What training is required when fostering and working full time?

The training required when fostering and working full time is designed to confirm that you can provide safe, consistent care alongside your employment. The exact programme varies between fostering services, but it normally includes preparation before approval, a structured induction after approval and continuing learning linked to the needs of the children in your care.

Before approval

Most applicants complete a preparation course such as Skills to Foster during the assessment process. This helps you understand the responsibilities of fostering before you decide whether to proceed. It may cover:

• how fostering differs from having a child who is permanently part of your family;
• the roles of the fostering service, local authority, social workers, schools and other professionals;
• confidentiality, record keeping and information sharing;
• how fostering can affect household routines, relationships and personal time;
• the importance of working with a child’s birth family and professional network; and
• how to respond appropriately when a child’s needs or behaviour are difficult to manage.

The preparation course is also an opportunity to ask practical questions about combining fostering with a full-time role. Your assessing social worker will consider your working pattern, travel, availability outside work, household support and the arrangements you would use if a child needed help during your working day.

Training after approval

Once approved, you will usually complete an induction programme and work towards the Training, Support and Development Standards for foster carers. These standards help you demonstrate that you can apply your learning in day-to-day situations, rather than simply attend courses. Evidence may include reflective discussions, written records, supervision notes, certificates and examples of how you have supported a child.

Ongoing training is normally based on the children you care for and the requirements of your fostering service. You may be asked to complete mandatory learning at set intervals, alongside additional courses recommended for a particular placement. Examples can include first aid, medication, health and safety, online safety, equality and inclusion, education, supporting identity and helping children prepare for independence. Not every course will apply to every carer or placement.

How training can fit around full-time employment

Your fostering service should discuss the practical arrangements with you before approval. Training might involve face-to-face sessions, online learning, workbooks, supervised activities or meetings with your supervising social worker. You will need to understand the format, expected participation and any deadlines so that you can discuss commitments with your employer and plan household cover.

Some learning can be completed independently, but training is not simply a box-ticking exercise. Sessions may involve discussion, scenarios and reflection on how you would respond to a child’s needs. You will also need time to read information, complete any required evidence and attend supervision or review meetings. The amount of learning can change depending on your experience, the type of placement and any specialist needs involved.

Does previous experience remove the training requirement?

Relevant experience in teaching, social care, healthcare, childcare or education may help you understand some subjects, but it does not automatically remove the need to complete the fostering service’s required training. Your experience will be considered during assessment, and the service may identify areas where you need further learning. Existing qualifications may be useful evidence, but fostering also requires knowledge of the specific policies, procedures and recording systems used by your service.

What happens if training is difficult to attend?

Tell your fostering service as early as possible if a course conflicts with your working pattern, travel or other caring responsibilities. The service can explain which elements are compulsory and what arrangements may be available for completing them. You should not assume that missing a session is acceptable, particularly where it relates to safeguarding, first aid or another requirement linked to approval.

Employers may have their own policies about time away for training, so it is sensible to check these before applying. You do not generally need to disclose every detail of your application to colleagues, but your fostering assessment will need an accurate picture of your work commitments and how fostering responsibilities can be managed alongside them.

Training continues throughout your fostering career. Supervision, reviews and discussions with your fostering support worker help identify further learning, while feedback from professionals can show where your knowledge or approach needs to develop. Working full time does not usually mean you cannot train as a foster carer, but you must be able to commit to the required learning and apply it consistently in practice.