A pioneering, Integrated Therapeutic Fostering service has been developed by Childhood First.
From our origins a century ago, we have become pioneering leaders in the field of mental health care for traumatised children and young people. Childhood First’s reputation for consistently providing innovative and high quality care in our therapeutic communities has been harnessed within integrated therapeutic fostering to provide sustainable and reparative placements for children with complex needs.
Integrated Therapeutic Fostering enables children who need therapeutic support, and are able to cope within a family setting, to experience a consistent family life, at the same time as healing the trauma of their past, supporting their recovery and helping them learn to trust and relate well to others. Integrated Therapeutic Fostering thus develops children’s capacities for socialization and improves life outcomes.
At the heart of our approach has been the conviction that:
“The damage caused by relationships can most effectively be healed by relationships”.
Therefore our model of Integrated Therapeutic Fostering places great emphasis upon the power of healing through consistent and healthy relationships with the adults involved in their care and through experiencing a warm and nurturing family environment.
We try to reflect these qualities in our own relationships with our carers.
‘You will be provided with professional and academic training through the Institute of Integrated Systemic Therapy, accredited by the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy. Foster Carers will undertake our own one year Integrated Systemic Therapy Foundation Course, which has been mapped with the industry-standard Training, Skills and Development Course (TSD). Once completed, Foster Carers may also have the opportunity to undertake the Institute’s Certificate in Integrated Systemic Therapy which will be delivered by training seminars and supported by reflective practice groups. Continual Professional Development (CPD) will be delivered by the organisation, covering a range of relevant areas.’
The support available is of the highest standard and quality and is not time limited.
We offer a highly competitive financial reward and benefit package to our carers, reflecting our appreciation of their significance to the delivery of our service.
This service will provide an alternative option for placing authorities mid-way between a standard foster care placement and a more specialised residential therapeutic placement. It will use highly experienced, trained and resilient foster carers.
Find out more by visiting the Childhood First Fostering website
alternatively call us on 020 3960 6485 or
email Integrated Therapeutic Fostering service on fostering(at)childhoodfirst.org.uk for more information.
