How can foster carers prepare for attachment training?

Preparing for attachment training means completing any pre-course work, becoming familiar with the basic terminology, organising practical arrangements and identifying the information you need to understand the subject properly. Good preparation allows you to take part fully without treating the training as a test or expecting yourself to know all the answers beforehand.

Check what the training provider has sent you. Read any joining instructions, course outline, case study or recommended material before the session. Look for information about:

• the topics that will be covered;
• whether you need to complete an activity or bring anything with you;
• how the session will be delivered and whether there is an opportunity to contribute;
• who to contact if you need reasonable adjustments or have difficulty accessing the materials.

Attachment training may use terms such as secure attachment, insecure attachment, trauma, loss, regulation and therapeutic parenting. You do not need to master this language in advance, but a brief introduction can make the session easier to follow. Focus on understanding what each term means in day-to-day care rather than trying to memorise definitions.

Consider the practical impact of attending. Arrange a suitable place to take part, allow enough time to reach the venue or join the session, and minimise avoidable interruptions. If you are attending as a couple, discuss how you will both participate and compare your understanding afterwards. Foster care often involves shared decision-making, so it can be useful for each person to listen independently rather than assuming that one person will pass the information on to the other.

Bring relevant, non-identifying examples. If you are already fostering or have been given general placement information, make a note of situations that you want the training to help explain. Do not record or share a child’s name, address, school or other identifying details unless the provider has specifically instructed you to do so. Describing the behaviour and circumstances in general terms is usually enough for a trainer to explain the attachment principles involved.

It can also help to review the policies and guidance supplied during your fostering assessment or induction, particularly material about confidentiality, safeguarding, recording and working with other professionals. Attachment training does not replace safeguarding procedures or professional advice. It gives a framework for understanding a child’s behaviour, while concerns about immediate safety must still be reported through the correct process.

Prepare to distinguish between an explanation and an excuse. Attachment-informed practice can help carers interpret behaviour in the context of a child’s relationships and experiences, but it does not mean that every behaviour is caused by attachment difficulties or that boundaries are unnecessary. During the training, listen for how connection, predictable care, supervision and appropriate boundaries work together.

Use the course to test your understanding rather than to find a single technique that applies to every child. Children respond differently according to their age, experiences, communication needs, development and current relationships. Make a note of principles that can be adapted, as well as any advice that needs to be discussed with the supervising social worker or other professionals.

After the session, review your notes while the information is still fresh. Identify:

• one or two ideas that alter how you interpret a child’s behaviour;
• any practice that needs to be discussed with your fostering support team;
• questions that remain unanswered;
• information that should be recorded or shared in line with the relevant policy.

Preparation is complete when you understand the purpose of the training, know how to participate and have a safe way to connect the learning with real fostering situations. You are not expected to diagnose attachment difficulties or develop a full care plan from the training alone. Its value comes from combining the learning with supervision, the child’s individual information and advice from the professionals involved in their care.