Description

(June 2026) 

We are a nation of pet owners and animal lovers. It is estimated that 94 million American households own a pet. When a pet is mistreated, it often feels as if a member of the family has been abused. If a foster youth hurts a family pet, it can easily become a factor in foster families choosing to end a placement. In this webinar, the various reasons and purposes of why a child might mistreat an animal will be discussed. Several case scenarios will be presented as a part of the webinar.

Rick Delaney, Ph.D. is a retired psychologist who has collaborated with foster parents, caseworkers, schools, and other helping professionals to help foster, kinship and adopted children. He has presented trainings across the U.S. and Canada for decades. Dr. Delaney is a co-developer and faculty at FosterParentCollege.com. He has published several peer-reviewed journal articles and is the author (or co-author) of: Fostering Changes: Myth, Meaning, and Magic Bullets in Attachment Theory, A 3-D View of Foster, Kinship, and Adopted Children (with James M. Kagan, M.D.). He is a father, stepfather and grandfather.

Charley Joyce has worked as a social worker for approximately 45 years.  He began his career as a Volunteer in Service to America (VISTA) social worker and has worked as the clinical director of a psychiatric facility, as an outpatient therapist, supervisor of outpatient therapists, as a foster care caseworker, clinical director of foster care services and as the owner of his private practice.  His Master of Social Work degree is from the University of Iowa, and he has completed a three-year, postgraduate program in family therapy funded by the Bush Foundation.   He is the co-author of the book, “Behavior with a Purpose” and a contributing author of the books “The Kinship Parenting Toolbox” and “Assessing Youth Behavior”.  He has published numerous articles in the magazine, “Fostering Families Today”.  He has developed online trainings for the Foster Parent College, Eugene, Oregon.  For approximately eight years, Charley taught part-time in the MSW program at the University of North Dakota.

Charley currently resides in Fargo, ND.  He is a husband, father and grandfather.

watch time:  97 minutes

Eligible Certificate of Completion time: 100 minutes

expires June 30, 2028