Training

After a discussion of the meaning of culture, cultural competence, the impact of culture on the participants’ lives and the reasons why children in need of family foster care are at risk in the area of self-esteem and cultural identity, the session focuses on the foster family's role in helping children achieve a positive cultural identity. Participants acquire information about steps they can take to learn about the cultural norms of children in their care. They engage in activities designed to increase their ability to use the community to support children's cultural identity, to incorporate the child's culture and traditions into daily life, to manage diverse traditions in the family, and to help assure positive special occasions within the foster family.

The overall goal of Session Two entitled, "Helping Children Develop Lifebooks" is to demonstrate how Lifebooks can be used with children to record their life stories in a way that promotes a positive sense of identity and self-esteem.

Building on their understanding of how Lifebooks contribute to the child's self-esteem, identity and the maintenance of connections, participants learn about a variety of ways to approach the interactive process involved in developing a Lifebook with children. They practice concrete ways to discuss sensitive issues with children and identify and record positive aspects of a child’s history. To illustrate that the Lifebook involves a process and a product, participants begin planning a Lifebook for a child living with their family.