Our First Online Foundations For Fostering Training.
Our first online foundations for fostering training was a huge success with positive feedback from all staff and carers involved. One of our Link Social Worker’s Tara Keogh who co-facilitated the training shares her thoughts on the experience.
“Online Foundations For Fostering was a very positive experience. I feel that because the two couples were more than half way in their assessments, that this really aided in their engagement in the training. This also ensured that they already had a good comprehension of fostering in general and their roles as foster carers. Both couples were engaging in the training, and I feel that from them receiving their work packs, videos and presentation slides a couple of days before the training started, it gave the applicants time to process the information.
The M Family commented that they really benefited from being able to look at the work themselves before the online training began as it allowed them to really think about the topics and answers on their worksheets. The applicants also commented that in a group setting where you watch the videos there and then that this can be difficult to give well thought of answers, as you are put on the spot. The worksheets in general were excellent at enabling long discussions about safer caring, attachment, contact with birth families and the matching process etc. Having one of our Carer Ambassadors Marie link in with the applicants every week was excellent. I feel that the applicants felt at ease with Marie and had long discussions with her on topics or questions that they had. It was also excellent to have FFI Director Marie Faughey on to meet the applicants and answer their questions.
Overall, online FFF went really well. I feel going forward that many aspects of the online FFF should be included in the face to face FFF training when it returns, such as providing the applicants with videos, worksheets and readings before the training in person. I believe this would provoke more thoughtful conversations between the applicants. I also feel that perhaps that post-Covid FFF could benefit from having day 1 of training in person, day 2 of training online and day 3 in person, or some mixture of this! It was also very helpful to have two social workers delivering the training. Our Senior Social Work Practicioner Susan Clarke did all the presenting of information, however I think we both felt it was beneficial to have someone else there to give examples and to give their thoughts/opinions on topics and questions.”
Are you interested in becoming a Foster Carer? Do you feel you could make a difference to the life of a young person? If so we would love to hear from you today. For more information complete the application form on the right of the page.
