Foster Kinship Care Education Program Specialist and SLO Support

If you have any questions please email me at my listed email address or contact me at (209) 588-5169

The Mission of FKCE:

The Foster & Kinship Care Education Program (FKCE) provides quality education and support opportunities to caregivers of children and youth in out-of-home care (foster care) so that these providers may meet the educational, emotional, behavioral, and developmental needs of children and youth.

Why is FKCE important?

Children enter foster care as a result of abuse and/or neglect. Children in foster care have often been in environments where there is substance abuse and addiction, domestic violence, unsanitary home conditions, or with parents who are unable to meet the needs of the child and keep the child safe.  The FKCE program plays a vital role in providing prospective caregivers and approved Resource Families (foster parents, relative caregivers, nonrelated extended family members) with the training and education that will help them meet the multifaceted and often complex needs of the foster children in their care. 

About FKCE:

The FKCE program was established in 1984 following the passage of Senate Bill 2003, the Foster Children and Parent Training Fund. This act designated the California Community College Chancellor's Office as the agency to administer the program, which provides funding to community colleges for the provision of education and training to potential and existing resource parents. The Columbia College FKCE program works with the Child Welfare Services agencies in Tuolumne, Mariposa and Calaveras counties to provide training and support for prospective and approved Resource Families. Columbia College FKCE provides caregivers with continuing education training on topics such as understanding attachment and bonding, understanding trauma informed caregiving and the needs of children who have experienced trauma, impacts of grief and loss, positive discipline methods, advocating for children in the education system, meeting the health needs of children in foster care, and working collaboratively with Child Welfare Services.  The Columbia College FKCE program provides Resource Families with pre-service training, 12 hours of required curriculum, in order to help prepare interested individuals in providing care to children in foster care. Columbia College FKCE also provides on-going training opportunities to approved Resource Families in order to help families meet the requirement for annual in-service training.

                              "The more we know, the more they grow."