Continued, The benefit for care experienced children and young people

One of the ways Elaine supports schools to become a welcoming environment is to carry out ‘trauma informed’ training to teaching and support staff. This only takes place in schools where our young people are attending. This training helps educators to better understand why, at times, some young people may become distressed and find learning difficult. Elaine will help schools, children and carers build a better partnership so that children thrive and teachers feel confident in their approach and carers feel they are an equal partners.

Elaine has said the most rewarding part of her job was; knowing her help and support within a educational setting, had made foster carers and children feel that they had a voice and were being listened to, with the outcome of children becoming happier at school.

Elaine finds developing the confidence, and skills of teachers very rewarding especially when they say, ‘this was the best training I ever received!’. (Chemistry Teacher, South Lanarkshire)

What measures can we support with?

When a referral for support is received by Elaine the first step is for her to find out about the child from the foster carer. Over the course of a few meetings with the Supervising Social Worker and carer, a clearer picture of the needs of the child emerges. A ‘Team Around the Child’ (TAC) meeting will be created with the school and any other education staff involved. The foster carer, Supervising Social Worker and Elaine will all attend.

If this is the first time Elaine has worked with the Head Teacher, or Senior Manager, within the Primary or Secondary school, it is an opportunity to build a relationship of trust with the school, inviting them to take a closer look at the support and training Elaine can offer.

Working closely with Foster Carers and our team

Elaine works as part of the support network that wraps around the foster carer and child. The Supervising Social Workers and other Support Workers are in regular contact to discuss and reflect on how each young person is managing in school. This ‘check in’ enables the team to be pro-active, attuning to needs as soon as they arise and working very closely with the foster carer to address emerging needs. This wrap around support enables the foster carer to feel that have a safe, understanding, non-judgemental and caring team around them who will actively listen and provide a high level of practical and emotional support.

At times, Therapeutic Family Workers will join Elaine at a school training sessions to share the ways in which Theraplay strategies, used successfully in the home, can be transferred to the school setting. This further supports a consistency of approach between home and school, strengthening bonds and relationships between the school, child and foster carer.

“This is a huge benefit to have someone with such detailed professional knowledge to help support not only this pupil but our whole team…”
DHT, East Ayrshire

“I have worked with Care Vision over the past 18 months. Initially, it was to advise on a particular child. I then asked them to give input to the whole staff on an in-service day. This training was invaluable…”
HT, Edinburgh

If you would like to enquire further about our Support Services, please email: fostering.enquiries@carevisions.co.uk