Adoption Academy Support for Foster Carers -South Gloucestershire County Council

Adoption Academy was commissioned to work with their foster carers to help them build resilience. Many were foster carers of long standing (one had fostered for 30 years). We also work with adopters in South Gloucestershire. 

Feedback from South Gloucestershire 

Gill’s training ‘Building Resilience to Stress Less Workshop’ didn’t disappoint.  It gave foster carers that much needed time to be able to reflect on their  individual situations.  Gills openness by willingly sharing her own experiences with the group, as well as her warmth & humour, enabled carers to feel safe in the room.   There was very much the feeling of support, and not being alone.  Through carefully guided activities Gill enabled cares to reflect on their own experiences and identify  what they were going to work on and ‘let go’ when they returned home.  They looked at themselves, what they did to take care of themselves, and the importance this has on being an effective foster carer.  Carers left better informed and more self-aware, some with new strategies to try out, some realising the importance of admitting when we get it wrong.  They also all left with the challenge of making some time for themselves – this perhaps being the one they struggled with most!

Some quotes from foster carers included

“Fantastic”

“ Identified ways of destressing:”

“ Good techniques”

“ Very good informative course”

“ I enjoyed seeing what my drivers were and was surprised at them.”

“ very helpful course, lots of practical suggestions and tips”

Strategies that carers identified as ones they would use included

Listen more, observe more

Relaxing is important

To mirror and match behaviour

How to look after myself

To just let some things go – the world’s not going to end

Spend more one to one time with the children

Let the little things go

How my reactions to the child behaviour affect how they will act in the future

To slow down

To ask for help

To get into the child’s world

More humour

Take a break to re-engage with my life and interests

Connect and then correct.

Pick your own fights

 I will certainly be commissioning Gill again.

Catherine Charlton

Employee Development and Training Officer

South Gloucestershire Council