Why have a Therapeutic Fostering Service?

Break believes that all Looked After Children have experienced trauma, through separation and loss and this is often compounded by abuse or neglect.  Unsurprisingly this can adversely affect young people's physical, emotional and social development.  In particular young people can have problems forming and maintaining relationships, they may have difficulties retaining and processing information and they are also more likely to struggle at school. This presents challenges to the adults who care for them, which are sometimes too difficult for them to manage and sadly often leads to placement breakdowns.  Many young people are then placed in out of county placements, which do not meet their needs.  It is these young people that Break Therapeutic Fostering aims to provide foster placements to. 
 

"It is now clear that the brain of the developing infant is more radically shaped and structured by the quality of the interactions between the infant and the environment than we have previously thought.  Children whose environment is hostile or lacking in nurture end up thinking with a very different brain." Cairns, K (2002) Attachment, trauma and resilience. Therapeutic caring for children, BAAF, London, p46.

Break's fostering service is aimed at young people aged 10 and upwards.  We aim to recruit foster carers who can provide a secure, warm home environment in which these young people can be safe, learn to trust and flourish. We recognise that the relationship between the young person and foster carer is therapeutic and this is the most effective tool for creating positive change in young people. 

What does Break offer its Foster Carers?

• Fortnightly professional supervision from a qualified social worker
• Social workers with low caseloads to enable them to provide high levels of support
• 24/7 out of hours 'on call' service
• Market leading allowances to foster carers in recognition of their knowledge, skill and experience
• A straightforward & simple payments system
• Single placements
• Foster carers have regular short breaks (respite)
• Young people have an identified short breaks foster carer who they regularly go to
• Therapeutic group consultation from a qualified therapist once a fortnight
• Break has a well established Learning and Development team and foster carers will be offered excellent training including the Children’s Workforce Development Council Level 3 Diploma

How will Break choose its foster carers?

Young people come from very diverse backgrounds, so we welcome applications from people from diverse backgrounds.  You will however need some life experience, knowledge and skills.  In particular prospective foster carers will need:

• A good understanding of their own experiences and an ability to reflect on these
• Flexibility
• Commitment & resilience to work through difficulties
• An ability to understand the issues, which affect vulnerable young people
• To be open to taking on new ideas & engage with the support offered
• Some experience of working with or living with young people
• An understanding of children/young people’s developmental needs and behaviours
• Time and commitment to support the young person
• Good communication skills, with the ability to build a meaningful relationship with a young person and work well with a team of fellow professionals
• A commitment to attend regular therapeutic support groups and training offered by Break for its carers

We are a not for profit Independent Fostering Provider committed to meeting the needs of Norfolk children, by providing local placements for local children to ensure minimum disruption to their lives.

For a copy of the Fostering Statement of Purpose, please contact the Fostering Team.

Please click to download PDF copies of our Therapeutic Fostering Leaflet, Foster Carer’s Information Pack and Registration of Interest Form.

 

Tel. 01603 670110              
                   
 E-mail: fostering@break-charity.org

  Break Charity Therapeutic Fostering                @breakfostering