The CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for Foster Carers
New foster carers must demonstrate that they meet the Training, Support and Development (TSD) Standards within twelve months of their approval to foster children and young people.
CWDC launched the Training, Support & Development Standards for Foster Carers in May 2007. The standards are accompanied by a guide for foster carers, a workbook and guidance for managers, supervising social workers and trainers. From April 2008 all fostering services are expected to be implementing the standards.
- CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for Foster Care [PDF - 1.3 Mb]
- Foster care intro leaflet [PDF - 275 Kb]
- A guide for foster carers [PDF - 1.3 Mb]
- Guidance for managers, supervising social workers and trainers [PDF - 1.6 Mb]
Additional practice guidance now available
This guidance has been developed in response to feedback from foster care providers that they would like further guidance and support. It captures key learning from CWDC's early implementation and from recent consultations with providers.
Online workbook
An online version of the TSD standards workbook is now available.
As an alternative to the printed workbook, CWDC has developed a saveable online version to help foster carers work through the standards in a more flexible way.
The online workbook enables foster carers to:
- complete their workbook online from anywhere with an internet connection
- type their evidence into expandable boxes
- save their workbook with a password and come back later
- complete their online workbook jointly with their partner
- see how much progress has been made on a summary diagram
- have their evidence signed off online by their supervisor
- email their supervisor through the system
- print off their completed workbook and completion certificate.
The online workbook can accessed at http://fcworkbook.cwdcouncil.org.uk.
Foster care development portfolio folder inserts
Also available to download is a set of CWDC folder inserts to be used as a cover for foster carer development portfolios ring-binders.
- Front cover insert for foster carer development folder [PDF - 609 Kb]
- Spine cover insert for foster carer development folder [PDF - 23.5 Kb]
- Back cover insert for foster carer development folder [PDF - 441 kb]
About the standards
We have developed these standards to support the training and development of foster carers. The standards set out the key areas of training that foster carers will need before they are approved and what they need after approval.
These Training, Support and Development Standards build on the work of the CWDC induction standards which were launched in September 2006.
There are seven Training, Support and Development Standards for Foster Care:
- Standard 1: Understand the principles and values essential for fostering children and young people
- Standard 2: Understand your role as a foster carer
- Standard 3: Understand health and safety, and healthy caring
- Standard 4: Know how to communicate effectively
- Standard 5: Understand the development of children and young people
- Standard 6: Safeguard children and young people (keep them safe from harm)
- Standard 7: Develop yourself
For more information about the standards and guidance on how to use them, please download the documents listed earlier on this page or download this TSD standards training presentation [PDF - 318.5 Kb] from the Fostering Network which gives more detailed information.
Recent news
- CWDC welcomes Social Work Task Force's report 01 December
- The Social Work Task Force today published findings from its review of the social work sector. The report's recommendations look at how recent progress in supporting the social work profession can be enhanced and identify what more could to done to improv
- New standards and workbook for short break carers 02 June
- We have lauched a set of training and development standards for short break carers.
- Foster carer couples given joint working option for workbooks 05 February
- Couples who are jointly approved as carers are being offered a more streamlined way of completing their workbooks.
- Social care online questionnaires 06 January
- Social care workers are invited to help shape future residential children's social care and fostering standards across their profession by logging on and answering questions.
