Berry Street Anita Pell, Senior Advisor HBC Berry Street, Australia ACWA Conference 18 th – 20 th August 2014 Increasing Knowledge Building a Skill Development Program for Foster And Kinship Carers

A sustained, additional investment is required to improve the quality of care and lifelong outcomes for children in care. The role of Home Based Care agencies is shifting. Making explicit what is currently implicit. Professionalising our System

carers who themselves engage in further learning have a greater understanding of the benefits and value of education for young people in their care. Berry Street acknowledges current research and has focused on two primary incentives for developing a skill set for carers. Background

1.Enhancing foster parent competency, capacity and confidence via training and support; and 2.Developing carers’ mentoring and coaching role to ‘Raise the Bar’ and embed a culture of learning within the care system. Background

In the UK and the US and some European countries, competency based models have been established. In New Zealand, certificate and diploma courses for foster carers have been developed. Specialist Fostering Programs Initiatives

Initial training followed by a mostly ad hoc approach to on-going training will not be ‘good enough’. Carers and Practitioners will require increased quality training. Team Work Accepting the Challenge

Model Component Foster / Kinship Care Training Pathways to Independent Living Sex & Sexuality Substance Abuse Medically Fragile Children Alcohol Foetal Syndrome Learning & Behavioural Problems Leadership & Team Work Self Care & Life Stress Mental Health ELECTIVE MODULES Infectious Disease Control First Aid Shared Stories Shared Lives Victoria FOUNDATIONAL MODULES Record Keeping Enhanced Child Protection & Legislation Grief & Loss Safe Caring Circle Fostering Hope Working with Birth Families Social Communicati on Identity Emotional Developme nt Child Developme nt Attachment & Trauma Brain Developme nt CORE MODULES Education Gateway Figure 2: Foster Parent Skills Development Building Blocks

Model Component Carer Parent Training CHCFOS 401A Provide Foster Care as a part of a team CHCFOS 401A Provide Foster Care as a part of a team Social Communication Working with Birth Families Self Care & Life Stress Enhanced Child Protection & Legislation Attachment & Trauma Leadership & Team Work Brain Development CHCFC 301A Support the development of children CHCFC 301A Support the development of children Attachment & Trauma Child Development Emotional Development Sex & Sexuality CHCFOS 402A Promote positive development of children and young people in out of home care CHCFOS 402A Promote positive development of children and young people in out of home care Attachment & Trauma Child Development Emotional Development Brain Development Record Keeping Identity Pathways to Independent Living Social Communication Grief & Loss Learning & Behavioural Problems Figure 3: Foster Parent Skill Set Community Services Training Package

Questions: Anita Pell Senior Advisor, Home Based Care Berry Street Thank You