Skills to Foster
training course
During your fostering assessment, you'll attend our Skills to Foster training course which is a 3-day programme for potential foster parents like you.
Among many other things, you'll learn about safeguarding and the role and responsibilities of a foster parent, as well as have a chance to talk to real-life foster parents. Though short, it gives you a real head start in your career.
Most people tell us it’s really valuable and has increased their awareness of what fostering’s all about – and whether it’s right for them. Some may decide that it's not for them and while we really want you to remain with us during the assessment process, it's better to withdraw at this stage rather than later when you're caring for a child who's often already experienced so much disruption and rejection.
Topics covered
The Skills to Foster training course has been designed to prepare you for some of the challenges you may face when caring for vulnerable children and covers a range of topics, including:
- What do foster parents do? - understanding why children come into care, their difficult life experiences and how this may have impaired their development.
- Identity and life chances - recognising the ways in which children in care may face prejudice and discrimination, and how foster parents can help promote their heritage and identity.
- Working with others - discovering the various people involved in a child's care, including the specialist team within Fosterplus and local authorities.
- Understanding and caring for children - demonstrating the types of challenging behaviour children in care may display, exploring attachment theory and how you as a foster parent can provide a 'Secure Base' to a child without judgement.
- Safer caring - understanding why children in foster care are considered to be vulnerable and providing you with practical skills in relation to safeguarding.
- Transitions - gaining an insight into the importance of stability for children in foster care, and providing you with key skills to aid smoother transitions for children coming into your home or moving on to independence.
- My family fosters - helping you to support your own children while fostering.
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Application process
There are six steps to become a foster parent with Fosterplus, including an initial home visit, an application form, your fostering assessment and finally, panel.
Find out more
Fostering assessment
The fostering assessment takes around 4-6 months and involves a series of social work visits, background checks and references and some initial training too.
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Background checks
As part of your assessment, we’ll complete a number of background checks, including a full DBS, local authority checks and a number of references too.
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Can't find what you're looking for?
By phone
One of our team is available to talk to you over the phone to answer any of your fostering queries.
Enquire online
You can get in touch by filling out our online enquiry form with any queries that you may have.
Your local team
Find contact details for your local office team. We’re always happy for you to pop-in and chat.