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Children and young people who are placed with our carers may have experienced painful and bewildering episodes in their lives. This is often reflected in their demeanour and behaviour. Fostering such children requires understanding, empathy, knowledge and a desire to stick with them through difficult times.
Fostering Relations expect that carers will want to learn about caring for these children and young people effectively and are committed therefore to organise appropriate and relevant training to help them do this. Only by understanding, can carers begin to help a child.
Fostering Relations expect that prospective foster carers will attend a series of preparation training sessions as part of the assessment process. These sessions are aimed at providing an overview of the role of a foster carer and includes such topics as: what do foster carers do?; who are the children?; working with others; managing behaviour; safer caring; what does the law say?; endings and moving on. The other purpose of this preparation training is to inform applicants to help them decide whether fostering is for them and their family.
Post approval, it is crucial that carers embrace the concept that training strengthens knowledge and ability and further equips them to do their job effectively.
Post approval training provides depth to areas of safer caring and managing behaviour and will also includes such topics as attachment/separation and loss; child protection; first aid; recording and report writing; men in foster care; working with children who have experienced abuse. Additional specific training sessions will be arranged to aid our understanding of children and young people and/ or to accommodate visiting experts.
Carers are also encouraged to access any relevant training in their locality and Fostering Relations may assist with finance if necessary. Carers may also wish to work towards a recognised award in child care e.g. SVQ/ HNC/ HND. We encourages this and are happy to support people.