be held in August and September. Please watch this page for more details to come. To register for a training, call IFAPA at 800-277-8145 ext. 5.

Below are links for other training opportunities:

Support Groups Trainings

Many foster and adoptive support groups offer two-hour trainings opportunities during their meeting.

Online Trainings

Foster parents can earn a maximum of 3 credit hours online trainings, the remaining three hours must be completed in a group setting. Click the link above to take online training through www.fosterparents.com. (click on on-line training link on their home page)There is a small fee of approx. $5.00 per course. PLEASE NOTE: The following two courses under the category Reactive Attachment Disorder, titled Bonding and Attachment Workshop I and Bonding and Attachment Workshop II are NOT approved for training credit.

Mandatory Child Abuse Reporter Training
IFAPA will offer Mandatory Child Abuse Reporter Trainings across Iowa in June 2008. The training date and list of locations will be mailed to families and will be posted on the IFAPA website. If you cannot attend this training and need to complete this course soon, the IFAPA website includes a link to an online course offered by CE Solutions Group for Mandatory Child Abuse Reporter Training. There is a small fee to complete the course online.

Spring 2008 Training Schedule:

Ames Service Area Training Schedule
Date (9:00am-4:30pm)	Name of Training	City	Location
2/9/08	Up, Down and All Around...	Ames	Country Inn
3/15/08	Preventative Practices	Marshalltown	IA Valley Cont. Ed
4/5/08	People of Color: Skin & Hair Care	Ames	Holiday Inn
4/12/08	Life Long Connections	Fort Dodge	Best Western
5/3/08	Preventative Practices	Ames	Best Western
5/17/08	Teaching Life Skills	Fort Dodge	IA Central Community College
6/7/08	Life Long Connections	Ames	Country Inn
6/21/08	Parenting Traumatized Children...	Ames	ISU Scheman Building

Cedar Rapids Service Area Training Schedule
Date (9:00am-4:30pm)	Name of Training	City	Location
2/9/08	Parenting Traumatized Children...	Cedar Rapids	Best Western - LB
2/16/08	Life Long Connections	Ottumwa	Indian Hills College
3/22/08	Healing the Heart...	Cedar Rapids	Best Western - LB
3/29/08	My Brother, My Sister...	Coralville	Holiday Inn Express
4/12/08*	Working with Birth Families	Cedar Rapids	Four Oaks Bridge
4/19/08*	Up, Down and All Around...	Ottumwa	IHCC
5/3/08	Drug Awareness	Cedar Rapids	Best Western - LB
6/7/08	Preventative Practices**	Cedar Rapids	Best Western - LB
6/21/08	Surviving the System...	Coralville	Baymont Inn

* Trainings co-sponsored by Iowa KidsNet

** Training location was previously listed as Ottumwa in the Spring Training booklet.

The correct class location is Cedar Rapids.

Council Bluffs Service Area Training Schedule
Date (9:00am-4:30pm)	Name of Training	City	Location
2/16/08	Fostering Positive Relationships	Council Bluffs	Holiday Inn
3/15/08	Life Long Connections	Carroll	DMACC
4/12/08	Up, Down and All Around...	Council Bluffs	IWCC
5/3/08	Teaching Life Skills	Council Bluffs	IWCC
6/21/08	People of Color: Skin & Hair Care	Council Bluffs	Holiday Inn

Davenport Service Area Training Schedule
Date (9:00am-4:30pm)	Name of Training	City	Location
2/9/08	My Brother, My Sister...	Davenport	Clarion Hotel
3/1/08	Preventative Practices	Davenport	Clarion Hotel
4/12/08	People of Color: Skin & Hair Care	Davenport	Clarion Hotel
5/3/08	Parenting Traumatized Children...	Davenport	Clarion Hotel
6/7/08*	Teaching Life Skills	Davenport	St. Ambrose Univ.
6/21/08	Life Long Connections	Burlington	Comfort Suites

* This training is being held from 8:30am to 4:00pm

Des Moines Service Area Training Schedule
Date (9:00am-4:30pm)	Name of Training	City	Location
2/9/08	Healing the Heart...	West Des Moines	Jordan Creek Mall
2/23/08	My Brother, My Sister...	Des Moines	Holiday Inn NW
3/7/08	IFAPA State Conference*	Des Moines	Airport Holiday Inn
3/8/08	IFAPA State Conference*	Des Moines	Airport Holiday Inn
3/15/08	Surviving the System...	Des Moines	Holiday Inn NW
3/22/08	Preventative Practices	Des Moines	Holiday Inn NW
3/29/08	My Brother, My Sister...	Des Moines	Holiday Inn NW
4/12/08	Preventative Practices	Des Moines	Holiday Inn NW
4/19/08	Parenting Traumatized Children...	Des Moines	Airport Holiday Inn
4/26/08	My Brother, My Sister...	Des Moines	Holiday Inn NW
5/3/08	Managing Your Risk	Indianola	Apple Tree Inn
5/10/08	People of Color: Skin & Hair Care	Des Moines	Airport Holiday Inn
5/17/08	My Brother, My Sister...	Des Moines	Holiday Inn NW
6/7/08	My Brother, My Sister...	Des Moines	Holiday Inn NW
6/14/08	Working with Birth Families	Des Moines	Holiday Inn NW
6/21/08	Life Long Connections	Des Moines	Holiday Inn NW

* There is a cost to attend the IFAPA State Conference.

Dubuque Service Area Training Schedule
Date (9:00am-4:30pm)	Name of Training	City	Location
2/16/08	People of Color: Skin & Hair Care	Dubuque	Keystone AEA
3/15/08	Life Long Connections	West Union	West Union Library
3/29/08	Teaching Life Skills	Dubuque	NICC, Room 105
4/12/08	Surviving the System...	Dubuque	Keystone AEA
5/3/08	Healing the Heart...	Dubuque	Keystone AEA
6/14/08	Life Long Connections	Dubuque	Keystone AEA

Sioux City Service Area Training Schedule
Date (9:00am-4:30pm)	Name of Training	City	Location
2/23/08	Healing the Heart...	Sioux City	Northwest AEA
3/22/08	For Better or Worse...	Sioux City	Northwest AEA
3/29/08	My Brother, My Sister...	Spencer	ILCC
4/12/08	Teaching Life Skills	Sioux City	To be determined
4/26/08	Life Long Connections	Sioux City	Northwest AEA
5/10/08	Preventative Practices (CANCELLED)	Sioux City	Northwest AEA
6/7/08	People of Color: Skin & Hair Care	Sioux City	Northwest AEA

Waterloo Service Area Training Schedule
Date (9:00am-4:30pm)	Name of Training	City	Location
2/23/08	Parenting Traumatized Children...	Waterloo	Ramada Inn
3/15/08	Working with Birth Families	Waterloo	Ramada Inn
4/5/08	Healing the Heart...	Waterloo	Ramada Inn
5/3/08	Preventative Practices	Waterloo	Ramada Inn
5/3/08	Surviving the System...	Mason City	NIACC
6/14/08	My Brother, My Sister...	Waterloo	Ramada Inn
6/21/08	Life Long Connections	Waterloo	Ramada Inn