Foster Carer University: online learning for therapeutic parenting
October 16th 2007 by Megan Bayliss in Fostering Adoption Parenting
Foster carer university: would you go for a recognised qualification? Imaginif plans to start a foster carer university in the new year. Would you become a foster carer? Would you achieve at home and online learning to make you an above average foster carer? What qualification do you think a foster carer should have? Diploma, certificate?
Foster carers are in a privileged position. Best placed to achieve therapeutic and attachment parenting with children who have been traumatized, the job, the commitment, the skill of foster caring requires recognition by way of ensuring advanced training and support.
After years of working with foster carers in Far North Queensland (Australia), I have an idea of what they want and need. But what about you foster carers in other parts of the world?
If you could do a correspondence course for foster carers, what would you expect to be in that course? I would greatly appreciate your feedback on training for foster carers.
Here’s a free online course from the Child Trauma Academy: Bonding and Attachment in Maltreated Children
Other articles that may help you in your job as a foster carer:
The affects of childhood trauma
Learning ability in traumatised children
The effect of trauma on secure attachment in children
The difference between sympathy and empathy
Five senses help protect children from ongoing psychological trauma
Photo of a graduating pre school child compliments of samleven at stock.xchng.
Stumble it!
October 17th, 2007 at 6:38 am
yes i think formal qualifications are necessary. A certificate at the minimum, and able to go for a Diploma for those of us who able to juggle kids, work and extended studies. access to online courses would be ideal, with the option of in-class study, tho prac, supervision and mentoring face-to-face would be a must.
courses that involve craft, dream work, paints, drawing, weaving, dance and drama would aid children from traumatised backgrounds to dig into their feelings and express them whilst maintaining a bit of distance, and build their resiliency and self-love.
as a carer to stay sane and to enhance my sense of agency and inclusion i would like courses that provide critical analysis of;
The Child Protection Act (1999), The Child Safety (Carers) Amendment Act, 2006, the Family Services Act (1987), and numerous others of relevance;
State and Federal legislation on the integration of child protection agencies;
individual agency policies, standardised procedures, and protocols for ensuring all staff are on the same page with regard to definitions, procedures and therapeutic approaches etc; negotiating with agencies to stay focused on child-centred outcomes;
navigating Centrelink payments and aids to carers and kids in care;
the relationships between nutrition, behaviour, cognitions, affect, self-care and life-skills
there will likely be more tomorrow…
October 17th, 2007 at 7:10 am
Thanks Char. To offer something that suits all foster carers across the globe I cannot look at specific legislation, but, I take on board learning around critical analysis. Excellent feedback. Thank you.
October 23rd, 2007 at 11:47 am
Foster Care University - As a foster carer it would be great to have a wealth of child care education and to have a recognised qualification. A certificate course as well as a diploma course would be brilliant. A course that could cover every thing from prepration to welcome a precious child into your home to prepration for the departure of the child from your home. As well as every conciviable aspect of caring for a child in care. I look forward to this in the new year
October 23rd, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Thanks for your feedback Rosemary. I greatly appreciate it.
November 11th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
We have offered online nationally-recognised certificate courses for foster carers and others who work with traumatised children since 2005 (currently over 500 students). Students have a personal online tutor and a 2-year access period to online training materials (a notional 120 hours of study, and 17 written tasks/assignments to complete). Totally flexible access, prompt tutor response, monthly feedback to agencies on student progress, opportunity to use online student forum. Based on a theoretical model of Attachment, Trauma, Resilience (see Kate Cairns’ book of that title, BAAF London 2002). You might like to see more on our website www.akamas.co.uk . All the material except our option unit on law has international application - it focusses on the needs of children, not on national systems and procedures.
November 11th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
Brian your site content sounds like the courses you offer would be fantastic. Perhaps we should talk some more. I am not interested in reinventing the wheel.
I worked for Social Services in Wandsworth, London and loved my UK child protection work.
Thanks for letting us know about your training.
November 27th, 2007 at 6:11 am
hey Megan~
this site may be of interest to your university http://teachingsells.com?ref=char
i’ve joined to launch a “member paid area” to my website, the blokes at Teaching Sells help to make the materials interactive and comprehensive.
sell your knowledge and skills to those looking to learn; and sell it in an engaging way
also, DoChs have a link to Foster Parent College: http://www.fosterparentcollege.com/
which offers informative courses and certificate courses online at reasonable prices
i’d still join your uni tho
February 25th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Foster carers getting about $1 per hour cannot be expected to be university qualified. Too many would leave. No way am i doing essays and exams. It is hard enough without putting more stress.