Loss is a common theme of family protection work and particularly of foster care. Ways in which foster families can deal with loss are explored. It is designed to accompany a one- or two-day training course and uses a strategy of collaborative learning for caseworkers and foster parents. The course explores loss and grief through role play, small group experiences, group discussion and individual activities such as journaling. The topics addressed here are: (1) Why do we need to understand, with tips on how to turn loss and grief into gain; (2) Losses related to foster care, which discusses losses experienced by parents and children; (3) The normal grief process, which introduces the mechanism of grief and reviews its manifestations in different persons; (4) Components of the grief process, which presents a model for grief work; (5) Variables affecting the grief process, such as situational and interpersonal variables as related to placement of the child; (6) Barriers to resolving one's grief, which explores resolution of grief and healing. Training includes exercises for self discovery. Manual includes detailed instructions for trainers, training competencies and learning objectives list, many charts and illustrations, a resource bibliography, and an evaluation form. (EMK)