Foster Carer Training

Our commitment to foster carer training extends beyond the conventional development opportunities for our foster carers.

We’re on our journey to becoming a trauma-informed organisation, and are actively integrating this trauma-informed approach into our training programmes for our foster carers and staff.

Our aim is to create a more supportive environment, one that fully acknowledges the impact of trauma on children’s lives, and helps our children and young people to heal and build resilience for a brighter future. Our commitment is to empower our carers to provide the highest quality care for children who have experienced trauma, or severe disruption in their lives. This can only be achieved by ensuring our foster carers stay up to date with the latest knowledge, research, and best practices in therapeutic fostering.

Read about our foster carer training and foster carer courses

Before Your Approval

Introductory Training 

We believe that the correct training and development is fundamental for foster carers, and that’s why we encourage you to start your training journey with us right from the beginning of the process.

Before you become an approved foster carer with TACT, we invite you to join our Skills to Foster course.

Skills to Foster

Hosted by one of our social workers and an existing TACT foster carer, this course provides you with more details about your role as a foster carer, the expectations of you and your family, and the other people you will be required to work with, such as the child’s family, their social worker, and other professionals.

This course takes place virtually, with some evening and weekend course dates available. We have streamlined the course to two days, instead of the standard three, to enable our fostering applicants to progress along their fostering journey quicker.

During the course you will explore the practical, day-to-day skills that all foster carers need, based around 6 key themes:

The role and responsibilities of foster carers
The importance of identity and the impact of life changes on children
Working with others to support the needs of children in care
Safer care and risk assessments
Understanding and caring for children who have experienced trauma
The importance of stability and supporting transitions

After Your Approval

Mandatory Training in the first 12 months

Shortly after approval you and your social worker will discuss your development needs and put together a plan of what you’ll learn in the first year, this is likely to focus on your induction plan and fostering changes. Our foster carer courses are delivered both virtually and face-to-face.

Fostering Changes Course

As a TACT foster carer you will be required to complete the fostering changes course within a year of being approved. This course was designed by childcare experts in response to requests from foster carers for more practical ideas and help in looking after children.

The course is usually delivered over 12 weeks.

It is intended to help you develop confidence and practical fostering skills, which will equip you to deal with some of the most complex of placements. During the course you will explore the following topics:

How children thrive
Behaviour, attachment and social learning theory
Needs and behaviour
Positive attention
Communicating with looked after children
How to create a good learning environment
Expressing feelings
Giving instructions and ignoring
Discipline
Time out and problem solving
Facilitating positive endings
Relaxation and moving forward

Training, Support and Development (TSD) Standards – England Only

This forms part of a foster carer’s induction in the role and provides a national minimum benchmark that sets out what foster carers should know and understand.

All new carers in England are expected to complete the training, support and development (TSD) standards within 12 months. However, we have recognised as a fostering service that some foster carers need additional help and support in completing this task. Your supervising social worker will be able to support and guide you to complete your TSD standards workbook.

This training programme features a range of courses to suit the varying level of skills within our current cohort of foster carers. Each course is designed to enhance and develop your understanding of the fostering role and is linked to the relevant TSD standards, in order to support you in developing your portfolio of evidence.

Should you require advice or guidance please contact your supervising social worker

personal development

Tailoring Learning to Individual Needs

Each foster carer brings with them a distinct set of qualities, experiences, and strengths to the fostering journey. Just as no two children are alike, no two carers share the exact same background, skills, or approach to care giving. We offer a tailored approach to your professional development, with a variety of accessible resources so you can align these to your learning preferences and needs.

Foster Carer Portal

As an approved foster carer with TACT, you will have access to book your training quickly and easily through our Foster Carer Portal.

With a wide range of flexible training opportunities available, including virtual and face-to-face training sessions, to accommodate different learning styles and preferences.

Online Training Resources

In addition to this, we provide an Online Training Resource featuring a wide range of courses. Your social worker will work with you to identify any relevant courses that might be of benefit to you.

In partnership with FosteringTraining.com, we provide access to over 100 online courses that you can engage with at your own pace, from any location, and on any device. Here’s a glimpse of some of the courses we offer:

Attachments
Administering Medication
Allegations
Allergies
Bed Wetting, Incontinence and other Toilet Issues
Bullying
Caring for a child with Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Caring for an Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Child
Caring for Children with Harmful Sexualised Behaviour
Caring for the Whole Child
Child Development
Child Sexual Exploitation
Children’s Rights
Communicating with Children
Compassion Fatigue
Coping with Challenging Behaviour
County Lines
Delegated Authority
Depression in Children
Disclosures
Drug Awareness
Eating Disorders
Fire Safety
Food and its Importance in Fostering
Foster Carer Records
Gang Awareness
Health & Safety in the Fostering Household
Helping Children Cope with Trauma
How to Talk to Children about Racism
Internet Safety
Introduction to Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Keeping Data Safe
Life Story Work with a Child
Managing a Child’s Anger
Men in Fostering
Missing from Care
Online Safety
Physical Activity for Children in Care
Play Therapy
Positive Parenting
Preparing for a new placement
Promoting Sexual Health Part 1 & 2
Raising an LGBTQ+ Foster Child
Raising Teenagers in Care
Safeguarding Advanced
Secure Base Model
Self-Harm Awareness
Starting your Journey as a Foster Carer
Staying Put
Stress Management & Emotional Resilience
Supporting a Grieving Child
Therapeutic Parenting with PACE – Transitions
Understanding Tax in Fostering
Youth Mental Health Awareness

Mi-Crow

We offer a wide range of online training through our specialist provider, Mi-Crow.

You will be able to access a huge selection of courses to help advance your skills and knowledge in a wide range of subjects, including specific foster caring training programmes, IT skills and much more.

Research in Practice

We know that foster carers value opportunities to learn and make themselves the best carer they can be. For that reason, we make sure our foster carers have access to Research in Practice, a platform providing up-to-date, evidence-informed research and practical resources.

Research in Practice brings together academic research, practice expertise and the experiences of people accessing services. They then apply this knowledge to develop a range of resources and learning opportunities, as well

Interested in Transferring?

We understand that there are a number of reasons why foster carers may consider transferring and as the UK’s largest dedicated fostering charity, we are there to support you on your journey to transferring to TACT.

Learn more

Fostering FAQ’s

If you are considering becoming a foster carer, there may be a number of questions that you have. We’ve compiled the most popular questions asked by people who are thinking about becoming foster carers.

Read our FAQs

Why Foster with TACT?

Choosing who to foster is a big decision, however, at TACT we’ve made it an easy choice. With over 30 years experience as a leading not-for-profit fostering agency, we are there to support you every step of the way.