After you attend an orientation session, completing your NTDC training classes will be the next important step in your journey as a foster and/or adoptive parent. NTDC stands for National Training and Development Curriculum.

Your training classes will prepare you to make an informed decision about becoming a foster or adoptive family. Families who make informed decisions and grow in their new roles work best with agencies, birth families and others. This teamwork and partnership is what helps children and youth have stability and permanence within a family. You will be part of a team of many people working together on behalf of each child.

Benefits of NTDC

NTDC is a 33-hour, interactive group format led by a team of two facilitators. The team includes an experienced foster or adoptive parent and an experienced social worker employed in the foster care or adoption field.

You’ll learn firsthand the challenges and rewards of becoming a foster and/or adoptive parent, and your NTDC leaders will help you decide how your expectations and abilities match the realities of becoming a foster or adoptive family.

The benefits of NTDC:

  • Learning how to build positive relationships with birth parents and families
  • Understanding the commitment it takes to ensure the well-being of children placed in your care
  • Learning the importance of keeping close connections between children and their birth families
  • Understanding behavioral problems a child may experience
  • Understanding the foster care system
  • Thinking about the impact fostering and adoption may have on your own family

What training do I need to do before I complete NTDC classes and homestudy process*?

Mandatory Child Abuse Reporter Training

Foster parents are mandatory reporters of child abuse. As mandatory reporters, foster parents are required to take Mandatory Child Abuse Reporter Training. At least two hours of Mandatory Child Abuse Reporter Training must be taken before completing the licensing process and every three years thereafter.  This class must be taken through this link: Mandatory reporter training.

CPR & First Aid

All licensed foster homes must be certified in CPR & First Aid through a nationally recognized training organization before completing the licensing process. Foster parents shall maintain a certificate indicating the date of training and expiration. You can go to the Four Oaks training page to find a CPR and First Aid training near you.

Medication Management Training

Foster parents are required to take Medication Management Training before completing the licensing process. To complete this requirement, foster parents must read the Medication Management booklet and answer the ten review questions on pages 14 and 15 of this booklet. Foster parents must turn in their completed questionnaire to their Licensing Worker in order to receive credit for completing this required course. This training is worth one hour of foster parent training credit and only needs to be completed one time.

We have a form that you can type on here: Medication Management test typable

Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard Training

The Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard (RPPS) allows foster parents to give their foster children permission to do age-appropriate activities that promote cognitive, emotional, physical and behavioral growth. All states are now required to promote normalcy for children in foster care.

*If you are enrolled in NTDC classes you will complete RPPS in your 33 hour training.

To sign up for Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard Training please see the calendar for the virtual 1 hour option: click here for calendar

Universal Precautions

Universal Precautions is required of everyone completing the process to becoming foster or adoptive parents.

Universal Precautions packet

We have a form that you can type in: Universal Precautions 2023 test typable

Home Study Questionnaire

As you probably know by now, this journey to become a foster or adoptive parent does require a lot of paperwork!

The Home Study Questionnaire is a tool for families to provide a detailed written description of themselves, in their own words. They are structured to help you focus on specific areas important to your fostering and/or adoption decision. They’re also a tool for your licensing specialist to help you assess your strengths and characteristics.

You’ll receive these profiles at NTDC meeting 1.  Please bring your completed profiles to NTDC meeting 3.

You may be thinking “I’d love to get a head start on these forms and get them done right away.” We love your enthusiasm, but this will not speed up the process for you and actually makes it more challenging for us. Please wait until after you attend your first NTDC training session to start this paperwork. Following these steps in order will make it a lot easier!

NTDC Home Study Questionnaire (single)

NTDC home study questions single

NTDC Home Study Questionnaire (single typable)

NTDC home study questions typable

NTDC Home Study Questionnaire (couple)

NTDC home study questions couple

NTDC Home Study Questionnaire for couples to type.

NTDC home study questions typable couple