Recruitment and Retention in Fostering

Description:

This course explores evidence-informed approaches to the recruitment and retention of foster carers, drawing on research, best practice guidance and examples from across the UK. Participants will consider the factors that influence recruitment, approval, satisfaction and retention, alongside practical strategies for building and sustaining a diverse and resilient foster care workforce. Through discussion, reflection and the sharing of practice experiences, participants will develop ideas and actions to strengthen recruitment and retention within their own services while keeping children and young people at the heart of decision-making.

Course Aim

To develop knowledge, skills and confidence in using evidence-informed recruitment and retention strategies to attract, assess, support and sustain a diverse, skilled and resilient foster carer workforce, ultimately improving stability and outcomes for children and young people in care.

What you’ll learn

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Explain the key factors influencing foster carer recruitment and retention.

• Apply child-centred and relationship-based approaches throughout the foster carer journey.

• Identify effective recruitment strategies that attract and assess suitable foster carers.

• Recognise the factors that promote foster carer satisfaction, resilience and retention.

• Embed equality, diversity and inclusion principles within fostering practice.

• Develop actions to improve recruitment, retention and service outcomes.

• Share learning and evaluate innovative recruitment and retention approaches from fostering services across the UK.

Further support and consultation available:

Further support and consultation available: We offer a consultation and support service for fostering services to develop their foster carer recruitment and retention strategy through a needs analysis approach. If your service would benefit from this, please contact us here and you can find the FCRR needs analysis tool here

Who should attend?

Supervising Social Workers, Fostering Managers, Other Practitioners and Fostering Workforce Team Members.

Booking details:

Member rate £110 plus VAT

Non-member rate £149 plus VAT

This one-day course will be delivered virtually via MS Teams.

Registration will begin at 9:30, confirmed delegates will be sent joining instructions by email a few days before the course start date.

For more information contact learn@fostering.net or speak to your fostering service about funding a place on this course. 

View our cancellation policy