Dream House Family for Keeps™ Basic Course
Dream House Family for Keeps™ Advanced Course
Dream House Family for Keeps™ Professional Course
The one-of-a-kind Dream House Family for Keeps™ Transition Care Program Education and Skills Training addresses the needs of three different groups:
- Families and caregivers just beginning to learn the basic level of care for a medically fragile child;
- Families who are ready to learn the skills necessary to care for more advanced care needs; and
- Case workers and others who supervise the care of medically fragile children living in relative placement or foster homes.
Completion of the Dream House Family for Keeps™ education courses will:
Prepare a Family by instilling confidence in the caregiver and decision maker.
Prepare a Home by assisting in providing a safe and nurturing environment.
Support a Child by ensuring the quality of life which medically fragile children so desperately need to survive.
Participants benefit from hands-on skills training. Each person will learn a foundation of necessary healthcare knowledge, skills, resources and coping mechanisms to help prepare them to effectively care for their medically fragile child, in their own home.
After a successful pilot, in January 2008, Dream House received licensure for our Family for Keeps™ Transition Care Program.
In 2007 alone, Dream House provided Family for Keeps™ Basic and Advanced training to 125 family members and care-givers, to ensure safe and effective care to 94 medically fragile children.
Dream House launched the Spanish version of the Family for Keeps™ Basic Course in January, 2008.
Dream House Family for Keeps™ Professional Course launched in November, 2007.
Throughout 2007, Dream House Family for Keeps™ Bridging the Gap Program alone served 83 families caring for 103 medically fragile children.
Comments from past Dream House Family For Keeps™ Education and Skills Training course participants:
When I saw the nurses in the hospital, I always thought that what they did was magic. After completing these classes I realized that it's not magic. With the right training, anyone can learn these skills!
- Olive Hamilton, Foster Parent
I never thought that I could take care of a medically fragile child, but after taking these classes I really think I can do it! - Sharon Edwards, Respite Provider
