How Long Will Foster Care Training Take & Can You Do Anything to Prepare?

Deciding that you want to become a foster parent is both exciting and rewarding, however, many who are new to  fostering in Wales wonder what the process entails. and how long the foster care training lasts.  In this blog post we will detail the initial and ongoing foster care training that we provide to those fostering in Wales.  

One of the first steps in this process is completing our ‘Skills to Foster’ training, which equips you with the foundational skills and knowledge needed to provide a nurturing and supportive environment for children in need. Below we’ll guide you through the essential aspects of our Skills to Foster course and provide detail on our ongoing foster care training, including what’s required, how long it takes, and how you can prepare. 

 

What Foster Care Training Do You Need to begin Fostering in Wales? 

As mentioned, before being approved as a foster carer in Wales, you’ll need to complete our mandatory foster care training course called  ‘Skills to Foster’. You do not need any skills or qualifications to complete this training, Skills to Foster is an introductory course that provides an overview of what fostering involves.  

Our course will cover a wide range of topics around the themes of the challenges and rewards of fostering. During that time, you’ll hear from foster parents currently fostering in Wales, and have lots of opportunities to ask questions and increase your knowledge. 

 

What makes foster care training with Family Fostering Partners special? 

Foster care training in Wales is designed to ensure that our foster parents feel confident in their role and are able to offer the best possible care for the children that they look after.  

Here at Family Fostering Partners, our foster care training is tailored to meet the needs of each individual family that we support. We provide continuous training on a wide range of topics such as Attachment in children, Safeguarding, Playful Parenting, and Internet Safety, we also teach practical skills such as Paediatric First Aid. 

As mentioned, our foster care training is tailored to meet the specific needs of children in our care and to compliment the skills and experiences of our fostering families. Our aim is to ensure that those fostering in Wales are continuously supported to develop their expertise.    

This means that, as the needs of the children in your care change, so too will the training you’ll be offered. From the initial ‘Skills to Foster’ preparation course, to advanced foster care training for specialised placements such as ‘Parent and Child’, when fostering in Wales with Family Fostering Partners we ensure that you are supported through every step of your fostering journey. 

Most of the time your foster care training will be led by professional inhouse trainers, however, for specialist subjects like First Aid or SHADES, you’ll be taught by external providers who will also adapt their training to match any specific unique needs you may or the children in your care may have.  

What other opportunities do Family Fostering Partners offer to those fostering in Wales? 

In addition to the foster care training we offer in house, we also offer regular support groups. Here you’ll hear updates from the agency and be able to ask questions and swap advice or tips. Occasionally, a guest speaker will attend our support groups. Most recently we welcomed Robert Parton, who told us about his experience of living with Autism.  

Family Fostering Partners also pay for membership to Foster Talk. Through FosterTalk each of our families fostering in Wales will have access to extra resources, training and support.   

“Training is very important. FFP are amazing at giving support. If there are any courses we'd like to do, Georgia, our link worker will always organise that for us. The training is first class” – Explains Steve, a foster parent with Family Fostering Partners.  

 

How Long Does Foster Care Training Take? And Can I do anything to prepare for Foster Care Training?  

Our foster care training is held throughout the country to ensure that everyone fostering in Wales has access to a local course. Normally our foster care training is provided between 10am-2pm, this is to ensure that it causes no disruption to your evenings or weekends and that you’re still able to drop off and pick up your children from school.  

Occasionally we also hold training online, where you’ll be able to connect and learn with foster parents outside of your local area, but who are still fostering in Wales with Family Fostering Partners. 

There is nothing to prepare in advance of your foster care training sessions. If you have any questions or queries you’d like to ask, please jot them down, and ask our experienced trainer if the answer is not covered within the session.  

 

What happens after the Foster Care Training session?  

To help ensure that our training is continually evolving, improving, and is relevant to your needs we routinely ask for feedback on our courses. Additionally, we often ask participants to reflect on the topics covered by completing a worksheet, our aim in doing so is to help you plan for how you might use this training whilst foster caring.  

If you have any questions or queries after the training, you can get in touch directly with your trainer, or with your dedicated Link Worker, who will be happy to help.  

 

Are You Ready to Begin Your Fostering Journey? 

To conclude, foster care training is an essential step in ensuring you have the skills and knowledge needed to make a big difference in the lives of children. Our training is designed not just to provide you with the foundational skills required to become a foster parent, but to continually compliment your knowledge throughout your time fostering in Wales.  

Therefore, if you're considering fostering in Wales, get in touch with us. You can use the “lets talk” feature below or you can click here to book an initial call with us.