What to expect from the parenting course anyone :)

[Cathulhu]

Hiya, Me and my DH have had our initial visit from out SW :D so the next step for us is the parenting course. Can anyone please tell me what I should expect? Thanks xx

Ours was 10 sessions about positive parenting. It was a chance to make friends with people who are adopting in your area. It is a chance to find out about support in your area.

Ours was super good fun but then I like that kind of thing.

In a small number of cases we had to role play being kids (maybe only once or twice), we watched dvd clips, did exercises together like working out the best way to do something and we asked lots of questions. It was good.

Thank you. been feeling really nervous about it :) I feel bit better now, x

hi, ours was three days with an extra one in a couple of weeks. We were a small group of about 10 of us and two social workers. This is how ours went:
Day 1- why children are in care, how the process works, how the child feels, what panel is etc.

day 2- abuse, signs of abuse, attachment, aggression, disabilities, fas etc

day 3- birth parents and how things are for them, letter box scheme, contact after adoption how things will be when you are matched.

We worked in groups, completed case studies and a bit of role play too (love role play! )
and we met 3 adopters who gave talks and a foster carer too.

It's a brilliant thing to go to. Very overwhelming at times particularly our day two (don't know if yours will be the same obviously) but very valuable.

Parenting course or prep course OP?

And a question for anyone who's done the parenting course (Italian?) is that a standard thing (like the prep course) or something that some people do?

oops I read it wrong and thought it was Prep course. Please ignore me

namechangesforthehardstuff in our county I thought everyone had to do it but some people in couples managed to do it where one did it and the other did not do it all (e.g. due to work). I was also told in the unlikely event a child is placed with a couple before end of parenting course then one parent looks after child and other attends course. I am guessing single adopters would have to miss course if placed before end but no on in our group got placed before the course ended. 10 units in our area was run over about 7 weeks.

I've never heard of a parenting course.... Is it only certain authorities/agencies that do it?

We didn't do a parenting course, only prep training. But then, we were also expected to attend additional training, which I guess makes up the shortfall that prep training left.

We only did the prep course. I think a parenting course would have been a fantastic idea but it was never on offer

I wonder if the prep course is branded as a parenting course in cathulu's area?

We had some parenting input (some nice principles to hang on to - like "keep your newly adopted child's world small, tight, and boring") and some work on transitions, life story etc., which is all the standard BAAF course, and a truly pointless day which was supposed to be on risk, exposure, and uncertainty from someone who banged on all day about HIV and HepB (rare in the children our VA places) and said zero about disability (important consideration clearly) and about 2 minutes on drug/alcohol (very important ditto).

I did both prep course and parenting course and the two were very different with very little cross over.

Thank you all, xx