The agency offers a comprehensive training programme to all foster carers based on their identified needs. Training is an essential part of a foster carers role and carers are expected to attend all training which is identified for them.
Stage 1
is the Fostering Network preparatory course “The Skills to Foster”.
Stage 2
is for newly approved carers and covers basic fostering issues, including for example, managing difficult behaviour, education, working together and issues around the health awareness and health promotion.
Stage 3
is for experienced carers and covers a wider range and more complex issues, such as drug awareness, race, culture and religion.
The training programme for 2008 is detailed below.
Stage 4
is for carers who have been working with the agency for two years and have completed the first three stages of training. This stage comprises NVQ Level 3 and is provided in partnership with City College, Manchester. Further detail is given below.
Training is organised either internally or through external training providers. A crèche facility (OFSTED registered and staffed by an external agency) is provided to allow carers with daytime childcare commitments to attend training.
Additionally the agency organises specialist training/support. This currently comprises a male foster carers group and support groups for long and short-term carers recognising the differing impacts of these tasks.
As part of our continuing commitment to raising standards in foster care we offer our foster carers the opportunity to undertake Level 3, National Vocational Qualification, in Health and Social Care (Children and Young People). Currently almost 40% of our approved foster carer households have carers who have achieved their NVQ. The NVQ is offered in partnership with City College, Manchester who are an established assessment centre and have a "centre of vocational excellence" status.
In order to undertake the NVQ carers need to have been approved by Alpha Plus for a minimum of two years and completed their induction training. The NVQ is hard work but feedback from carers who have completed the course is very positive. Comments from carers include:
"I'm surprised that it has turned out to be so straightforward. I do this job without thinking of all the different tasks I have to do. The NVQ helps you understand all the roles you play".
"Taking a qualification in fostering makes carers feel valued".
The NVQ is based on performance criteria and foster carers gather evidence from their everyday work practice to show that they are competent in each of the areas. The evidence is then assessed by qualified NVQ assessors from the agency who are also experienced child care social workers. The portfolios of evidence are finally assessed independently by City College.
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