We’ve had lots of questions in for #FosteringFriday and have answered the top three below:
What training do I need to do to become a Foster Carer?
We offer full training to all our Foster Carers. During the application process, you will attend a three day course called ‘Skills to Foster’. This will provide you with all the information and insight you need to understand fostering and how being a Foster Carer works. It also gives you a great opportunity to meet other prospective Foster Carers, and ask any questions you may have about the process. Once you are approved as a Foster Carer, we have extensive professional development in place to enhance your skills in supporting a child and allow you to fully develop your career.
What support will I get as a Foster Carer?
At Clifford House, you will be fully supported by your local team right from your initial application. You’ll be provided with all the necessary training before you go into your first placement, as well as ongoing training and development. You’ll also be allocated your own Supervising Social Worker who will be your there to support and supervise both you and the child in your care. You’ll meet regularly with them and speak via telephone – we also have out of hours contact numbers where you can reach a member of the team at any time. Alongside the professional support from us, we run regular events and meet ups for our team of Foster Carers who all keep in close contact to support one another.
What are the next steps once I’m approved?
Once you have completed the whole assessment process and been approved as a Foster Carer, our placements team will begin their search to find a placement who is matched well to you and your family. We want to ensure that all our looked-after children and carers are suited to each other as closely as possible for a happy and stable home environment.