What training supports foster carers in staying put arrangements?

Training for foster carers in staying put arrangements provides the knowledge and practical skills needed to support a care leaver after they reach adulthood. It should explain how the arrangement is organised, clarify the responsibilities of everyone involved and help the former foster carer adapt their approach as the young person moves towards adult life.

Unlike preparation training for fostering, staying put training focuses on the legal and practical differences between a foster placement and an arrangement with a young adult. It can help carers understand:

• how the arrangement is recorded and reviewed by the local authority;
• which responsibilities sit with the former foster carer, the young person, the personal adviser and other professionals;
• how consent, confidentiality and information sharing apply once the young person is over 18;
• how decisions are made if the young person’s circumstances or support needs change; and
• what to do if the arrangement becomes unsuitable or cannot continue.

A key part of the training is understanding the young person’s move into adulthood. Sessions may cover access to education, employment, apprenticeships, benefits, housing advice, healthcare and community services. This enables carers to signpost appropriately without taking control of decisions that the young person is now entitled to make for themselves.

Training should also address adult safeguarding. A young person may still be vulnerable because of previous experiences, disability, poor mental health, exploitation, substance misuse or difficulty managing relationships. Carers need to know how to recognise a concern, record relevant information and report it through the correct route. The training should make clear how safeguarding duties work in an adult arrangement and when emergency services or specialist agencies should be involved.

Practical learning is often most useful when it uses realistic situations. A course or supervision session might explore what to do if a young person stops engaging with education, falls into rent arrears, invites another person to stay, experiences a relationship breakdown or wishes to move out suddenly. Discussing these situations helps carers plan proportionate responses rather than relying on the rules that applied during a foster placement.

Training can include guidance on communication and problem-solving between adults. This may involve agreeing how household concerns are raised, how decisions are recorded and how disagreements are referred to the supervising team. It should also help carers maintain a respectful relationship while acknowledging that the young person has greater privacy, choice and responsibility.

Financial and administrative training is important because staying put arrangements can involve contributions, allowances, rent or other payments, as well as possible effects on benefits and household finances. Carers should receive clear, current information about the local arrangement rather than relying on general online guidance. They should understand what has been agreed in writing, which costs are covered and who to contact if circumstances change.

Good training does not end when the arrangement begins. Ongoing supervision, refresher sessions and reviews allow carers to raise new issues as the young person’s needs develop. The support plan may need to be revisited after changes such as starting work, leaving education, receiving a new health assessment or considering a move to alternative accommodation.

When considering a staying put arrangement, ask the fostering service or local authority:

• what initial training is provided before the arrangement starts;
• whether training is specific to staying put rather than general foster care;
• how the former foster carer can access advice and supervision during the arrangement;
• which professionals provide support when financial, health, housing or safeguarding issues arise; and
• how learning needs are identified if the young person has additional or complex needs.

The most effective training combines policy knowledge with practical guidance and continuing professional support. It gives foster carers a clear understanding of their role, while helping them provide a stable household in which a care leaver can make adult decisions and develop the skills needed for greater independence.