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Training

We believe that foster carers should have access to learning and development opportunities throughout their fostering career. This will ensure they have the skills and knowledge they need and allow them to develop their practice in order that they can help transform the lives of the children they foster.

Our training courses

Quality Foster Care provides a running programme of training courses for foster carers throughout the year. We employ expert external trainers to deliver up-to-date and relevant courses.

Face-to-face training, support groups and some activities are run from our office but most of your work can be done from home and our social workers visit you.

Skills to foster

This mandatory training course will be completed during your application process. Designed to prepare you for fostering, it will help you decide whether fostering is the right career for you.

Core training

There are two mandatory training modules that need to be renewed every three years. These include:

  • First aid
  • Safeguarding training
  • Training Support and Development Standards for Foster Carers (TDSD is reviewed annually)

We run these courses on a regular basis at our offices and places are frequently available.

Therapeutic fostering

Our therapeutic fostering course offers five successive levels to attain. This course is delivered by an external provider and works towards the carer receiving a formal qualification.

Parent and child fostering

This course is presented by staff and supervising social workers at Quality Foster Care, who have themselves undertaken extensive learning within this specialism.

Carers who participate in this will be required to offer the physical space within their home. This may comprise of a large room to accommodate a bed for the parent/s and a cot, or two separate rooms.

Foster carers who have completed this training will be registered for consideration for parent and child placements.

Online learning

The agency has easy access to online learning via our Social Care Training Hub. Carers can search through resources when needed for useful parenting advice. We encourage our carers to reflect on their challenges and learnings with their supervising social worker.

Development

Once a year, the registered manager visits all carers and has a face-to-face discussion about their development. This provides the space to reflect on learnings and discuss career progression.

Direct learning

Our carers may attend training virtually or in person at our office in Benfleet. Modules may include:

  • De-escalation training
  • Working with fostering IT systems
  • Education training
  • Working with managing self-harming behaviour in fostering
  • Safeguarding training
  • Working with depression
  • Unaccompanied minors and awareness of PREVENT
  • Working with Autism
  • Impact of fostering on siblings and grandchildren
  • Online training
  • Medication awareness training

Can you give a vulnerable young person the experience of family life?

If you think you could offer a stable and safe environment for a child or young person in need, please get in touch.

Enquire online