Saint Francis Community Services (a provider of foster care, adoption, and family preservation services) will offer a free, 10 week course, Partnering for Safety and Permanence - Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting, for individuals interested in becoming foster or adoptive parents. The course begins April 1 and will be held every Monday for 10 weeks from 6 to 9 p.m. The training will be held at Saint Mark’s Lutheran Church, 2101 Jackson Street, Great Bend.
The course provides information and skill development, a better understanding of the needs of children in foster care, helps families make informed decisions about fostering, and provides information on resources, parenting techniques, and support services. Individuals interested in becoming a foster or adoptive parent are invited to attend the free course which is offered by Saint Francis Community Services, a community-based service provider, serving children and families since 1945. PS-MAPP training is required by the State of Kansas for those interested in becoming foster parents.
Saint Francis officials said Barton County has 44 children placed outside the area because of a lack of stable homes they can live in nearby friends and family. 
To register for the free PS-MAPP foster parent training course or to learn more about becoming part of a professional team caring for Kansas children through foster care, call Saint Francis Community Services: Emily Durr, Foster Care Homes, 620-282-7924 or visit www.st-francis.org.