When people first consider fostering they are often put off due to the fact they don’t know what they don’t know about the subject. They may have heard one of the many myths about fostering, have a belief that it is only for a specific type of person or think you have to train up for many years before being able to get started.
The truth is, when you reach out to us at Foster with us and decide to start your journey into fostering, we will provide you with a range of options to promote your training and development. Each of which is delivered in a convenient and efficient manner and starts even before you are approved.
Two to three day mandatory pre-approval training
The training you will be offered is in person training which is delivered over 2 tp 3 days by one of our friendly members of staff. This will be delivered at one of our training locations around Lancashire and Cumbria.
This training is provided while you are undertaking your fostering assessment, so that you can get started from the moment you are approved and have the skills and confidence from day one.
Throughout this training you will learn about many areas of fostering. From the core skills needed to be successful, to the day-to-day reality of fostering. This course will include interactive sessions, information and presentations from current foster carer, where you will learn about fostering from those that have experienced it for many years under many different circumstances.
There are no tests or examinations to complete. It is simply an opportunity for you to ask questions and learn the fundamentals about fostering.
Bitesize training
Our range of self-led bitesize online courses are available to access on the Foster with us training platform. Within this platform you will access a range of bespoke online courses that have been tailored specifically for foster carer applicants and those in the very early stages of their fostering journey. These courses include:
An introduction to attachment and therapeutic parenting
This online bitesize training focuses on the theory of attachment and introduces the principles of therapeutic parenting, trauma awareness and parenting with PACE. These are some of the most important building blocks for successful fostering and this introduction forms a sound base for further development of therapeutic parenting skills.
Caring for refugee children
This bitesize training focuses on the experiences and needs of refugee children in foster care. It covers some of the reasons for leaving home countries, how children arrive in the UK, the impacts of displacement, trauma and loss, adapting to a different culture and the support available to refugee children and their foster families.
A brief overview of neurodiversity
In this training course you will learn about what we mean by Neurotypical, Neurodivergent, the breadth of conditions that come under the Neurodiversity umbrella. This core introduction forms a basis for further bitesize training in specific types of Neurodivergence.
Virtual training (Microsoft Teams)
We also provide virtual training courses covering a range of specialist subjects with regards to fostering. These include:
Nurturing attachments
Nurturing attachments is a psychologist-led course specifically designed for potential foster carers, delivered via Teams in conjunction with REVIVE, the Blackburn with Darwen specialist psychology service for children in care. It builds upon the bitesize Introduction to attachment training, focusing on the attachment needs of children and young people who have experienced developmental trauma, and how our relationships with them might be. In this session we will consider the factors that might affect your relationships with the young people you might go on to foster, how the young people who need foster care might perceive relationships, and how your responses can influence those relationships. Expanding on the practicalities of therapeutic parenting in this session, we will also consider how you can support yourself when things might be difficult.
Cross-cultural fostering
Fostering children from different cultural backgrounds than our own can bring some new challenges and a range of new rewards. This session covers the cultural issues you may need to consider when offering a home to children from a variety of religious traditions, including a range of refugee backgrounds. Cross-cultural fostering is a highly informative interactive training session delivered by a very experienced foster carer who has a wealth of knowledge in the various cultural adaptations different children may need.
Fostering in a digital world
Fostering in a digital world is an introductory course designed specifically for potential and existing foster carers, delivered via Teams. This course focuses on the importance of internet/digital safety in fostering households, providing carers with the confidence and skills to manage both the threats and opportunities that the digital world presents. Fostering in a digital world is an invaluable interactive training session delivered by experienced foster carers and digital communications experts.
Training for foster carers
As you can see there are many courses available to get you started in fostering with only the 2 to 3 day pre-approval training being mandatory. This means once you start your journey into fostering for your local authority through Foster with us, you will be ready to foster a child or young person the moment you are approved.
For more information about fostering
If you would like to know more about training or would like to have a discussion about getting started in fostering you can do so by calling 0300 019 0200 or via our enquiry form. There are no obligations once you have contacted us, it is just an opportunity to find out more about fostering and training as a foster carer.
