sign in

Contact: supporting children’s relationships with family and friends

12 February 2008, London (1 day course)

£125 + VAT

This course is linked to the 2008 publication, Contact, from the new Pathways Through Foster Care series.

This course is for:

  • foster carers.

About this course

"Each child or young person in foster care is encouraged to maintain and develop family contacts and friendships as set out in his or her care plan, and/or placement agreement." (National Minimum Standards)

Managing contact between children and young people and their families and friends is a complicated and potentially difficult process. Children and young people have strong feelings about it. Birth relatives feel intensely about the arrangements that are made. Foster carers often worry about contact and feel a heavy responsibility for supporting and managing the arrangements. Contact will always be a challenging part of the work that foster carers routinely undertake.

The aim of the course is to enable foster carers to build upon their existing strategies for improving the quality, safety and outcomes of contact.

This course will enable participants to:

  • examine the aims of contact for children looked after and recall the underpinning legal duties and responsibilities of children’s services in this regard
  • reflect on some of the research findings in relation to contact
  • explore how foster carers can develop their skills in relation to supporting contact plans for children and families
  • have a safe place to discuss experiences, to problem solve and support others
  • address contact within an anti-discriminatory framework.

Links to qualifications

The course contributes to underpinning knowledge for NVQ Health & Social Care Level 3, C&YP core unit 34, Every Child Matters Outcomes: 1,2 and 4 and the Children's Workforce Development Council Training, Support and Development Standards for Foster Care: 1,2,4,5,6 and 7

Book a place on this course

If you would like to book, please download a booking form and return to the address given on the form.

Please contact us if you are interested in finding out more about any of our courses and we will let you know the course fees, all course details and how to book on a course: call the training department on 020 7620 6430 / 29 or email training@fostering.net.