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Therapeutic Fostering VS Traditional: What's the Difference?
Let’s explore the key differences between traditional and therapeutic foster care.
Traditional Fostering v Therapeutic Fostering
The main goal of traditional foster care is to provide children with a safe and loving home while they're unable to live with their birth families. There are many different types of fostering, all designed to provide children with safety, security, strong relationships and a place to thrive.
However, some children in care need additional therapeutic support to help them overcome particularly difficult experiences they’ve faced while living at home. Because of this, some fostering agencies like us, take a therapeutic approach to care and ensure that foster parents receive specialist training to help them understand how trauma can affect young people, and how they can support them on their healing journey.
What Makes Therapeutic Fostering Stand Out
Our therapeutic fostering approach is specifically designed to help children living with trauma. Informed by the latest evidence-based therapeutic parenting approaches, it aims to achieve a deep understanding of a child’s unique experiences and emotions.
This holistic approach takes into consideration all aspects of how a young person might be affected by their trauma including their development, for example, how trauma can affect a child's brain development, their relationships with others and themselves, and their education.
With this knowledge, therapeutic fostering puts in place the right support systems so that each child can receive the right care, tailored to their educational, social, physical and emotional needs. This system of support helps children begin healing from their trauma.
Download information pack
If you're interested in fostering, then download our information pack to discover everything you need to know about becoming a foster parent with ISP.
Did you know?
Therapeutic fostering was developed here at ISP. Our unique sector-leading therapeutic model has been carefully crafted over 35 years of working with young people living with trauma.
Explore our knowledge hub to learn more about the science behind our therapeutic parenting techniques.
Who is Therapeutic Fostering For?
Therapeutic fostering is specially designed for children who are living with trauma as a result of difficult early experiences, such as neglect or abuse. Our therapeutic approach to fostering recognises that trauma can affect a child in all areas of their life, including their physical and mental health, their relationships, and the way they learn in school.
Our therapeutic approach brings together professionals working in all of these areas, including child and adolescent psychotherapists, social workers and education specialists, to ensure that detailed care and attention is given to ensuring that children and their foster parents have all the tools they need to thrive.
Do you think our unique therapeutic fostering could benefit a child who is currently in your care? Consider the benefits of transferring to ISP.
The 5 Pillars of the Therapeutic Approach
1) A multi-disciplinary approach
We work in collaboration with a range of in-house professionals to ensure that children receive the right kind of support in every avenue of their life. This includes therapists, social workers, those involved in a child’s education and our team of Fostering Advisors, who will always be on hand to support our foster parents with professional advice as well as practical and emotional support.
2) Trauma-informed parenting
Our foster parents receive all the training they need to understand the impact of trauma on a child’s development and to parent them according to their needs. Our in-depth training is assured by City and Guilds and has been designed by a team of experienced professionals led by our head of therapy, Dr Susannah Hill, who specialises in developmental trauma.
3) Understanding behaviour
At ISP, we recognise that all behaviours are a form of communication. Rather than seeing certain behaviours in a negative light, we take an empathetic approach and strive to understand what a young person is trying to express through their actions, helping us to find ways of resolving the core issues. Our therapeutic model teaches foster parents to understand a child’s inner world and help them find a healthier way of expressing their thoughts and feelings.
4) Tailored care plans
A child who’s living with complex trauma will benefit most from care which is carefully tailored to their individual needs. Here at ISP, we get to know the children in our care on a deep level and provide them with care plans which are designed around their unique character, behaviours, and needs.
5) Reflective practice
Reflective practice is essential for foster parents so they’re able to continually develop their skills as a therapeutic foster parent. We ensure that our foster parents have ample opportunities to engage in reflective practice through training, supervision, and regular interaction with other foster parents.
Our Therapeutic Training
Our Therapeutic Pathway is an in-depth course which equips our foster parents with the in-depth skills they need to support the young people in their care.
As part of our training, foster parents learn about a whole range of therapeutic approaches including the PACE model, attachment theory, and the impact of trauma.
Our therapeutic training for foster parents is offered in two stages...
Who can become a Therapeutic Foster Parent?
Fostering takes lots of time, dedication and patience. This is especially true for the therapeutic approach. We welcome people from all backgrounds to join us here at ISP, whether you’re just starting your fostering journey or you're an experienced foster carer looking to develop your skills further.
Therapeutic fostering is a worthwhile and rewarding profession which can improve the lives of children in incredible ways, providing them with the tailored care and support they need.
Join ISP Today
If you’re interested in helping to change the lives of young people in need by becoming a therapeutic foster parent, contact us today and a member of our knowledgeable team will be in touch to help you learn more.
