What training will I need before becoming a foster carer?

Before becoming a foster carer, you will normally complete an approved preparation course and take part in training during your fostering assessment. You do not usually need a fostering qualification before making an enquiry or submitting an application. The purpose of the preparation is to help you decide whether fostering is right for your household and to help the fostering service assess the skills, understanding and support you could offer.

Preparation training is designed to be practical rather than academic. You may be asked to discuss realistic situations, consider how you would respond to different needs and reflect on the effect fostering could have on your home. Training is often delivered through a mixture of group sessions, activities, guided discussion and learning materials. This gives you the opportunity to ask questions and learn from the experiences of other applicants.

The course will help you understand what day-to-day fostering involves, including the responsibilities that come with caring for a child who may have experienced disruption or uncertainty. It should also explain how decisions are made, what information must be recorded, how confidentiality works and why foster carers need to work within agreed policies and plans.

You can expect the training to explore:

• how foster care fits within the wider care system and the responsibilities of a foster carer;
• the importance of maintaining appropriate boundaries in a family home;
• how to communicate with children, social workers, schools, health professionals and birth families;
• how to respond constructively when a child’s behaviour is difficult or does not match your expectations;
• how to promote a child’s identity, relationships, culture, religion and individual needs;
• how to record information accurately and share concerns through the correct channels;
• how to look after your own wellbeing and use support before pressures become unmanageable; and
• what to expect from supervision, reviews and continued professional development after approval.

Some training may be specific to the type of fostering you are considering. For example, caring for teenagers, siblings, children with additional needs or children with more complex experiences may involve different preparation. Your previous experience, employment, family circumstances and the age range you are interested in will also affect which areas need more discussion.

Everyone who will be closely involved should take part where appropriate. This may include a partner, other adults in the household and, depending on their age and circumstances, birth children. Foster care affects the whole household, so training gives family members a chance to understand the expectations, raise concerns and discuss how privacy, routines and personal space will be managed.

Training is only one part of the approval process. Alongside it, the fostering service will complete the required assessment and checks, gather references and consider your home, relationships, health, experience and ability to provide consistent care. You are not expected to know everything at the beginning. Assessors will look at your willingness to learn, think about your practice and respond to guidance, as well as what you already know.

If you have experience in childcare, education, health, social care, youth work or supporting relatives, it may give you useful transferable skills. However, formal experience is not the only way to demonstrate suitability. Everyday skills such as listening, setting fair boundaries, managing routines, communicating clearly and working cooperatively can all be relevant. The preparation course helps you identify strengths and any areas where further learning would be useful.

The exact course structure and any required modules vary between fostering services and according to the type of placement being considered. Ask for a clear outline of what must be completed before approval, what can be completed afterwards and how training will fit around the assessment. It is also sensible to ask whether training is delivered in person, online or through a combination of methods, and what support is available if you need more explanation about a particular subject.

Approval is not the end of your training. Foster carers normally continue learning through additional courses, supervision and reviews, with development shaped by the children they care for and the circumstances of their placements. The pre-approval programme therefore gives you the foundation for fostering, while later training helps you build on that knowledge in practice.