The desire to provide a safe and loving home for children is a noble purpose. However, the fostering journey comes with complexities and an overwhelming amount of uncertainties and questions. Here’s a list of the best foster parent training agencies to answer your questions and aid you in creating the best possible environment for your foster child.
Knotts Family Agency
Founded in 1992, Knotts Family Agency is a highly regarded and family-focused organization based in Southern California. It is known for its high degree of personalized support to foster parents and children in its care. Knotts Family Agency believes that a well-supported and well-trained foster parent is the most important factor in a kid’s success. As such, they provide 24/7 hands-on mobile support from a dedicated social worker assigned to you.
The core of its training lies with trauma-informed care, providing parents with practical and day-to-day tools to help children heal from trauma and loss. The agency offers live, interactive sessions to help parents better understand the techniques. Specialized training and certification for children with significant needs are also available through its Intensive Treatment Foster Care (ITFC) program.
Key Advantages
- Focused on deep trauma-informed care and de-escalation
- 24/7 on-call support and weekly in-home visits
- Branches located in Southern California
Aspiranet
As one of California’s largest and most well-known social services agencies, Aspiranet has positively impacted the lives of over 35,000 kids. Its huge network allows foster parents to receive proper training and information. In addition, it provides services such as family support and behavioral health.
ts approach to training is identifying and focusing on building the strengths of each individual, from the foster child to the family members. Its curriculum involves trauma-informed care and addresses daily, actionable topics such as educational advocacy and community resources. It also offers the ITFC program for families and children who need it.
Key Advantages
- Focused on a strengths-based approach and practical life skills
- Large, statewide network of integrated services
- Branches located in California
Walden Family Services
The agency Walden Family Services has earned its good reputation by specializing in children with health care needs and those part of the LGBT+ community. In addition to these efforts, it is committed to keeping siblings together whenever possible.
Programs focus on parents cultivating parenting skills that exude empathy and nurture. It also offers specific training, so foster adults can carefully handle the specific needs of LGBTQ+ kids to create a loving and accepting home environment.
Additionally, it has training for children with medical needs. These programs cover topics such as Individualized Education Programs, managing medical appointments and various therapies.
Key Advantages
- Focused on LGBTQ+ Youth and Children with Special Needs
- Focused on Nurturing Parenting Program and Sibling Focus
- Branches located in Southern California
All For Kids
With over a century of child welfare experience, All For Kids puts abuse prevention and treatment at the forefront of its services. It has a dual focus on foster care and adoption, so All For Kids will be a great choice for parents who are open to both options.
The agency uses the Parent Resources for Information, Development and Education (PRIDE) training curriculum for its programs. It has also developed a network of support for the foster parents, tapping schools and community organizations.
The agency’s primary goal for the children under its care is reunification with their parents. The agency’s training properly reflects that. At the same time, foster families are usually trained and prepared to adopt. This ensures that the child finds a permanent home, regardless of the outcome.
Key Advantages
- Focused on foster-to-adopt and pride
- In-house mental health and therapeutic services
- Branches located in Los Angeles and Orange County
Olive Crest
As a faith-based organization, Olive Crest’s mission is to prevent child abuse and help at-risk kids. It welcomes foster parents from all religious backgrounds, but the organization is mainly guided by Christian principles. This shapes the agency’s culture and its approach to care. Its main focus is to create a strong family model for children in its care.
Olive Crest excels at building a tight-knit community between parents and the organization, frequently hosting events and support groups. It offers prevention-oriented programs that enable parents in crisis to place their kids with foster families temporarily.
As a principle, it also ensures that each family fosters only one child at a time to meet that child’s unique, individual needs. It uses the Trust-Based Relational Intervention therapeutic model for training.
Key Advantages
- Focused on trust-based relational intervention
- Faith-based community and family restoration
- Branches located in California, Nevada and Washington
Agency Comparison at a Glance
Here’s a table breaking down the agencies in detail, highlighting their key training focus, support system provided and service area.
| Key Training Focus | Support System | Service Area | |
| Knotts Family Agency | Deep trauma-informed care and de-escalation | 24/7 on-call Support and weekly in-home visits | Southern California |
| Aspiranet | Strengths-based approach and practical life skills | Large, statewide network of integrated services | California |
| Walden Family Services | LGBTQ+ youth and children with special needs | Nurturing parenting program and sibling focus | Southern California |
| All For Kids | Foster-to-adopt and PRIDE | In-house mental health and therapeutic services | Los Angeles and Orange County |
| Olive Crest | Trust-based relational intervention | Faith-based community and family restoration | California, Nevada and Washington |
The Methodology for Selecting Top Agencies
There are many things to consider when it comes to choosing the top foster parent agencies. Narrowing down the criteria to these five aspects helps in emphasizing the primary things you need to succeed. Here is the methodology criteria for the top choices:
- Curriculum comprehensiveness: The right agencies will help demystify the process of becoming a foster parent, providing all the crucial information you need so you don’t operate in the dark. Does the training cover all the essential topics such as trauma-informed care, de-escalation and first aid?
- Support systems: How much support does the agency provide parents after training and placement? Some examples include 24/7 support and mentorship-style services.
- Training flexibility: Are there online, in-person or hybrid models available?
- State accreditation: Is the agency fully accredited and in good standing?
- Parent testimonials and reviews: What feedback does it receive from current and former foster parents?
By considering all these factors, you can ensure that your training is informative and smooth-sailing.
Taking the Next Step on Your Foster Care Journey
There are many things to consider and to know about foster parent training. Choosing the right agency and training program is the most important first step in your fostering journey. While the process is detailed and meticulous, it ensures you’re prepared and supported as foster parents.
Visit and browse through the listed foster parent training websites. Start with the one you resonate with the most and go from there. You can typically request an information session to learn more about the agencies. This step is all about ensuring that you make the best choice for you and your future foster child.
