IMPACT was developed by the Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Family and Children Services, to prepare foster parents, and those desiring adoption, for the joys and challenges of caring for a foster child and for potentially adopting a child in care. IMPACT addresses the entire service continuum from initial inquiry through completion of the family evaluation.

IMPACT stands for Initial Interest, Mutual Selection, Pre-Service Training, Assessment, Continuing Development, and Teamwork. The curriculum focuses on the IV-B Core Competencies for Pre-Service Training, helps potential foster families to make an informed decision about their desire to resource parent, enhances skills for parenting and nurturing children, and clarifies the foster care and adoption parent’s role in the social service continuum.

IMPACT FCP Pre-Service training consists of 15 modules totaling 24 hours covering the following broad topic areas:

• The Foster Parenting/Adopting Process
• Emotional/Cognitive and Behavioral Implications in Foster Parenting/Adopting 
• Sexuality and Sexual Orientation 
• Communication and Partnership 
• Identity and Cultural Issues

Page 16