IFCA training is delivered predominantly to foster carers and social workers but is available to all personnel who have contact with a child living in foster care. The training team also devises training programmes in response to requests from foster parents and the Health Service Executive/private foster agencies and IFCA branches. Our training is devised to promote best practice and partnership between the Health Service Executive / Private Foster Care Agencies and foster families; hence all our training is co-facilitated by a foster carer and a social worker.
The training programmes available from the Association are;
Foundation for Fostering (incorporating New Beginnings)
The Foundation for Fostering programme is for prospective foster carers/relative cares and their families. This programme was devised by IFCA in partnership with the Health Service Executive.
There are eight sessions covered during the course (see below) Each session is of three hours duration.
What is fostering?
Working with the Health Service Executive/Private agencies.
Child development & attachment.
Common behaviours of children and young people in care.
Safe Care.
Birth families and contact.
Taking care of children who care.
Moving children.
New Beginnings.
This programme was developed by young people who grew up as part of a fostering family, foster parents and social workers. New Beginnings runs for two sessions, each being three hours in duration. The emphasis is on learning in a fun and interactive way.
The aims of the course:
To achieve an overall understanding of foster care in an interactive and fun way. Understand the feelings and family circumstances of a child in care. Explore what being part of a foster family may involve for them and their family.To raise the awareness for safe care to protect all in the foster home. To explore the impact of fostering on their family. To enhance children’s/young peoples life skills by encouraging them to identify and develop their own support system. To deal with the more challenging aspects of fostering.To know that children/young people can discuss any concerns they might have with an adult. Understand that saying goodbye is part of fostering.
Building Bridges.
This one day workshop explores key issues around access/contact from the perspective of the child, birth family and the foster family. It explores why children may benefit from contact, why families need contact, why birth parents may be resistant to contact, and tips on how to deal with contact issues. Building bridges also explores, when it may be in the child’s best interest to suspend contact.
Course content.
Identifying the legal framework. Exploring different way of keeping contact.Looking at ways to make contact meaningful and child centered. Emphasizing the importance of siblings, parents and the extended family. Raising awareness about expectations and feelings that can arise for children and young people. Developing strategies for working together. Making the link between contact, placement stability and positive outcomes.
Minimising the Risk.
The issue of safe care is explored in an open, practical, interactive and sensitive manner. This one day course provides a valuable opportunity to inform participants on ways of making foster placements a safer place for all children within the fostering home. This programme provides a forum to further develop your skills and knowledge.
Intercultural Fostering.
A one day interactive training programme examining the issues involved in fostering children from diverse cultures. The training offers participants an opportunity to examine the possible experiences of children from diverse cultures and offers practical tips on caring for the children. It provides a forum for case studies to enhance practice.
Listening to the Children.
This half day course promotes children’s rights and helps us to be come aware of how we listen to children by acquiring the skills to actively listen to children.Research on children’s perception of fostering is examined.
Aims of the course.
To promote children’s right to be heard. To become aware of how we listen to children. To acquire the skills to actively listen to children. To examine research on children’s perception of fostering.
Because I’m worth it!
This self care work shop provides self care for foster carers.
The National Standards for fostering.
The amendment to the child care act.
Who am I 2 U? A new initiative one day training programme devised by IFCA in partnership with the National parent’s council and funded by the Crisis Pregnancy agency. This programme informs foster parents on how to speak to their fostered young people on relationships & sexuality.
10 Pilot programmes are planned for 2012.
Annual Seminar & Conference.
The Association hosts an annual Seminar in May of each year on current issues which includes research and best international practice.
The National Conference is hosted by a different region annually each November. The conference is spread over a weekend. This is a major social/training event for foster cares and social workers. Key note speakers and workshops are the order of the day on the Saturday with a gala dinner being held on Saturday night. A children’s programme runs in conjunction with the adult programme to ensure best training and social outcomes.
