Foster care training
The Foster Care service offer a comprehensive training pathway for foster carers, that will develop a diverse skill set.
Mandatory training
Once you are approved as a foster carer, there are several courses that must be completed, these include First Aid and Record Keeping.
Core training
These courses are central to your professional development as foster carers. It is expected that all foster carers complete these courses, but the timescales are relatively flexible.
Specialist training
We are also offer specialist courses that cover a wide range of topics relating to children, young people and fostering in general. Attendance at these training sessions will be dependent on your own interests, the age of children you foster and the type of fostering you provide now or wish to provide in the future.
Bookings
Please discuss with your allocated Supervising Social Worker before booking any training. A request can be made via training.support@southampton.gov.uk. Please ensure you supply a unique email address for each foster carer requested.
Upcoming training
| Course name | Venue | Date | Start | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supporting Children's Race, Religion and Identity needs | Virtual | 10 February | 9.30am | 1pm |
| One Stop Virtual School Shop - Speech and Language Therapist | Virtual | 12 February | 9.30am | 10.30am |
| It Takes A Village - Family & Friends | Civic Centre | 24 February | 9am | 4.30pm |
| One Stop Virtual School Shop - Emotional Based School Absence (EBSA) | Virtual | 25 February | 10am | 11am |
| Supporting the Health Needs of Children and Young Persons (YP) in Your Care | Virtual | 26 February | 6pm | 7.30pm |
| Introduction to Attachment Trauma and Child Development | Virtual | 27 February | 10am | 12pm |
| First Aid for Foster Carers - Fully booked | Civic Centre | 1 March | 9.30am | 4.30pm |
| Adolescent Relationship Abuse | Civic Centre | 3 March | 10am | 12.30pm |
| Life Story Work, Identity & Making Memories | Civic Centre | 10 March | 9.30am | 2.30pm |
| Introduction to Safeguarding | Virtual | 12 March | 9.30am | 12pm |
| Safer Caring & Allegations | Virtual | 18 March | 10am | 2pm |
| Substance Use Education | Virtual | 28 April | 10am | 1pm |
| Foster Carer Conversations - Questions and Answers About Caring for Teenagers | Virtual | 1 May | 12pm | 1pm |
| Staying Put Scheme | Virtual | 6 May | 9.30am | 12.30pm |
| First Aid for Foster Carers | Civic Centre | 7 May | 9.30am | 4.30pm |
| Care Experienced Adult Questions and Answers - Let our voices be heard | Virtual | 7 May | 6pm | 7pm |
| One Stop Virtual School Shop: Next steps after school - building resilience for the next stage | Virtual | 8 May | 12pm | 1pm |
| Introduction to Emotional Coping Skills | Civic Centre | 12 May | 10am | 2.30pm |
| Role of the Personal Assistants (PA) and Pathway Planning | Virtual | 13 May | 12pm | 1.30pm |
| Contextual Safeguarding for Foster Carers | Virtual | 19 May | 10am | 11.30am |
| Understanding Teenagers | Virtual | 21 May | 10am | 12pm |
| Reunification to the Birth Family | Civic Centre | 9 June | 10am | 2.30pm |
| Introduction to Health - Supporting Children & YP Health Needs | Virtual | 9 June | 6pm | 7.30pm |
| Introduction to Safeguarding | Virtual | 11 June | 10am | 12.30pm |
| Supporting LGBTQ+ Young People | Civic Centre | 16 June | 10am | 2.30pm |
| Introduction to Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder | Virtual | 18 June | 12pm | 1.15pm |
| Safer Caring & Allegations | Virtual | 18 June | 6pm | 8.30pm |
| First Aid for Foster Carers | Civic Centre | 23 June | 9.30am | 4pm |
| Introduction to Attachment and Child Development | Virtual | 24 June | 10am | 12pm |
| Record Keeping/Writing to the Child | Virtual | 26 June | 10am | 11.30am |
| Therapeutic Parenting - Parenting with Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy (PACE) - Day one | Civic Centre | 30 June | 10am | 2pm |
| Keeping Children and Young People Safe Online - Day one | Virtual | 3 July | 10am | 1pm |
| Therapeutic Parenting - Parenting with Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy (PACE) - Day two | Civic Centre | 7 July | 10am | 2pm |
| Introduction to Child Sexual Abuse | Virtual | 9 July | 10am | 12pm |
| Family Time & Working with Birth Parents - Foster Carer & Family Time Development Workshop | Virtual | 14 July | 10am | 1pm |
| Keeping Children and Young People Safe Online - Day two | Virtual | 17 July | 10am | 1pm |
Useful links
- FosterTalk, an independent not-for-profit organisation providing high quality professional advice and guidance to all foster carers.Find out more about FosterTalk
- Mockingbird is an evidence-based model structure where groups of foster carers support each other, with a hub carer to co-ordinate activities, meetings and respite care.Find out more about Mockingbird
- New Family Social, a UK charity who provide support for LGBTQ+ families with fostering and adoption, we can offer you their free Gold membership (if you are being assessed or are approved as a foster carer).Find out more about New Family Social
