Training for foster carers

Information about the training we offer our foster carers.

We'll give you training so you can learn more about the fostering role and build your fostering skills, both during the application process and after you've been approved as a foster carer.

Training during the application process

As part of your application to become one of our foster carers, you'll come along to the Skills to Foster preparation training.

Skills to Foster is a training course for potential foster carers, approved by the Fostering Network, the UK's biggest fostering charity.

Skills to Foster runs over 2 consecutive Saturdays and 2 week day evenings.

The course is delivered by members of our fostering team and supported by experienced Bristol foster carers. Sessions include:

• the foster carer role: what foster carers do
• identity: valuing the heritage and promoting positive identities for young people
• safer caring: why children in foster care are considered particularly vulnerable, and how to protect them and your family
• understanding children: how the experiences of children in care might make them behave differently to other children and strategies to manage this behaviour

Training after you've joined us

When you foster with us, you and your social worker will look at how we can develop your skills for the type of fostering you're doing. You'll then work together on a development and training plan for you.

Your first-year training includes:

• education and health for children in care
• first aid
• therapeutic parenting training
• diversity and inclusion
• record keeping
• safer caring
• managing allegations
• building relationships with birth families

As one of our foster carers, you'll have access to a variety of free specialized fostering training in local venues. We regularly email you with details of courses and how you can book on to them.

Online training courses are also available. This means you won't have to travel long distances to continue your development because you can join in the comfort of your own home.

We'll also signpost you to free courses from external agencies on helpful subjects such as internet safety and sexual exploitation.

Feedback on the course

Our carers always give us very positive feedback on our Skills to Foster course. They often say that the people they meet on the course become valuable friends in their fostering role.

Our training for foster carers is rated exceptionally highly in Bristol. In our 2025 annual foster carer survey, 77% of Bristol carers rated the pre-assessment training as good or excellent compared to 67% of the Fostering Network's national survey (FNSoNS) 2024. 70% of Bristol carers rated the post-approval training as good or excellent (63%, FNSoNS 2024).

Skills exchanges

We have regular skills exchanges, where foster carers with a particular skill share their wisdom and experience with other carers. Skills that have been exchanged in the past include practical skills such as cooking, working with autistic children or caring for global majority children.

Tell us about training you need

We're always happy to hear feedback from our carers. If there's any specific training you feel would help you in your fostering role, let your social worker know. In return, they'll let you know about any upcoming training that would be helpful for you.