Training is an important part of your development as a foster carer and complements the support and skills you have. Training is ongoing and is provided before approval and throughout your fostering career. It is an essential component of your ongoing approval as a foster carer and helps to expand knowledge and skills as outlined in the Fostering Regulations and Foster Care Standards.
We aim to provide a comprehensive training package for all our carers to deal with the demands and complexities of fostering. Shining Stars Fostering Agency has therefore organised an array of training; some mandatory training which needs to be completed every 12 months, some additional training and workshops that will assist with knowledge building and support and also organised some workshops which we feel would support and under-pin learning and supporting children with complex issues.
All training offered can be linked to your TSDS and your Personal Development Plan. Training is still categorised under Statutory, Mandatory and Specialist. It is as important as ever that you keep your Statutory training up to date to stay within regulations.
Our training has usually been provided as face to face training but due to current restrictions amid the Covid19 pandemic, more training is occurring online and virtually. We work closely with the online provider The Training Hub who have a wide variety of courses that will interest all foster carers.
Given the current COVID19 pandemic the first six months of the year will be virtual. We have outlined our plan for the whole year, but this will be reviewed in October 2021 to consider whether the training will re-commence in person or continue to be delivered virtually. Training needs will also be identified during Supervision and discussion with the foster carers and maybe needs led dependent on the placement. If this is to be the case Shining Stars fostering will outsource the training in order to gain the appropriate training for the foster carers in order to upskill them to meet the needs of the children and young people in their care.
Training is essential for all of us working in this sector and are divided into the following 3 categories:
Statutory Foster carers training required by law
- Safeguarding (2 yearly) over two days for newly approved foster carers: The SSFA safeguarding training covers: FGM, Honour based violence and forced marriage and modern day slavery.
- Managing Challenging Behaviour (3 yearly)
- Paediatric First Aid (3 yearly)
- Health & Safety (this is offered through the training hub)
Mandatory Foster Carers training required by the Agency under Regulations
- New Carers Induction Training: Training through the hub on Safeguarding, Safer Caring and Risk Management, Behvaiour Management and First Aid
- Secure Base
- Working with UASC
- Equality & Diversity
Specialist
These will be a combination of courses identified to develop and extend knowledge and learning throughout the SSFA community. They may be face to face or accesses through E learning:
- Risk Management & Safer Caring
- Parent & Child Fostering
- Adolescent Mental health
- Self Harm
- Prevent Radicalisation
- GDPR
- Fostering Regulations
NVQ for foster carers
The Skills Network are offering free NVQ courses to be completed over a 16-week period in the following areas:
- Level 2 Certificate in Behaviour that Challenges in Children
- Level 2 Certificate in Equality & Diversity
- Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Autism
- Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Children and Young People’s Mental Health
