Prior to being approved as Foster Carers the service require all applicants to complete identified training to increase knowledge and skills to support them in their fostering role.
Aberdeen City Council Fostering Service uses the Fostering Network’s ‘Skills to Foster Pre-approval’ course which is designed to prepare new applicants for the challenges of fostering. It explains what being a foster carer involves enabling you to consider how fostering will affect your way of life and your family which helps you to decide whether fostering is right for you. It also introduces the skills and knowledge you will need to develop as a foster carer which highlights the difference that good foster care can make to a child’s life. The training course consists of six sessions which is typically delivered over three full Saturdays. There is also a separate session for sons and daughters of prospective foster carers. The training sessions covers the following topics:
What do foster carers do?
Identity and life chances
Working with others
Understanding and caring for children
Safer caring
Transitions
My family fosters (for sons and daughters)
Training courses help to prepare you for parenting a child (baby to teenager to adulthood) who might have experienced trauma, neglect, abuse, abandonment, rejection and loss. The training will help you prepare for supporting the child’s development and helping them to thrive and meet their potential. You will be offered training in transitioning the child to their adopters, kinship carers or returning home to their birth parents.
During the training you will meet other carers and learn from their experience and be able to ask them questions about how they have managed different scenario’s.
Prospective Carers will be invited to attend this training.