With the common belief that love is all it takes to parent an adopted child, it is quite discouraging to hopeful adoptive parents in Ontario to hear they need to take a training course as part of their adoption preparation.
Despite the fact that adoptive parents often resent that this training is mandatory when biological parents are not required to do anything to be parents, PRIDE is a very important part of the adoption process. By understanding what PRIDE is and its relevance to adoptive families, hopeful adoptive parents can see the benefits of adoption education to their soon-to-be child.
What Is PRIDE Adoption Training?
Created by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services in 1993, Parent Resources for Information, Development and Education (PRIDE) aims to educate and support adoptive families, foster families, kin and customary care arrangements. Ontario first implemented the training in 2004 and revised it again in 2006 when it became mandatory for all forms of adoptions.
PRIDE training is part of a larger process for assessing, preparing and supporting adoptive families. The 27-hour training program is facilitated by two trainers who co-lead the PRIDE sessions: one an adoption professional and one an adoptive or foster parent. The training complements the homestudy process necessary for all international adoptions as well as both public and private domestic adoptions.
Why Is PRIDE Training Important for Adoptive Families?
Through the use of videos, exercises, discussions and real examples, prospective adoptive parents learn how to understand the unique issues experienced by adopted children and how to help them manage their adoption status throughout life. In the PRIDE sessions adoptive parents will learn:
- The basics of child growth and development, specifically regarding attachment
- How to help adopted children through their losses
- The importance of maintaining contact with birthfamilies
- How to support adopted kids through issues such as abuse and delays in emotional, physical and mental health
- The necessity of preserving the heritage and culture of adopted children
- Appropriate ways of disciplining
- Changes the adoptive family will undergo as a result of adopting a child
The PRIDE training emphasizes that adoptive parents are part of team of professionals working together to ensure the adopted child’s needs are met both in the short and long term.
How Do Adoptive Parents Sign-Up for PRIDE?
To take a PRIDE adoption training course, adoptive parents have to already be working with an adoption worker or social worker. PRIDE courses are available through local Family and Children’s Services for low or no cost, but the wait lists are long. Private PRIDE trainings are available throughout the province at a cost and are scheduled throughout the year in various locations.
The PRIDE adoption training course is an essential part of the preparation process for adoptive families. By understanding what PRIDE is and its benefit to adoptive families, prospective adoptive parents can better appreciate the need for this province-wide program and feel comfortable in their role as adoptive parents.
Source:
Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies Training Program PRIDEbook
Angela Krueger - As an adoptive parent and PRIDE adoption trainer, Angela uses her insights to help others on their adoption journey.
