Competencies needed for Foster Care
The Standards for Foster Care identify four key areas for competence in foster care. SWIIS carer training covers these areas and assessment is based on these standards.
You may already be able to think of some examples of your knowledge and skills and there will be other areas where you may benefit from SWIIS training. The initial training and assessment process is a time to think about your skills and experience and start to show how you will be able to meet the standards.
The Competencies
1. Caring for Children
1.1 An ability to provide a good standard of care to other people’s children which promotes healthy emotional, physical and sexual development as well as their health and educational achievements.
1.2 An ability to work closely with children’s families, and others who are important to the child.
1.3 An ability to set appropriate boundaries, and manage children’s behaviour within these, without the use of physical or other inappropriate punishment.
1.4 A knowledge of normal child development and an ability to listen to and communicate with children appropriate to their age and understanding.
2. Providing a Safe and Caring Environment
2.1 An ability to ensure that children are cared for in a home where they are safe from harm or abuse.
2.2 An ability to help children keep themselves safe from harm or abuse, and to know how to seek help if their safety is threatened.
3. Working as Part of a Team
3.1 An ability to work with other professional people and contribute to the agency’s planning for the child/young person.
3.2 An ability to communicate effectively.
3.3 An ability to keep information confidential.
3.4 An ability to promote equality, diversity and rights of individuals and groups within society.
4. Own Development
4.1 An ability to appreciate how personal experiences have affected themselves and their families, and the impact fostering is likely to have on them all.
4.2 Having people and links within the community to provide support.
4.3 An ability to use training opportunities and to improve skills.
4.4 An ability to sustain positive relationships and maintain effective functioning through periods of stress.
Training continues after you are approved as a carer to enhance your skills as you gain more experience. Training is run locally in small groups and you can build up to nationally recognised qualifications (such as S/NVQ’s) if you want to.
Specialist Carers:
We are currently developing specialist carer schemes for people who are able to undertake work with children and young people with particular difficulties. For example, we have some carers able to work with girls who are pregnant or teenage mums and others who have particular skills and experience relevant to children and young people with significant disabilities. Our newest scheme is for carers able to offer ‘maximum support’ placements for young people who have had breakdowns in other placements due to their behaviour and who need more support or supervision than most. This could include young people whose behaviour is a risk to themselves or other people, who are at risk of being placed – or have been placed – in secure accommodation, who have been excluded from schools or other placements.. Carers interested in providing these ‘specalist’ placements will need to be able to demonstrate relevant experience and skills as well as undertaking additional training and assessment to prepare for this role.
All carers undertake the same training and assessment to begin with and there are opportunities to progress and develop to the specialist roles at any stage for people who are interested and who meet the additional criteria.
For more information about the specialist schemes, talk to SWIIS staff at any time.
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