Specialist therapy course launched for foster carers

A specialist course believed to be the first of its kind is being launched for foster carers of children who have suffered traumatic experiences.

The University of East Anglia (UEA) in Norwich will run the pilot therapeutic fostering programme, aimed at carers in the east of England, but it was hoped the course would be offered nationally in future.

It said 7,000 children were in council care in the region and there was an urgent need to provide foster carers with the skills to respond to complex behaviour.

Dr Mark Gregory, from the UEA, said foster carers' ability to "understand the impact of trauma on children and young people's behaviour is crucial".

The two-year part-time course, starting in September, was equivalent to the first year of a degree.

Students would gain a professional qualification once they completed the Higher Education certificate in therapeutic fostering.

"This course has been designed to help foster carers to understand trauma-related behaviour through a therapeutic lens, so they have the tools needed to build and maintain supportive relationships with children and young people in their care," said Dr Gregory.

It was aimed at people with at least 80 hours' relevant training.

Foster carers Aaron and Frankie Head said their knowledge of therapeutic fostering had helped the children they looked after better understand themselves.

"At times, fostering... can be extremely challenging and a personally taxing mission," they said.

"Remaining therapeutic allows us to get to the root of behaviours and fuel ourselves with understanding of their experiences and subsequent needs.

"This has ultimately equipped us to continue through the 'trauma trenches' at times and treat ourselves with gentleness and compassion too."

The government has granted initial funding for the pilot programme, with 50 places available over the next two years.

The course has been put together by the UEA's School of Social Work and Foster East, a UK government-funded project, to try to recruit more foster carers and better support them.

Foster carers working for one of the 11 councils covered by Foster East can apply for a place.

These included Bedford Borough, Cambridgeshire County, Central Bedfordshire, Essex County, Hertfordshire County, Luton Borough, Norfolk County, Peterborough City, Southend-on-Sea, Suffolk County and Thurrock councils.

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