Foster Care Training*:
This is a requirement to maintain a foster care license. At least half of these training hours must be done in a classroom setting.  Foster parents needs six (6) hours of training annually to renew their foster care license.  All renewal training hours must be completed prior to the family's license renewal date.  To read more about training requirements from the DHS Foster Parent Handbook, click here: Training Requirements.

Adoption Training*:
Adoptive parents are not required to participate in training hours. However, adoptive parents report that children's issues do not go away and sometimes issues surface after adoption finalization. IFAPA provides training that meets adoptive parents' challenges.
 

Mandatory Reporter Training:

Foster parents are mandatory reporters of child abuse.  Foster parents are required to complete mandatory child abuse training within six months of initial licensing and every five years thereafter.

Foster Parent Training Guide Sheet:

You must make an application for renewal of your license by contacting your licensing worker by phone or e-mail at least 30 days and no more than 90 days before your expiration date.  It is important to keep your certificates of attendance in a safe place during the year.  You will submit these certificates as proof of credit to your licensing worker.  This guide sheet is for your records only, not for submission to your licensing worker.  View Guide Sheet 

To Register for a Training:

Training is a key to parenting the special needs many foster and adoptive children exhibit.  To register for a training, please contact Phyllis Pierce at ppierce@ifapa.org or call 515-289-4567 ext. 165; outside Des Moines area call 1-800-277-8145 ext. 165.

Inclement Weather – Class Cancellations

During the winter months, bad weather can happen.  We try our best to avoid cancelling trainings.  If the trainer is able to make it to the training location, IFAPA will still hold the class for those families that need to get their training hours completed.  If you feel the weather is too dangerous to travel, please stay home and you can register for a different upcoming class.  If a class needs to be cancelled, we will make every effort to notify all attendees of the cancellation via phone and on the home page of our website.  IFAPA will also list all class cancellations on our Training Coordinator’s voicemail.  If you would like to find out if any classes have been cancelled due to weather, please call 800-277-8145 ext. 155.

CLICK ON THE HEADING BELOW TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOSTER/ADOPTIVE FAMILIES IN IOWA:

IFAPA Six Hour Trainings*

Click above to learn about the current six hour trainings offered by IFAPA and other events co-sponsored by IFAPA.

Other Trainings*

Click above to learn more about trainings available to foster an adoptive parents.  Many of these trainings are two hour trainings offered through area foster and adoptive parent support groups.

Mandatory Reporter Training*

Click above to learn more about Mandatory Reporter Trainings offered by IFAPA and other options available around the state.

Online Trainings

Click above to take on-line training through www.fosterparents.com. (click on on-line training link on their home page).

A maximum of three foster parent training credits can be obtained through on-line trainings.  The other three hours must be obtained through a group setting. 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.