We are so glad you have decided to support foster families and children in your community!

Our June event will be offered in person on a Saturday!

Participating Agencies: Arrow, Angelheart, Circles of Care, Depelchin, Divinity Family Services, Giocosa, Helping Hand Home, Pathways, PCHAS, SAFE, Settlement Home, Upbring, Nightlight, CK Family Services, and 4Point Kids.

*Content Warning// The topics covered throughout the training can be difficult to learn about as we walk with children who have experienced trauma. We encourage participants to be conscious of their own needs, and experiences and encourage taking breaks or seeking support when necessary. If you have any concerns or questions before registration, please contact us at [email protected]

This training is for those who are 21+ looking to offer short-term childcare (up to 72 hours) for licensed foster families in the Greater Austin area. Please purchase one ticket for EACH participant attending the training.

There will be a one-day 2-part training you will be required to participate.

Portion 1: Trauma-Informed Care for Babysitting, Administering Medications, and Safe Transportation.

Portion 2: CPR/First Aid Certification Training. Both pieces of training MUST be attended to receive your certification and the certificates to be sent to your chosen agencies.

**If you have received your CPR/First Aid certification in the last 12 months, your cards are valid & you are not required to participate in the CPR/First Aid portion of the training.

Fees :

Training Registration: $30.00 (Due at time of registration)

Background Checks: $37.00 (This will be paid separately by the participant)

Please read through all the FAQs below before registering. If you have not identified a family, but would like to attend the certification training, please visit our FAQs page to see ways to get connected to a foster family.

Steps to Becoming a Babysitter:

1. Complete Registration on Eventbrite

2. Submit the Application and ID to the primary CPA to initiate the background check process.

4. Complete Fingerprinting process

5. Collect All Paperwork

• Note that there is a recent change regarding the Recognizing & Reporting Child Sexual Abuse training. This is an additional state requirement that is an online training. Your chosen CPA will need to log you in individually for you to be able to access the training module.

5. Receive TB test and Results

• This will be completed at a local clinic. This is a 2-appointment session, scheduled 48 hours apart, plan accordingly. Cost for registered applicants is included.

6. Attend Training Day with Fostering Hope: Trauma-Informed Care for Babysitters, Administering Medications and Safe Transportation

7. Attend CPR and First Aid training

*If you have received your CPR/First Aid certification in the last 12 months, your cards are valid & you are not required to participate in the CPR/First Aid portion of the training.

8. All required paperwork is submitted in person to Fostering Hope which ensures it is received securely by your agency.

FAQs :

Do I have to have a foster family picked out to register?

For this training, Fostering Hope does NOT require you to have a foster family chosen before registering for the training.

Here are some ways we suggest getting connected to a foster family :

• Ask your local church leaders to see if there is a ministry or family in your community, they can connect you to.

• Reach out to an agency in our collaboration to see if they can connect you to a family in your area.

• Check discussion boards, community events, and your neighbors to see if there is a foster family in need.

• Utilize your platforms like social media, parent groups, or other groups you are a member of.

What are the date(s) and time for Training Day?

Saturday, June 8th from 9:00 am-12:30 pm

CPR/First Aid will be in person from 1:00-3:00 pm

Training sessions include Trauma-Informed Care for Babysitters, Medication Administration, and Safe Transportation training, all of which are required by the State of Texas to care for children in care.

The agency I want to babysit for is not on the list. Can they join the collaboration now?

Not currently. The current agencies listed are working collaboratively to adhere to the same foundation of standards and expectations for their babysitters. We are always looking to collaborate with more agencies to best serve our community.

Why are you asking people to choose only 3 agencies if there are more agencies in the collaboration?

All the agencies have agreed on the same requirements. Three choices give you flexibility but keep you from getting overrun by requests. You can add other agencies within a year if you choose to work with another agency.

How much will it cost?

There are some set fees. $30 for registration (+ a bit extra for online processing fees). Fingerprinting fees are $37/per person and are paid to the State’s fingerprinting company. Fostering Hope seeks out grants and donors to cover the additional costs of CPR and TB testing for the registered participant. Referral coupon codes are available!

Who must get background checked?

Anyone who is 14 years or older who lives in the home can be asked to be background checked. If a person will ever be the primary caretaker of a foster child (be left alone with the child), they must be certified with a background check and training. (ex. The parent in the house gets certified and they will be responsible for the foster child. An 18-year-old son or daughter in the home needs only to be background checked, but they cannot be left alone with the foster child without becoming babysitter certified themselves)

Who will help me through this process?

We here at Fostering Hope look forward to walking with you through each step of the process. You will be receiving emails from us leading up to Training Day(s) and our staff is available to answer any questions that may arise along the way.

Do I have to attend both portions of Training Day to be certified?

Yes, both portions of the training must be completed to become certified. If you have received your CPR/First Aid certification in the last 12 months, your cards are valid & you are not required to participate in the CPR/First Aid portion of the training.

*Please note we do not offer refunds for this training. Scholarships and referral discount codes are available upon request.

Register