Are foster care training requirements different before and after approval?

The distinction is mainly one of purpose, timing and accountability. Training undertaken before approval gives the fostering service evidence that you understand the role and have considered its demands, whereas training after approval is part of your continuing professional development as an approved foster carer.

Before approval , applicants usually complete an introductory fostering course as part of the assessment process. This normally covers subjects such as:

• the reasons children enter care and how fostering differs from ordinary parenting;
• safeguarding, safer caring and managing risks within the household;
• attachment, trauma, loss and the possible effects of disrupted experiences;
• supporting children’s identities, culture, relationships and contact with their birth family;
• working with social workers, schools, health professionals and other members of the care team;
• the practical and emotional demands placed on foster carers and their families; and
• record-keeping, confidentiality, allegations and the procedures carers must follow.

The course also gives applicants an opportunity to ask questions and decide whether fostering is suitable for their household. Participation, understanding of the material and willingness to reflect on personal attitudes may be considered alongside interviews, references, checks and the wider assessment. Completing an initial course does not by itself guarantee approval: the fostering service must consider the full assessment and make a recommendation through its approval process.

Requirements can vary between fostering services because each service sets its own programme and may adapt it to the types of placements it offers. An applicant may therefore be asked to complete additional preparation where their circumstances, intended fostering role or previous experience make this appropriate. Relevant childcare, health, education or social care experience can be useful, but it does not remove the need to complete the service’s required pre-approval preparation.

After approval , training becomes more individual and placement-focused. Foster carers are expected to keep developing their knowledge rather than treating training as something completed once. Their learning may be based on:

• the age, needs and experiences of a child placed with them;
• new safeguarding information, changes in guidance or learning from incidents;
• issues identified during supervision, reviews or placement planning;
• the carer’s development plan and areas where further confidence or knowledge is needed; and
• additional responsibilities, such as caring for children with particular medical, behavioural or communication needs.

Post-approval training may include required refresher subjects, specialist courses, group learning, workshops, online modules and practical sessions. The fostering service should explain which elements are compulsory, how completion is recorded and when subjects must be revisited. Training needs may also be reviewed as part of ongoing supervision and the carer’s formal review process.

This means the two stages are connected but not interchangeable. Pre-approval training establishes the knowledge and attitudes expected of someone applying to foster. Post-approval learning builds on that foundation and applies it to real situations, while helping carers respond safely to changing needs. Foster carers should keep evidence of completed courses and raise further training needs with their supervising social worker, particularly before accepting a placement involving needs outside their current experience.