Are foster parent training hours required for every applicant?

Training is required for every fostering applicant, although the exact content and amount will depend on the applicant’s circumstances. It forms part of the preparation and assessment process, helping the fostering service establish whether applicants understand the responsibilities involved and can provide safe, consistent care.

Training normally applies to people applying alone and to both adults in a couple’s application. Where other household members have a significant role in day-to-day family life, the fostering service may also ask them to take part in relevant discussions or learning. This helps everyone understand how fostering could affect the household, including privacy, boundaries, safer care and the needs of children who may have experienced trauma.

The requirement is not based simply on whether someone has worked with children before. Applicants may have useful experience from parenting, education, social care, healthcare, youth work or previous fostering, but fostering involves specific responsibilities. Training gives the assessing team an opportunity to explore how that experience applies to foster care and identify any areas that need further development.

Applicants with no previous childcare or fostering experience should not assume this prevents them from applying. Initial training is designed to explain the role and help people decide whether fostering is suitable for their household. It may cover areas such as:

• the role and responsibilities of a foster carer;
• children’s development and the effects of trauma, neglect and loss;
• safer caring, safeguarding and managing risk;
• supporting behaviour, relationships and emotional wellbeing;
• working with birth families, social workers, schools and other professionals;
• recording information, confidentiality and professional boundaries; and
• maintaining a stable, inclusive and nurturing home environment.

Training does not end automatically when an application is submitted. A fostering service may identify additional learning during assessment, particularly if the household’s circumstances, experience or proposed placement needs require further consideration. Once approved, foster carers continue to develop their knowledge through ongoing training relevant to the children they care for and the responsibilities of their approval.

Previous courses may be useful evidence of relevant knowledge, but they do not automatically replace the training required by the fostering service. The service must be satisfied that the learning is current, relevant and appropriate to fostering. It will consider the subject covered, when it was completed and how it relates to the applicant’s proposed role.

Applicants who have access needs, learning differences or other circumstances affecting how they take part should discuss these with the fostering team. Training can be explained in an accessible way and reasonable adjustments may be considered, while retaining the essential learning and assessment requirements. The purpose is to ensure that applicants can understand the information and demonstrate how they would apply it in practice.

Completion of training is only one part of the assessment. The fostering service also considers the applicant’s relationships, health, household circumstances, safeguarding checks, references, home environment and ability to work with professionals. Training helps applicants make an informed decision and gives the assessing team evidence about their understanding, judgement and readiness to foster.

Become A Foster Family can explain which preparation is expected at each stage and help applicants understand any further learning identified during assessment. If you are unsure whether your experience means you need a particular element of training, raise this at the initial discussion rather than assuming it can be excluded.