Skip to content
close

Local Kinship Offer

Training for carers

Bespoke Kinship Carers training

Kinship foster carers, like other foster carers, must complete the Training, Support and Development (TSD) Standards within 18 months of approval. These standards act as a national benchmark, outlining the knowledge, understanding, and skills kinship and foster carers should demonstrate within that timeframe. They ensure Kinship Carers receive necessary induction, training, and ongoing support to meet the specific needs of the children they care for.

Your allocated social worker will discuss TSDs with you and talk you through what these are in more detail and will support you to complete them.

Key aspects of TSDs for Kinship Carers:

  • National Minimum Standard: The TSDs establish a national minimum standard for all foster carers, including Kinship Carers, ensuring a consistent level of training and support.
  • Induction and Training: Kinship Carers receive induction training to equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills for their role.
  • Ongoing Development: TSDs emphasize the importance of ongoing professional development, ensuring carers can adapt to the evolving needs of the child.
  • Meeting Specific Needs: The training and support provided through TSDs should help Kinship Carers address the unique needs of the child they are caring for.
  • Evidence of Meeting Standards: Kinship Carers need to provide evidence that they have met the TSD standards within the specified timeframe.
  • Workbook and Support: There are specific workbooks and guidance available for Kinship Carers to document their progress and for social workers to support them.
  • Local Authority Support: Local authorities are responsible for providing the necessary training and support to Kinship Carers, including access to the TSD standards.

Completing TSDs provides additional financial benefits for Kinship Carers which many of our Kinship Carers benefit from where their employment status/role has had to be reconsidered to enable them to fulfil their role as a Kinship Carer.

Core Training Warwickshire County Council offer six core courses for all carers in Warwickshire, for approved Kinship Carers these are Child Protection Safeguarding, Equality Diversity and Inclusion, Paediatric First Aid, Attachments, Recording and Safer Caring Skills, the sixth course is a bespoke training called Kinship Carer which aims to support new Kinship Carers to understand more about being a Kinship Carer and help carers understand the support that is available to them. This training is hosted at least 6 times per year, whilst further bespoke training for SGOs is also hosted at least 3 times per year.

The core training course available solely for Kinship Carers offers an opportunity for carers to meet other carers with similar experiences providing opportunities to make new connections and access peer support. The course specifically supports Kinship Carers to understand their role and responsibilities as a Kinship Carer and gain wider understanding of key contacts and professionals involved in supporting them alongside learning strategies and tools available to help caring for children. This course is linked to Training, Support and Development standards (standard 1,3 and 6).

In addition to the core and bespoke training offer Kinship Carers can access other foster carer training.

Warwickshire’s fostering service offers a variety of training courses that can be accessed by Kinship Carers that cover many topics including therapeutic parenting, child development, connections through communication, neurodiversity, keeping children and dogs safe in the home, vicarious trauma, self-harm, managing challenging behaviours, prevent training, child sexual exploitation etc. Further details can be found on WeLearn for Kinship Carers or via the SGO newsletter.

Contact detail;

The Kinship care charity

The Kinship Charity offer a variety of over 35 in person or online events and workshops for Kinship Carers in Warwickshire. Covering many topics such as financial support, understanding trauma and attachment as well as managing contact for kinship families.

 

Types of fostering