2014-2015 FOSTER CARE/ADOPTION
PRE-SERVICE CLASS SCHEDULE

Meetings are held on Monday evenings from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at 1955 US1 South (just south of the 312 intersection), St. Augustine, FL 32086. Use the building entrance facing US 1 and the duck pond. Location may be changing in late February 2015 due to FIP program office relocation. For information: (904) 209-6131.

2014 Fall Session

Orientation – September 8
Meeting 1- September 15
Meeting 2 – September 22
Meeting 3 – September 29
Meeting 4 – October 6
Meeting 5 – October 13
Meeting 6 – October 20
Meeting 7 – October 27
Meeting 8 – November 3
No Class – November 10
Meeting 9 – November 17
* Graduation/Meeting 10 – November 24

2015 Winter Session

Orientation – January 5
Meeting 1 – January 12
Holiday – Martin Luther King Day, January 19
Meeting 2 – January 26
Meeting 3 – February 2
Meeting 4 – February 9
Meeting 5 – February 16
Meeting 6 – February 23
Meeting 7 – March 2
Meeting 8 – March 9
Meeting 9 – March 16
* Graduation/Meeting 10 – March 23

2015 Spring Session

Orientation – April 6
Meeting 1 – April 13
Meeting 2 – April 20
Meeting 3 – April 27
Meeting 4 – May 4
Meeting 5 – May 11
Meeting 6 – May 18
Holiday – Memorial Day, May 25
Meeting 7 – June 1
Meeting 8 – June 8
Meeting 9 – June 15
* Graduation/Meeting 10 – June 22

In addition to attending at least 23 hours of classes, participate in the development of a home study, pass comprehensive background and reference checks, and maintain a home that meets safety, sanitation, and licensing standards, prospective caregivers will also be asked to:

1) Visit an existing Foster Home and complete the required questionnaire,

2) Attend Dependency Court one time, and

3) Attend one local Foster/Adoptive Parent Association meeting.

Foster parenting impacts every aspect of your family and private life. The information provided and the experiential components of pre-service classes are meant to best allow you and the agency to make an informed decision whether providing Foster Care will be a successful endeavor for you, your family and the children and families that you will impact forever.

Fostering, or adopting, a child from the child-welfare system is a life-altering journey of not just love, but of dedication and resilience. Many happy and fulfilling experiences result from fostering, but they are earned over months, sometimes years. Foster care is not about saving a child; it is about healing developmental wounds, establishing trust, and rebuilding families.

If you would like to become part of the caring team working to strengthen and reunify local families, please plan to attend an orientation session and find out more information about how you can help.

For more information, call (904) 209-6131.