foster carers

Training, support and development standards for foster care: guidance

The training, support and development (TSD) standards for foster care were developed by CWDC with input from a reference group including practitioners, foster carers, young people, Ofsted, the Fostering Network and BAAF. They were introduced in May 2007 and apply to all approved foster carers in England. The standards provide a national minimum benchmark to set out what all foster carers should know, understand and be able to do within the first 12 months of approval.

Fostering datasets

Official statistics release that reports on the numbers and profile of foster carers and children, in both local authority and independent services covering the period between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2011.

It also gives data relating to types of foster care, registrations and de-registrations, and a range of other subjects.

You can foster

Website authored by local authorities in the North West to encourage more people living in the region to think about becoming foster carers and to provide them with information on the subject.

SCIE guide 7 : fostering

This guide aims to help foster care practitioners provide positive experiences through fostering for more children and young people by enabling people to think creatively about their work. The guide is designed for foster care practitioners, carers, teams and services and anyone with an interest in good practice in fostering, including foster carers and fostered children and young people.

Aspirations three years on: the views of young people who are fostered and their carers

Study that focused on young people’s experiences of being fostered and their foster carers’ assessment of factors that contribute to these experiences. It looked in detail at a range of specific areas covering their health and wellbeing; education and participation outcomes; their involvement in activities; their life skills; and their connections with past and present family and friends.