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The Training, Support and Development Standards for Foster Care
April 2007

In 2007, the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) will
launch the first set of England-wide Standards to support the training
and development of Foster Carers. Keep reading this leaflet to find
out more about the Standards and how they could impact on you…
The new Training, Support & Development Standards for Foster Care
have been designed to support Foster Carers from approval through their
first two years of fostering. They provide employers with a framework to
guide training and professional development for Foster Carers. This will
mean Foster Carers have the best possible training, information and
knowledge they need to truly make a difference to the lives of the children
and young people they care for.
Benefits of the new standards
The new Standards will:
• Provide consistency and quality of training for Foster Carers
across England.
• Provide access to the most up-to-date information, advice and
guidance for Foster Carers.
• Allow opportunities for career progression and development by
providing underpinning knowledge and skills.
• Improve the status of Foster Carers as trained professionals and
a valued part of the children’s workforce.
The new Standards have been adapted from the CWDC Induction
Standards and build on the Common Core and the guidelines set out in
the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. They use
examples of current good practice and provide a comprehensive
framework to guide the training and development of Foster Carers.

Foster Care Standards – FAQs
Do the Training, Support & Development Standards apply
to all Foster Carers?
Yes. The Standards are a national benchmark and will give you the
recognition you deserve, as well as ensuring that your knowledge and
skills are up to date. The framework which accompanies the Standards
will help you to set out your personal development plan for the future and
acknowledge that your learning and development is an ongoing process.
How do I study?
Training is not just attending courses. Foster Carers are individuals who
all learn in different ways and the Standards recognise this by allowing
you to be flexible in the way that the Standards are evidenced. The
workbook which accompanies the Standards sets out a simple way to
show how examples of meeting every day challenges can be used to
evidence the skills and knowledge that you have.
How will the Training, Support & Development Standards be assessed?
You will progress through the workbook with your link worker/supervising
social worker, planning ways for you to learn each of the areas within the
Standards. You will then record examples of how your learning has been
put in to practice and what the outcomes of your learning have been.
The final workbook will then be assessed by someone in your Local
Authority Foster Care Service or your Independent Fostering Agency.
Do the Standards lead to a qualification?
No, but the Standards for Foster Care have been carefully mapped to
units within the Health and Social Care NVQ. This means that if you
choose to take the NVQ qualification, you will be able to use the work
that you have done in completing the Standards as evidence towards
meeting the knowledge requirements of the core units of the NVQ at
each level. Similarly, if you are already working towards your NVQ you
will not have to duplicate your learning in completing the Standards.
What happens if I fail?
The Standards have been developed in a way which makes them
accessible and achievable for all Foster Carers. They should easily sit
within your existing annual review and should help you identify future
development opportunities to enhance your existing skills.

How can you find out more?
The new Foster Care Standards will be available from May 2007,
with the supporting workbook being published from June 2007.
CWDC are producing a range of products to support the Standards including:
• A Standards book containing information on the principles and
purpose of the standards including their content and structure.
• A guide for Foster Carers.
• A guide for Managers, Supervising Social Workers and Trainers.
• A workbook for Foster Carers.
All these resources will be available to download free at
http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/projects/fostercare.htm
Alternatively to request your free pack or to find out more contact the
Foster Care Team:
• Tel – 0113 244 6311
• Email – fostercare@cwdcouncil.org.uk

CWDC’s vision is to build a world-class workforce
for children, young people and families.
CWDC exists to improve the lives of children, young
people, their families and carers by ensuring that all
people working with them have the best possible
training, qualifications, support and advice. It also
helps children and young people's organisations and
services to work together better so that the child is
at the centre of all services.
For more information please call:
0113 244 6311
Or visit www.cwdcouncil.org.uk
Or write to CWDC, 3rd Floor, Friends Provident House, 13-14 South Parade,
Leeds, LS1 5QS or email fostercare@cwdcouncil.org.uk
© This publication is the copyright of the Children’s Workforce Development Council 2007.
We like our communications to have an impact on you – but not on the environment – which is why this document is printed on 100% recycled paper.
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