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The Purpose for the support groups



We realise that fostering can be really difficult at times. Perhaps the only people who really understand it are other foster carers and so therefore we want to give you a place to meet up.

There will be biscuits and/or cake, coffee, tea, and an opportunity for an informal chat at all of the meetings.

Although these will be informal meetings, each session will have a brief agenda, attendance list, and agreed group rules. This is to help those who don’t know anyone and feel awkward about coming along to a new meeting, to feel that they won’t be left alone on the side-lines.

Sometimes there will be speakers and topics as requested by the group, this will hopefully make it as relevant to your fostering as you like.

These sessions should be recorded on your Personal Development Plan (PDP).

We all know that Care Experienced people have a greater likelihood of experiencing inequalities. We also know that when ‘care experience’ is coupled with factors such as ‘Sex’, ‘Race’, ‘Disability’ etc. young people talk to us about experiencing ‘double discrimination’.  In this session, let’s be clear about the inequalities faced by Care Experienced people and talk together about the actions we could all take to reduce and eliminate them.

Our tutor Dan Wood will ask this at the start of the session if is there anything in the broad area of ‘equality and diversity’ that you would like to find out about? Please consider this as Dan will weave an answer into the training session.

This course is aimed at carers who can`t make daytime courses.

Any questions call Chris Hill on 07749003099 or email chris.hill@southglos.gov.uk prior to the 

Please Note: By booking onto this course, you are consenting to your contact details being passed onto the trainer. This is so they can send the MS TEAMS/Zoom invitation to you.

The Virtual School value the time they spend with carers, and to enable this to be an even more successful partnership between school and home, have arranged four sessions to take place over the school year.

This fourth session is a being held as a twilight 'Drop in'.  There is no specific focus for this session, rather it is a means for you to have access to the Virtual School and to raise any questions/concerns that you may have.  Equally if there are any Virtual School updates or developments, these will be shared with you at this session.

The WAYPOINT (Working Alongside Young People & Others In Networks Therapeutically) Team is part of the Fostering Service. WAYPOINT provide therapeutically informed support to children, families, foster carers, and professional networks. This support is additional to the support provided by your supervising social worker and children’s social workers.

The monthly WAYPOINT Drop-in sessions are facilitated by Dan Charnock, WAYPOINT Senior Social Worker and are open to all mainstream foster carers. The aim of the WAYPOINT Drop in is to provide a reflective and open space for foster carers to come along and discuss issues or concerns you may be facing. While each session includes a space to reflect on challenges, there is also a significant focus on sharing strategies and thinking about therapeutic approaches to difficult situations and celebrating successes.

You don’t have to be going through a difficult time to attend – peer support, learning and reflection is always valuable, and there is no pressure for anyone to share within the sessions. Topics for each session tend to arise on the day, ensuring the focus is relevant to the content brought to the drop in. However, there is also the option to agree a topic for a future session to enable a more in-depth focus. Discussion often includes topics such as attachment, trauma, and use of therapeutic approaches such as PACE and NVR, and ideas come not only from Dan but from within the group.

We realise that fostering can be really difficult at times. Perhaps the only people who really understand it are other foster carers and so therefore we want to give you a place to meet up.

There will be biscuits and/or cake, coffee, tea, and an opportunity for an informal chat at all of the meetings.

Although these will be informal meetings, each session will have a brief agenda, attendance list, and agreed group rules. This is to help those who don’t know anyone and feel awkward about coming along to a new meeting, to feel that they won’t be left alone on the side-lines.

Better Understanding of Young Asylum Seekers and Refugees
The Training will be provided by members of 1625 independent peoples Asylum and Refugee Intensive support team who have been providing support for young asylum seekers for over 8 years commissioned by Bristol and South Glos Social services and have provided support for a number of young people in fostering placements. We recently provided training to 80 Social workers as well as working with a Team from the Children’s Commissioners around good practice for accommodation providers.

The WAYPOINT (Working Alongside Young People & Others In Networks Therapeutically) Team is part of the Fostering Service. WAYPOINT provide therapeutically informed support to children, families, foster carers, and professional networks. This support is additional to the support provided by your supervising social worker and children’s social workers.

The monthly WAYPOINT Drop-in sessions are facilitated by Dan Charnock, WAYPOINT Senior Social Worker and are open to all mainstream foster carers. The aim of the WAYPOINT Drop in is to provide a reflective and open space for foster carers to come along and discuss issues or concerns you may be facing. While each session includes a space to reflect on challenges, there is also a significant focus on sharing strategies and thinking about therapeutic approaches to difficult situations and celebrating successes.

You don’t have to be going through a difficult time to attend – peer support, learning and reflection is always valuable, and there is no pressure for anyone to share within the sessions. Topics for each session tend to arise on the day, ensuring the focus is relevant to the content brought to the drop in. However, there is also the option to agree a topic for a future session to enable a more in-depth focus. Discussion often includes topics such as attachment, trauma, and use of therapeutic approaches such as PACE and NVR, and ideas come not only from Dan but from within the group.

CS1 .This course has been tailored to suit the needs of Foster Carers, Adopters and Family Link Carers who look after children on a 24 hour basis. This is a certificated course, so please ensure you can arrive on time and attend all of the course.

PLEASE READ

If you have any covid symptoms or have been asked to isolate, do not attend the course.

All participants attending this course will be required to bring a paper disposable 3 ply face mask - fabric masks / scarves will not be acceptable. Wearing a mask will be necessary when moving around the building and when doing practical elements of the training that require you to be working close together.

If you have any questions you would like to discuss with the trainer, Acorn are happy to take phone calls on 0117 958 2070 option 1, prior to the course.


Tea and coffee will be available, but food is not so it is advised to bring your lunch as food options are limited in the area where the venue is.

There is limited on-site parking.

The Purpose for the support groups



We realise that fostering can be really difficult at times. Perhaps the only people who really understand it are other foster carers and so therefore we want to give you a place to meet up.

There will be biscuits and/or cake, coffee, tea, and an opportunity for an informal chat at all of the meetings.

Although these will be informal meetings, each session will have a brief agenda, attendance list, and agreed group rules. This is to help those who don’t know anyone and feel awkward about coming along to a new meeting, to feel that they won’t be left alone on the side-lines.

Sometimes there will be speakers and topics as requested by the group, this will hopefully make it as relevant to your fostering as you like.

These sessions should be recorded on your Personal Development Plan (PDP).

Felix Lester, who is the Cyber Protect Officer in Avon and Somerset Police, is going to come and deliver a presentation that will give an outline about apps, the risks, highlighting online offences and how they’re committed and providing advice and signposts to further support.


Proposed Content:
• Overview of online risks.
• Exploitation of children online.
• Technical protective and safety measures available.
• Top tips on starting a conversation with your child about the internet and how to work together to use the internet safely.