Pre-approval training

During pre-approval training, you'll find out more about the role of a foster carer and the team of professionals you will join. You'll learn about looked after children, gain skills to support children and young people, and learn how to maintain links with their families.

Fostering training and classes

Other than being able to read and write in English, foster carers do not need any specific qualifications to get started. Here at Foster East we simply ask that you are motivated to help improve the lives of children in our care.

Foster carers have to be willing to learn about the life experiences of the children and young people you will care for, and how to support them. Then, in-depth foster carer training from Foster East and your local council will help you to grow the skills and confidence you need to be a foster parent.

Foster carer training is free of charge and delivered in flexible ways

During the approval process, you will join either the Skills to Foster or Journey to Foster training course, depending on which authority you foster with. These sessions prepare you for the reality of the role and you will learn how you can help children in care whose lives have been disrupted.

Courses can be held face-to-face, or held online, or a mixture of both methods. Some courses are held during the day, some in the evening to be as flexible as possible. Additional pre-approval training courses in first aid and safeguarding are also available.

As a partnership, Foster East allows any foster carer in the East of England to join a training session delivered by any participating authority. Please speak with your supervising social worker if there is a course you are interested in.

Skills to Foster or Journey to Foster pre-approval training

When you decide to apply to become a foster carer, you will be invited to attend Skills to Foster or Journey to Foster training. This free course gives you a solid starting point by introducing you to what it's like to be a foster carer. The training is delivered by the Foster East team in locations all over the East of England to make it easy for you to get to. Completion of the course is mandatory for all prospective foster carers.

The in-depth course teaches you about issues and challenges that might arise and ways to resolve them. You'll also learn about the experiences of children and young people who come into care due to abuse or neglect and how to help and support them.

Training will go into greater depth about the realities of the role, so you can begin to picture how fostering might fit into your life, and the types of foster care you'd like to be involved with. The training courses give you the opportunity to make sure you understand the needs of looked after children and how to meet them.

What does foster carer training cover?

You will:

Learn about the life experiences and challenges faced by cared for children and young people
Develop skills to help you build positive relationships and manage challenging situations
Have the opportunity to build friendships with others new to fostering and extend your fostering network
Be able to ask questions and learn about how fostering works and the support and training we offer
Meet experienced foster carers
Learn the roles and responsibilities of a foster carer
Meet social workers from your local authority

How long does pre-approval training take?

The Skills to Foster or Journey to Foster training course usually runs over a series of six half-day sessions, run over two to four days, several evenings or a combination of days and evenings, but with some variation to ensure this is accessible to all. Training is usually in person, but there can be some online sessions. It's important that you get as much as possible out of the course so you can make an informed decision about becoming a foster carer.

You may also be asked to complete additional training courses such as first aid or safeguarding during the pre-approval process.

Some Foster East partners use virtual reality headsets during training to help you to understand what life has been like for some of the children in our care.

How long does it take to become a foster parent?

The training courses are just one element of the foster care approval and assessment process.

The assessment process takes time as our social workers get to know you and your family, and find out everything your local authority needs to know to make sure fostering is right for you. This time is a good opportunity for you to ask all the questions you want about fostering, and to find out more about yourself and your partner if you have one. On average, the pre-approval training and assessment process takes around six months but it can be faster, depending on individual circumstances.

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We bonded with our social worker very quickly. It was clear she wanted to get the best out of us and we had a good rapport. The process is long and in-depth, which might put some people off. But when you start your fostering journey you realise why so much information is needed. You learn a lot about yourself, and your partner!"

Claire* - Norfolk

Ongoing development as a foster carer

Foster care training doesn't end once you've become an approved foster carer. There is an in-depth programme of post-approval training which you can access regardless of which East of England local authority you work with.

Training for Foster East foster carers is free of charge and can include:

Safe care practice
Life story work
First aid
Safeguarding
Therapeutic training e.g. trauma or child sexual abuse training

To help you develop in your career as a foster carer, there are also opportunities for further training to qualify you for specialist types of fostering such as parent and child placements.

You can find out about current fostering training programmes by speaking to your assessing social worker.

Is fostering for you?

If you'd like to talk to our friendly team about whether fostering could be right for you, give us a call on 0330 024 1177 anytime between 8am and 8pm daily, or send us an email. You can also enquire now online, and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.