Alberta Children's Services Provincial Caregiver Training

The Provincial Caregiver Training Team provides caregivers with training that aligns with current research, legislation, policy, Indigenous worldviews and practices such as the Practice Framework, Signs of Safety, and trauma-informed approaches.  Caregiver training includes both self-directed learning through Parent Resources for Information, Development and Education (PRIDE) and Alberta-specific courses which are virtually facilitated.

Potential and new caregivers are required to complete PRIDE Pre-Service which consists of 10 pre-recorded video sessions that applicants take at their own pace, online.  It is required for all foster and permanency applicants.  Kinship caregivers are required to complete the Kinship Orientation Training (KOT) eLearning, which is also taken at the caregivers’ own pace.  All registrations for both PRIDE Pre-Service and Kinship Orientation Training are processed through the Provincial Caregiver Training Team (PCTT).

Please review the available resources below to support the ongoing recruitment, orientation and training of caregivers. 

If you have further questions or would like to register an applicant into either PRIDE Pre-Service or Kinship Orientation Training, please contact the PCTT at CFS.CaregiverTraining@gov.ab.ca

Caregiver Learning Plan 

Caregiver Learning Pathway Guide 

Caregiver Competencies February  2024

• Sept-Oct 2025 Pre-Service Learning Check-Ins
• July-Aug 2025 Pre-service Learning Check-Ins 
• Factsheet Caregiver Training Redesign July 2023
• Student Handbook
• PRIDE Registration Process
• PRIDE Introduction Flyer for potential applicant(s)
• Content Summaries for the 10 Sessions of PRIDE Pre-Service
• A video introduction to navigating and using PRIDE Pre-Service
• PRIDE Pre-Service Implementation FAQs
• Caring for Indigenous Children and Youth Self-directed eLearning for Caregivers

If you have further questions regarding training or would like to register an applicant into Pre-Service, please email  CFS.CaregiverTraining@gov.ab.ca

• Training Calendar In-Service – Instructor-Led courses Sept–Oct 2025
• Training Calendar In-Service – Instructor-Led courses July-Aug  2025
• Caregiver Training Expense Form
• Factsheet Caregiver Training Redesign July 2023
• Participant Preparation for Online Caregiver Training
• Standards for Successful Online Caregiver Training
• Caregiver Training Inventory Tool 
• Provincial Caregiver Training Calendar In-Service – Instructor-Led courses July-Aug  2025

• Foundations of Caregiver Support (FCSC)
• Kinship Orientation Training (KOT)
• Safe Babies

• Foundations of Caregiver Support for Caregivers (FCSC)
• ARC Reflection Framework
• Child Intervention in Alberta: What Caregivers Need to know 
• FASD: A Caregiver’s Learning Series Core Training
• How to Observe, Record and Report
• Navigating Transitions
• Nurturing Child and Youth Connections
• Play: The Building Blocks of Development and Connection
• Preserving Memories
• Substance Use Awareness
• Suicide Awareness
• Supporting Sexual and Gender Diverse (SGD)Children and Youth
• Understanding Care Concerns and Allegations
• Understanding Self Harm Behaviour 
• Understanding Sexual Abuse and Managing Disclosures
• Walking Together: Supporting Indigenous Cultural Connections
• Your Role on the Child’s Case Team

• Caring for Indigenous Children and Youth E-Learning 
• Foundations of Caregiver Support for Caregivers (FCSC)
• Medication Administration
• Safe Babies
• The Foundations for Meeting Development Needs of Children and Youth Team
• Positive Strategies to Protect, Nurture and Meet Developmental Needs
• Sexuality through the Ages and Stages of Development
• Supporting Relationships Between Children, Youth and Their Families
• Working in Collaboration with the Case Team
• Managing the Caregiving Experience
• Promoting Children and Youth’s Personal and Cultural Identity
• Weathering the Storm- Tolls for Positive Emotional Regulation

CONNECTIONS is monthly newsletter designed to support Foster and Kinship Caregivers to ensure First Nations, Metis & Inuit children in their care have access to cultural resources, activities and events that broaden their cultural awareness.

CONNECTIONS is packed full of learning opportunities that make it easy and fun for the whole family to learn together! Each month we Spotlight a new topic. Learn about Turtle Island, the Seven Sacred Teaching, what to expect at a Powwow and more!

ALIGN Association maintains a library of valuable resources including current research, news and resources to support foster and kinship caregivers. 

Mentoring children and youth offers significant value, both for the individuals involved and for society as a whole. Learn more about some of the key benefits of mentoring.

The holiday season is often associated with warmth, love, and togetherness, but for foster children, it can also bring a sense of uncertainty, loneliness, and loss. Many children in foster care have experienced trauma, disrupted family ties, and instability in their lives. For these kids, the holidays can feel especially overwhelming as they navigate a world where traditions, family, and routines are unfamiliar…