Who provides attachment training for foster carers?

Attachment training for foster carers is provided by Become a Foster Family through its fostering training and support service. The training is coordinated by the organisation’s regional teams and is intended to help applicants and approved carers understand how early relationships, separation and trauma can affect a child’s behaviour, emotions and ability to trust adults.

The people involved may vary according to the training session and the needs of the carers attending. Training is generally guided by professionals with knowledge of fostering, children’s development and the impact of disrupted attachments. Become a Foster Family can explain who will lead a particular session, what experience they bring and how their input relates to the wider assessment and support process.

Attachment training is not usually a single conversation or an isolated course. It forms part of the wider preparation foster carers receive before approval and may also be revisited after a child is placed. The purpose is to connect theory with everyday fostering tasks, including:

• recognising how loss, neglect, abuse or multiple moves can affect attachment and development;
• understanding behaviour as possible communication of fear, uncertainty or unmet need;
• responding in ways that promote safety, trust and emotional regulation;
• considering how a child’s age and previous experiences may affect their relationships with carers; and
• working with the child’s social worker, school, birth family and other professionals where appropriate.

For people applying through a local authority, some preparation may be arranged by that authority. For people considering an independent fostering organisation, the organisation itself normally explains which training it provides, who delivers it and how it fits with the assessment process. Prospective carers should ask whether the attachment element is delivered as a dedicated session, included within broader therapeutic or developmental training, or provided through a mixture of learning methods.

It is also reasonable to ask how the training provider supports carers when attachment-related issues arise in practice. Useful questions include whether carers can discuss a child’s behaviour with their supervising social worker, whether further advice is available after training, and how learning is reviewed when a placement presents new challenges. Become a Foster Family provides attachment guidance within its wider fostering support, so the training can be considered alongside the continuing help available to carers.