Foster Care Training With Swiis

Your Training Programme with Swiis

Swiis’ Pre-approval Training

‘Skills to Foster’ is our preparation training package for prospective foster carers and provides you with up to three days of mandatory training, prior to and during the assessment process. This programme covers every aspect of the role of a foster carer and is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills needed in your role as a foster carer.

• Day 1 of Training. Day 1 training serves as an introduction to fostering and Swiis Foster Care Scotland. This is delivered following a successful telephone interview and after the Initial Home Visit process has been completed. The training is provided to you prior to the assessment commencing and is pivotal in ensuring that you fully understand the fostering role and what this will mean to you and your family before the assessment begins.
• Days 2 and 3 of Training. Delivered either before or approximately half way through the assessment process. These sessions focus on a range of subjects and encourage you to further explore the fostering task and deepen your understanding of some of the challenges faced by children looked after. It will also cover your role in ensuring successful outcomes for children and young people in your care and the support available to you from Swiis.

Post-approval Training

Following your approval to become a foster carer, you will complete 5 mandatory training sessions covering 8 core elements:

• Safeguarding and Child Protection
• Culture, Diversity and Equality Awareness
• Understanding Attachment
• Understanding Challenging Behaviour
• Safer Care and Managing Allegations
• First Aid
• Child Development
• Recording

The frequency of the training is dependent on the skills of the carer and type of training. Some training is undertaken two yearly whereas some is required only every 3 years.

Additional specialist training including accredited Awards such as SVQ level 3 Social Services (Children and Young People) are provided to support foster carers who work with or have a desire to support challenging placements, placements with complex health needs, disability placements or specialist parent and child placements.