The name PRIDE was selected by foster and adoptive parents in Illinois, where PRIDE was first developed. It stands for Parent Resources for Information, Development and Education. PRIDE is a model for the development and support of all families interested in providing adoption, fostering or kinship care. PRIDE begins with the pre-service training for applicants. It’s designed to strengthen, standardize and enhance the quality of the process and services in assessing and preparing applicants for foster care, kinship care and adoption.
The PRIDE pre-service training program is designed to teach knowledge and skills in six essential competency categories:
- Protecting and nurturing children;
- Meeting children’s developmental needs, and addressing developmental delays;
- Supporting relationships between children and their families;
- Connecting children to safe, nurturing relationships intended to last and a lifetime;
- Participating as a member of a professional team; and
- Reinforcing a child’s heritage and cultural identity.
All foster, kinship care, formal customary care and adoption applicants in Ontario are required to attend the 27 hours of PRIDE pre-service training by the Ministry of Child and Family Services.
