Foster Parent Training

First and foremost, foster parent training and the career go hand in hand right from the start. This applies not only to those who are completely new to fostering, but also to experienced carers switching agencies or continuing their journey after many years. Learning never stops. New discoveries, evolving approaches, and the latest research in foster care training mean there’s always something valuable to take on board, helping foster parents feel more confident, better equipped, and fully supported in meeting the needs of every child who comes into their care.

 

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New to Fostering - Foster Care Training

Many prospective foster carers are put off from applying to become a foster parent because they think they do not have the skills or qualifications for the role. This should not be a deterrent for anyone! We do not require any form of qualification to apply, all we ask is that you are passionate about making a difference and improving outcomes for vulnerable children and young people across England and Wales!

We understand that happy and successful placements are the direct result of well-informed and knowledgeable foster parents, that’s why we ensure that all of our carers are completely prepared for their role. If you have a passion for caring for children and if you are kind, patient and loving, then you are already on the way to being a fantastic foster carer!

Because no qualifications are required to apply, much of the learning happens once you begin the process. That’s where foster care training plays such an important role. Before starting your foster parent training, it can help to think about the skills and experiences you already have that will support you in your fostering journey. Many of the qualities that make great foster carers, patience, empathy, resilience and a genuine desire to help children, often come from everyday life, not formal qualifications. Being open to learning, willing to reflect on your own experiences, and ready to work alongside a support team will give you a strong foundation to get the most from your foster parent training and feel confident as you take on this incredibly important role.

 

How Foster Parent Training Fits Into the Application Process

During the application process, you’ll take part in foster parent training by attending the mandatory Skills to Foster course. This three-day foster care training programme has been carefully designed to give you all the essential skills and knowledge you’ll need to begin your fostering journey with confidence. The course is regularly updated to reflect the latest developments in foster care training, ensuring you’re fully prepared for the role.

Topics covered include:

• What foster carers do
  
• Identity and life chances
  
• Working with others
  
• Understanding and caring for children
  
• Safer caring
  
• Transitions
  

The foster care courses are delivered in small groups, with plenty of opportunities to ask questions, take part in discussions and work through real-life scenarios. We know that returning to a learning environment can feel daunting, but the sessions are designed to be relaxed, supportive and interactive, with no pressure to perform or speak up if you’re not comfortable. The aim is to help you enjoy the experience while building confidence in your abilities.

This initial foster parent training takes place before you’re formally approved, giving you valuable time to explore what fostering involves and to reflect on whether it’s the right fit for you. If you have any concerns or need extra support at any stage, your Supervising Social Worker will be on hand to guide you through the process.

 

 

Additional Foster Care Courses: Core Training Program

After your initial foster parent training, your learning continues with our Core Training Programme. This in-depth programme consists of six targeted modules, each designed to strengthen your knowledge of therapeutic care and prepare you to meet the individual needs of the children you care for. Covering topics such as attachment, behaviour, safeguarding, health and development, each part of the Core Training Programme gives you practical strategies, tools and insights to apply directly in your day-to-day role.

Our Core Training Programme is delivered by experienced childcare practitioners with extensive backgrounds in working with children, young people, and families. Wherever possible, the training is linked to the specific needs of the children placed in your care, helping you apply what you learn in real situations. Our Link Workers also regularly attend training sessions, ensuring they fully understand the courses you’ve completed and can offer personalised support long after the sessions have ended.

We know that juggling training with family life can sometimes feel daunting, especially for those new to fostering. That’s why we deliver most of our foster care courses locally, in small groups, and within your fostering community, creating peer support networks and friendships along the way. Training sessions are scheduled during school terms, from 10am to 2pm, allowing plenty of time for school runs, and we provide lunch and refreshments to make sure you’re comfortable throughout. Where needed, we may also help arrange additional childcare support to ensure you’re able to attend.

 

Additional Courses

If you ever need to catch up on a missed session, we run additional courses each autumn at our central office training venue, with some weekend sessions available depending on demand. For carers who prefer extra flexibility, we also offer supplemental e-learning options, live online discussions via closed Facebook groups, and access to bi-monthly area support groups for further peer learning and mentoring.

 

Link Workers

As you progress through your fostering career, your Link Worker will work closely with you to create a personalised learning plan. This includes reviewing your completed training, reflecting on your development, and identifying any future training needs. Our Core Training Programme is refreshed annually to stay fully aligned with current legislation and best practice, ensuring you remain confident, up-to-date, and fully equipped to meet the evolving needs of the children in your care.

 

 

6 Targeted Modules of our Foster Care Course

Understanding Relationships

• Sexual Abuse - happens when an adult, adolescent or child uses their power or authority to involve a child in sexual activity. This course supports foster parents to understand the short and long-term effects of abuse, helping foster parents to understand and respond to behaviours.
• Child Sexual Exploitation - is a type of sexual abuse, when a child or young person is exploited. They're given things, like gifts, drugs, money, status and affection in exchange for performing sexual activities. CSE training educates foster parents about the nature and risks of child sexual exploitation and other forms of related harm (both online and offline).
• Talking to Children and Young People About Relationships - talking about relationships with your child or young person is one of the more challenging aspects of parenting. This course explores ways to do this successfully, highlighting the importance for young people having a good understanding of consent and tackling tricky social and moral issues.

 

Health Program

• Common Childhood Mental Health Difficulties – this is one of our 2-day foster care courses, covering Anxiety disorders, Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Eating disorders, Depression and other mood disorders and Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); including symptoms, treatment, and what can be done to prevent them.
• Paediatric First Aid – this is a 2/3-day course provided by an external trainer. 
• Promoting Health and Wellbeing – this course helps foster parents to promote children’s health and wellbeing and to provide children with the support they need to make informed decisions about their own health.

 

Humanities Program

• Human Trafficking - explores and understands the challenging issue of human trafficking.
• Child Refugees and Asylum seeking – understanding the wellbeing and support needs of refugee children and those seeking asylum.
• Valuing Diversity - promotes an inclusive environment which values equality of opportunity and diversity. 

 

 

Safeguarding Program

• Safeguarding - this course has been designed to convey key values and principles in the safeguarding of children from harm, abuse and neglect and to provide foster parents with the basic foundation knowledge for their role in caring for vulnerable children on behalf of the state.
• Safer Caring – Safer Caring is all about being risk sensible. This course explores how foster parents can safely parent the children in their care, as naturally as possible, whilst being aware of the risks involved for particular children in different situations.
• Safe Handling and De-Escalation (SHADES) – this is a 2-day course provided by an external trainer that helps foster parents deal with challenging behaviour, keeping themselves and others safe.
• Online and Social Media Safety - this 2 day course deals with all of the areas of online networking, detailing the risks associated with each and providing useful advice on how to prevent them.
• Recording – Recording and record-keeping supports the positive care of children and this course explains why it is critically important that foster parents write a record of their child’s day, when and what to record and how to do this using Family Fostering Partners’ electronic database.

 

Attachment, Understanding and Managing Behaviour

• Attachment Level One – starts with ‘Gro Brain’ delivered by our experienced Gro Brain facilitators. Gro Brain gives foster parents a basic understanding of how a child’s experiences of relationships with their caregivers plays a vital part in the ‘wiring’ of the child’s brain and especially their ability to manage stress, regulate emotions and develop higher cognitive functions.
• Attachment Level Two – builds from the foundations 'Gro Brain' provides to explore at greater depth the impact of attachment on development.
• Attachment Level Three – puts the knowledge learnt from the two previous courses into practice using ‘The Secure Base model’ of parenting developed by Gillian Schofield and Mary Beek, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK (recommended as a basis for training foster carers in the Government White Paper, Care Matters (2007)).

The Secure Base model represents the processes involved in therapeutic reparenting for children who have been affected by abuse, neglect, separation and loss.

 

Growing and Changing Program

• Education for Children Who are Looked After – explaining the education structure, curriculum and support for children in Wales and how foster parents can positively support, encourage and enhance the learning and development of the children in their care.
• Childhood in a Digital Age – supporting foster parents to understand how digital technology can offer opportunities for children to be happier, better educated and more connected to others.
• Understanding Child Development– this course is aimed to help children develop skills in five main areas of development: Cognitive Development, this is the child's ability to learn and solve problems; Social and Emotional Development; Speech and Language Development; Fine Motor Skill Development and Gross Motor Skill Development.

 

 

Our Foster Parent Training Ethos

At Family Fostering Partners, positive, meaningful relationships sit at the core of everything we do. As an attachment-focused fostering agency, we believe that children thrive when they feel safe, loved, and supported. These secure foundations are crucial not only for emotional wellbeing, but also for healthy brain development, confidence, and long-term stability.

Many children entering foster care have faced neglect, abuse, or family disruption that has made it difficult for them to trust others and feel a true sense of belonging. As a foster parent, you hold the unique opportunity to help repair these broken attachments by building consistent, nurturing relationships that allow children to feel safe and valued once again.

That’s why our foster parent training is deeply rooted in the principles of therapeutic care. Every course we deliver is designed to equip you with the knowledge and tools to support children through their experiences, help them manage emotions, and foster resilience. Alongside training, we also provide a wide range of practical support to help you feel confident and fully equipped throughout your fostering journey. You can find out more about the support we offer on our 'Foster Carer Support' page. Research consistently shows that children who experience stable, positive attachments go on to achieve better outcomes in education, health, and overall wellbeing, and we are fully committed to helping every carer play a vital role in this process.

Our commitment to strong, supportive relationships doesn’t end with the children, it extends to you as a foster parent too. You can read more about our approach and what makes us different on our 'Why Choose Family Fostering Partners' page.

 

Next Steps

If you're ready to take the next step, you can find out more about the full process on our 'How to Become a Foster Parent' page, and once you're familiar with the journey, training will play a key part in your application. From foster parent training to ongoing foster care courses, we’re here to support you at every stage.

If you want to know more about the foster care training provided by Family Fostering Partners, give us a call, use our live chat tool or fill out the contact form below. We’re always happy to hear from prospective carers with questions, or experienced foster parents who are thinking about switching agency!

 

 

Foster Care Training FAQs

How long does it take to train as a foster carer? 

The initial foster parent training stage begins with the Skills to Foster course, which usually takes place over 3 days. Once this is complete, your full assessment and approval process continues alongside additional foster care training and preparation. In total, it generally takes around 4 to 6 months from your first enquiry to become an approved foster carer, depending on individual circumstances.

 

What is mandatory training for foster carers? 

All foster carers must complete foster parent training before they are approved. This starts with the Skills to Foster course, a mandatory 3-day foster care training programme that covers the essential knowledge and skills needed to care for children safely and effectively. After approval, ongoing foster care courses are also required to help carers stay up to date with best practice, legislation, and the specific needs of the children they care for.

 

Do foster carers get paid for training? 

While foster carers don’t receive a direct salary specifically for attending training, training is fully funded and supported by the agency or local authority. In fact, completing training is built into foster carers’ development pathway, and can impact what fee level you receive as you have the ability to take on different types of foster care.

 

What qualifications do I need to be a foster carer?

You don’t need any formal qualifications to become a foster carer. What matters most is that you have the personal qualities needed to care for and support children, such as patience, empathy, resilience and a genuine desire to make a difference. Once you apply, you’ll complete mandatory foster parent training and ongoing foster care courses to give you the skills, knowledge and confidence needed for the role. Full support and training are provided throughout your fostering journey.