Training

Foster care training is a vital part of the service we give to all our carers. We help you feel empowered, confident and capable in your role as a foster parent with plenty of high-quality training. The foster care training process begins before you get your first placement, so you know what to expect and feel prepared to care for the foster child in need.

We offer courses that are highly relevant to you and easy to understand. Through quality training and support, you’ll be better equipped with the knowledge and professional skills you need to feel comfortable and confident in caring for a child.

Pre-approval foster carer training

As soon as you’ve applied to be a foster carer with us, you can start your foster carer training. While your application is reviewed, we’ll work through some basic training courses with you including Shared Lives. This course gives you a better understanding of how to be a great foster parent.

Compulsory foster carer training

Looking after a child or young person who has experienced trauma, abuse or neglect can be challenging. You’ll start your carer training straight away to help equip you with the skills you need to support your foster child. All our foster parents take this compulsory training course to help them feel prepared for their first placement. Once you’re an approved foster care, you’ll get further training through our Key Assets core curriculum.

*This section is applicable to most states of Australia.

Ongoing foster carer training

Once you’re an approved foster carer, we’ll continue to support your professional development with a range of additional training courses. We’ll recommend the training courses we think would help you most based on your foster child’s background. Ongoing foster carer training topics include:

• protecting children and supporting carers
• safe care and allegations
• promoting positive behaviour
• teamwork, communication and recording
• cultural awareness
• attachment and the Team Parenting™ approach
• understanding sexual abuse in foster care
• foetal alcohol syndrome
• key developmental assets training
• managing risk

Foster carer training topics

• Child protection
• Working with children who have been abused
• Safe caring
• Understanding attachment
• Building resilience
• Understanding and managing difficult behaviour
• Managing and promoting contact
• Developing identity and self-esteem
• Valuing diversity and promoting equality
• Understanding the impact of trauma
• Carer recording
• First aid/health and safety
• Educating fostered children and young people
• Empowering children and young people
• Preparing young people for moving on and adult independence