As a result of the agency’s good matching processes, children become central members of the family and enjoy high levels of placement stability.
Ofsted, 2018
Why is fostering training important?
Fostering training is important for the foster carers who look after some of the most vulnerable and complex children. They care for children 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Therefore, they need to be equipped to deal with any challenges.
The most successful foster carers are those who combine a nurturing approach with firm boundaries. The old adage “firm but fair” is something we hear a lot about our carers. This ability to provide love and warmth whilst helping children feel safe comes with knowledge and confidence.
Foster carers need to be resilient. Moreover, they need to demonstrate this resilience to the children in their care. Resilient carers build resilience in the children they care for and help them form secure attachments.
Eastern Fostering Services offers a wide variety of training and one could argue that all of the training helps carers feel equipped and therefore, more confident.
Confidence when fostering all stems from understanding the child and contextualising their behaviour. When you know they whys and wherefores, you can then create strategies and approach them confidently.
We run fostering training on all manner of topics from managing challenging behaviour to self-harm. From attachment styles and difficulties to online safety. Training might include Foetal Alcohol Syndrome or Autism, identity and culture to working with birth families.
Our carers often say that the variety of training helps them to feel confident in their role as foster carers. You can read more of what our foster carers have to say about fostering training here.
We often put interesting articles and topics for discussion on our Facebook page too, so do take a look.
Eastern Fostering Services put on specific training to help foster carers build resilience. This training helps foster carers to develop their self-awareness. Understanding your feelings and reactions is a very important aspect to successful fostering. Moreover, the training helps carers to identify worries and develop healthy, appropriate responses.
We would also say that ongoing training and development in all areas of fostering naturally helps carers to feel equipped. Therefore building their personal resilience in all areas.
Training helps build a strong and fruitful community. In the training that Eastern Fostering Services puts on, foster carers are given the opportunity to share ideas and successes. Our fostering community is an important source of support. It offers carers a safe space to explore their feelings and responses.
You can find out more about the support we offer to our foster carers here.
What training have we put on recently?
So far this year, we have held a range of training events aimed at supporting our foster carers and children. Here are some examples:
Understanding Eating Disorders
Working with children with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder
First aid
Safeguarding our children online and internet safety
Conflict resolution and breakaway
Managing challenging behaviours
Care-apy
Managing challenging behaviour
Self-Harm
Safeguarding Children Level 1
Child sexual exploitation and radicalisation
Behaviour management skills
Separation and Loss
Meet the team that will be with you every step of the way
We have an excellent Fostering Support Team at Eastern Fostering Services. Not only do they support our carers 24/7/365, they also join in with all the fun bits! You’ll find them equally at home advocating for you and your children as they are strutting their stuff at the talent show, running around on the beach at one of our beach days or cycling with the children on our Forest Day out. We recognise that fostering is hard work and are always thinking of ways we can inject a little fun! We believe that fun is an important part of nurturing stable and successful fostering families. Our children and carers agree that putting the fun into fostering is important too!
What is it like to foster?
Our fostering community is happy to tell you!
At Eastern Fostering Services, we have a fantastic community of foster carers. They are warm and friendly. Moreover, they are devoted to the children in their care.
You may be wondering what it is like to foster with Eastern Fostering Services. So we asked our carers and here’s what they said.
Theresa and Paul
Essex
Having been foster carers for 9 years with another agency, we transferred to Eastern Fostering Services in 2019. The whole process was an inclusive and empowering experience. Since transferring, the support we have received is better than we could have hoped. There is always a friendly voice at the end of the line if ever they are needed. We wish we had become a part of the Eastern Fostering Services family years ago.
Michelle and Robert
Suffolk
We have been foster carers for over 8 years.
We love seeing the children happy and taking them on adventures with us.
We also get to have time off to recharge ourselves, with support from family which is great and EFS approve of this arrangement.
The children also get to go out with support workers within the EFS team.
The carer support is great, and we never hesitate to call if we ever need anything.
Aime and Danny
Cambridgeshire
We are Danny and Aime, and we’ve been fostering with Eastern Fostering Services for 5 months. Fostering has been one of the most rewarding and life changing experiences we’ve shared as a family. Supporting children and giving them a safe, loving environment to grow and thrive has brought joy and purpose to our everyday lives.
One of our proudest moments was witnessing the progress and confidence our foster children have gained through simple but meaningful milestones, whether that’s seeing them develop strong bonds with us or achieving personal growth at school.
It’s those moments, no matter how small, that remind us why we do this. The support we’ve received from the team at Eastern Fostering Services has been invaluable. From the training provided to the warmth and encouragement of our social workers, we’ve always felt supported and well equipped to handle both the challenges and rewards of fostering.
Up coming support Groups
We hold regular support groups to support our carers on their fostering journeys. Support groups offer a safe space to share experiences, gain advice, build resilience and learn from each other. Our support groups are hosted by our Senior Supervising Social workers Emma and Sian.
Our next support group will be held on Thursday 3rd July.
Useful information
Before you start fostering, you’ll need to do as much research as possible. As well as reading through our FAQs, we suggest you take a look at our recommended reading list and read through the information we have provided for you. Remember you can always contact us if you have any questions.
