Can I revisit free online foster training sessions later?
You may be able to revisit free online foster training sessions later, depending on how the course is delivered and whether recordings or materials remain available. Check the provider’s access arrangements so you know what can be reviewed before, during and after your fostering application.
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Whether you can revisit a free online foster training session depends on the format used. A recorded course or self-paced module can usually be returned to through the relevant learning platform, while a live online session may only be available again if the provider has recorded it or supplied follow-up materials.
Before starting, check the provider’s access arrangements. Important points include:
- How long access lasts: some platforms keep modules available for a set period, while others allow access until the course has been completed or the application stage has ended.
- Whether a recording is made: a live session is not automatically recorded. If it is, ask whether the recording includes the full session, questions and practical activities.
- What can be revisited: access may cover presentation slides, videos, written guidance, quizzes or only selected parts of the course.
- Whether your progress is saved: some learning systems remember the point you reached, whereas others require you to restart a module.
- Whether content can change: training materials may be updated when guidance, legislation or local procedures change, so an older recording may not contain the latest information.
Revisiting a session can be useful when a topic needs more thought. Foster training may introduce subjects such as safeguarding, attachment, trauma, managing behaviour, safer caring, confidentiality and working with the child’s wider network. These areas can involve unfamiliar terminology and detailed examples. Reviewing the relevant section, making notes and writing down questions can help you prepare for a later discussion with the fostering team.
It is also worth distinguishing between watching material again and completing a formal learning requirement. Replaying a video does not necessarily count as attendance, evidence of participation or completion of an assessment. If you need to show that you completed a particular course, check whether the provider records attendance, issues a completion record or asks you to complete a quiz or feedback form.
Free online content should generally be treated as an introduction to fostering rather than a replacement for the preparation and assessment required before approval. Your fostering service will explain which training must be completed as part of the application process and whether any previous learning can be recognised. Keep copies of notes or completion records, but do not assume that revisiting a free session will meet a formal requirement unless the fostering service confirms this.
If access has expired or a session is no longer available, contact the provider or your fostering adviser rather than relying on an unofficial copy. This is particularly important where the material discusses safeguarding, confidentiality or personal information. Training should be accessed through an authorised source and any case examples or details shared during a live session should be treated confidentially.
A practical way to use revisitable training is to:
- Complete the session without trying to memorise every detail.
- Note any terms, situations or questions that are unclear.
- Return to the relevant section and review it at your own pace.
- Compare your understanding with the provider’s written guidance.
- Raise unresolved questions with the fostering team during the next stage of your enquiry or assessment.
Revisiting a session is more useful when the learning platform has suitable accessibility features. Before you begin, check whether the material includes captions or a transcript, adjustable playback speed, clear slides and written summaries. These options can make it easier to review detailed topics without relying solely on replaying the original video or audio.
If you have a disability, communication need or learning difference, ask the training provider what format is available and whether reasonable adjustments can be made. You may also wish to confirm whether notes or permitted course materials can be downloaded for personal reference, so you can review key points without losing access to the original session.
Discuss revisiting free online foster training sessions
Contact Become a Foster Family to discuss how free online training fits into your fostering enquiry and find out what learning you will need to complete as part of the application process.