To help social workers, foster parents and others to better understand the unique needs and challenges children of incarcerated parents face, the Department of Social and Health Services has created an informative multimedia training resource.

With video, PowerPoint presentations and reference guides, "Working Effectively with Children of the Incarcerated, their Parents and Caregivers" is a valuable training tool for counselors, teachers and other professionals. The complete training resource is available free to download at the Department's Children's Administration Ongoing Training Website. A six–minute preview of the video is also available at the site and through the DSHS YouTube channel.

The video features frank interviews with youth placed in foster care while a parent served prison or jail terms, as well as discussions with formerly incarcerated parents, community leaders and experts in social work. Viewers see the effect that a parent's incarceration can have on entire families and communities, and get concrete suggestions on how professionals can improve their work with children, parents and caregivers.

"As a training tool, we needed to provide practical information and resources, but we also wanted to show the lives and feelings of the people behind the issues," says Miriam Bearse, DSHS correctional policy analyst. "The children involved need resources but also need specialized assistance and non-judgmental guidance from caregivers and providers. When you see a foster child interviewed in the video describe the first visit with her birth mother, it brings everything into perspective in a way no textbook could."

The DSHS Children's Administration Ongoing Training Web site features 28 videos created by DSHS to educate foster parents, kinship care providers and social workers about the many complex issues of being a caregiver for youth who have special needs or are separated from parents.

Foster parents can view videos and complete accompanying guidebooks or attend in-person conferences and workshops as part of their training and licensing requirements.

All videos and guidebooks are free to the public for downloading and with topics that include fire safety for young children, de-escalation techniques and nurturing children’s growing minds can be a useful resource for any parent or caregiver of infants, children and teens.

"Working Effectively with Children of the Incarcerated, their Parents and Caregivers" was created through a partnership between the DSHS Office of Planning, Performance and Accountability and the Department's Children's Administration, with feedback and guidance from other partners.

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DSHS does not discriminate, and provides equal access to its programs and services for all persons without regard to race, color, gender, religion, creed, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, age, veterans status or the presence of any physical, sensory or mental disability.