Frequently Asked Questions

I want to help. What can I do?

To donate funds, click here: https://fostersource.org/donate/

To volunteer, click here: https://fostersource.org/volunteer/

Other ways to help, click here: https://fostersource.org/ez-ways-to-help/

I want to donate a suitcase or luggage for a child in foster care.

Suitcases can be brought to our office at 11860 Pecos St. #1131 in Westminster during public hours.  They can also be dropped off at your local ARC store. We partner with ARC and are able to send our families there directly. 

Do you take clothing, toys, books or equipment donations?

To get these types of donations into the hands of local foster families the quickest, please donate to one of our non-profit partners below:

Who founded Foster Source?

Foster Source was founded in 2016 by former foster parents Renee and Brian Bernhard. 

Why do foster parents need support?

The Problem

Every day in Colorado, 12 children enter foster care. Approximately 70% of foster parents quit within the first two years due to feeling overwhelmed, unsupported and unprepared for parenting children from traumatic backgrounds.  When foster parents quit, children in foster care endure the additional trauma of being moved again. There is a severe shortage of foster parents in Colorado, especially experienced, long-term foster parents.

Our Solution

Children in foster care need more than love. They need to learn skills and resources to heal from trauma. These skills are provided by foster parents who are nurtured with the capability to foster better and foster longer. Our training classes are taught from a trauma-informed approach, helping foster parents learn new skills to meet children where they are,  to start the healing process in their vulnerable hearts. Our classes include free childcare, giving foster parents two hours of respite and children in care 2 hours to spend with other children in care. Our relief services help make the foster parenting experience softer, leading children to experience appropriate family experiences with trust and comfort. Our therapeutic services give foster parents the mental health support they need to process the grief and secondary trauma that comes with foster parenting. This helps foster parents continue to foster. When we nurture and value foster parents, the children in their care heal sooner.

Do you serve kinship families?

Yes we do. We serve both certified and non-certified kinship providers in Colorado. 

What are relief services?

Foster Source provides items to help soften the foster care experience for foster parents and the children in their care.  

Where can I get a weighted blanket?

Please submit a request here. A weighted blanket should be about 10% of a child’s body weight. Always check with your child’s caseworker and therapist before using weighted items.

Where can I get clothing for the children in my care?

We can make a referral for you to shop at A Precious Child in Broomfield.

We can make a referral for you to Big Hearts Closet in Aurora.

We can make a referral for you to the Closet Cooperative in Aurora.

We can make a referral for you to Operation Foster Hope in Firestone. 

You can visit our office in the Adams County Human Services building. We sit in one of the smaller boutiques for A Precious Child. Here, you can shop for about a week’s worth of clothes. We also have intake bags that include 24 – 48 hours worth of supplies that are gender, size and season specific from Meghan’s Wish

Where can I get a toddler bed, car seat, crib, bouncer seat, high chair, etc.?

Foster Source can post an “ask” on our Facebook page on your behalf and you can follow up with the donor directly.  Foster Source can also order a used item and you can pick up at a Westminster or Aurora location. Submit your initial request to get started here

Where can I get mattresses?

Foster Source has a partnership with Mattress Firm that allows certified foster parents to purchase mattresses and bed frames at cost and ship directly to your home.  You may submit your request through our caregiver portal https://fostersource.org/portal.  Under “Items Needed”, select mattress, and we will email you the information to proceed.  If you are unable to purchase, we will sponsor the mattress for the foster family.

I've been asked to take a sibling set and need bunk beds.

Please submit a request through our website https://fostersource.org/portal.

Where can I get diapers and wipes?

You can also request diapers and wipes through our website https://fostersource.org/portal under “Items Needed: Covid-19 Needs”. Arrangement for pick-up would need to be made for our Westminster or Aurora locations. We can ship items to foster parents outside of the metro area. 

I need respite care. Can you help?

Foster Source has respite events throughout the year.  Please check our website or follow us on Facebook for the latest information on these events.  If you are in need of immediate respite care, submit a request at fostersource.org/respite and we will post the information on our Facebook page. From there you can follow up directly with any foster parents who are available. Please be sure to always get respite approved by the county/certifying agency of both sets of foster parents.

How can a foster parent be matched with a therapist?

We have a partnership with SonderMind that helps us sponsor mental health therapy for foster parents. There is no cost to the foster parent and there is no limit to the number of sessions foster parents can use.  You can submit a request at fostersource.org/therapy and someone from our team will contact you to begin the matching process.

Why do foster parents need therapy?

Foster parenting is very fulfilling, but it is also emotionally taxing. Often foster parents are not aware of the roller coaster of emotions they will experience. Therapy helps foster parents process the secondary trauma and grief that come with fostering. Our therapeutic services are helping foster parents continue to foster to prevent placements from being disrupted. 

What is the Leader of the Herd program?

Leader of the Herd is a workshop for foster parents in partnership with Groundwork Ranch. As prey animals, horses are a lot like traumatized children; their survival depends on heightened awareness and knowing who to trust. That’s why working with horses offers a great opportunity for practicing parenting skills that are critical to developing a sense of safety and creating a healthy, healing home environment for foster and adoptive children who have survived trauma. Parents learn and practice essential skills for managing challenging, trauma-based behaviors. This is a 4 hour workshop. No riding is involved. 

How can I register for Leader of the Herd and what does it cost?

Please submit the intake form here to be added to list for upcoming Leader of the Herd workshops. There is no cost to foster parents to attend Leader of the Herd.

How much does it cost for foster parents to take classes?

There is no cost for foster and kinship caregivers in Colorado. Out of state foster parents pay $20/class.

What time are classes held?

Our live classes are held on Saturday mornings from 9:30-11:30am virtually right now, but are also held throughout Colorado when we are able to go in person. The classes are always free for foster and parents and always include free childcare, giving parents personal time of respite and kids time to spend with other children who have experienced similar displacement issues. Most trainings are recorded and available for on-demand viewing about a week after the live class is held. 

How do I set up my profile?

On the main page, select “Log In” if you already have an account. If you are new, select “Create Account”. When creating your profile, please provide all required information. Please take a moment to tell us what you are interested in. This will help us to provide relevant training opportunities. 

Can I create a joint account with my spouse/significant other?

In order for you both to get credit and receive a certificate, you each need to have your own account/profile. If you create a joint profile, only one certificate with the user name will generate upon completion of the training.

Can I register my spouse/significant other for a training from my account?

Yes. The other person you are registering must have their own account/profile on The Learning Source.

Can my spouse/significant other and I watch a training together?

Yes. You each need to log in to your own account and turn on the training. You can mute one device and let it run while you both watch together on another device. The system must see that you have each logged in and attended the training under your own account in order to give you credit for the class.

How can I find trainings and events?

You can browse the catalog to see all upcoming events. This will display events that are going to be live in-person as well as events that will be live-virtual. You can also browse all upcoming live in-person events at In-Person Training. Online training has two options for events. You can browse by selecting Upcoming or On-Demand.

How can I find upcoming support groups?

We call them “Foster Parent Connections” and typically offer them on the 4th Saturday of every month from 9:30-11:30am. You’ll find them listed here.

How do I register for a training?

Once you find a training you would like to attend, click on the event title or the button on the event that says View. Here is where you can read about the event, the speaker for the event, and view the required components for completion. Select the button that says Register (Free!) in the upper right corner.

How do I register children for childcare for in person trainings?

Childcare registration is done on the same page as your registration. There are input boxes for each child’s name, age, and any allergies/concerns.

How do I access trainings that I am registered for?

Once you have registered for an event, or multiple events, you can access them in the portal under the “My Classes” tab.

How do I complete the survey at the end of class?

Find the class under the “My Classes” tab, or by navigating to in the catalog. Click the “Video” tab. After you have watched the video, the “Survey” tab will be accessible. Complete the survey. Click here to see step by step screenshots of how to complete the survey.

Where can I view/print my training certificates?

All of your certificates for completed trainings will be stored in each individual class in the “My Classes” tab. Find the class for which you are needing the certificate. Click the “Video” tab. If you have taken the class and completed the survey, the certificate link should be clickable. When you click on the link, your certificate will download. Click here to see a step by step guide to downloading your certificate.

What about my training certificates in the previous classroom?

All of your certificates for completed trainings in the previous classroom at https://fs.elevate.commpartners.com/ will be available in that classroom until October 31, 2022. Please plan now to download your certificates from the “Dashboard – Transcriptions & Achievements” section of your account before then. All of our current on demand classes are already available in the new portal and any new classes you watch in the new portal will create a certificate that will store in the new portal.

How do I cancel my registration?

Unfortunately, there is not a way for you to cancel your registration. Please contact us at learning@fostersource.org and we can cancel it for you. Make sure to include your name and the event that you need to cancel registration for.

How can I re-print a certificate?

All of your certificates for completed trainings will be stored in each individual class in the “My Classes” tab. Find the class for which you are needing the certificate. Click the “Video” tab. If you have taken the class and completed the survey, the certificate link should be clickable. When you click on the link, your certificate will download. Click here to see a step by step guide to downloading your certificate.

Why do I have to pay $25 if I'm not a foster parent?

As a nonprofit, Foster Source is focused on providing support services for foster parents. The fee of $25 per class for non foster parents helps defray costs for trauma-informed speakers and ongoing security/hosting of the Learning Source platform. If you are a case manager, teacher, social worker, CASA and/or adoptive parent(s), you can receive two hours of continuing education units as well. Perhaps more importantly, you help keep the Learning Source free for foster parents! We appreciate your support.