Training is delivered in locations across all the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester to enable people to choose a training session that best suits them. Some courses are held during the day, some in the evening or at weekends. Training can be held face-to-face, online, or a mixture of both methods.

Foster for Greater Manchester’s ‘Skills to Foster’ training course is provided during the pre-approval stage of the process. This free course provides a solid introduction to what it's like to be a foster carer. Completion of the course is mandatory for all prospective foster carers. 

The course goes into greater detail about fostering and is designed to help manage expectations about the roles and responsibilities of being foster carer. It provides key information about the experiences faced by children and young people who come into care, and how to help and support them. Prospective foster carers will develop essential skills to help build positive relationships as well as learning how to manage and resolve challenging situations.

Throughout the course, prospective foster carers are encouraged to ask lots of questions to learn about how fostering works and the support and training on offer. It also provides an opportunity to meet with experienced foster carers, social workers and others new to fostering.

The training course covers:

• What being a foster carer involves.
• Who are foster carers?
• How fostering may affect your family and your way of life.
• Is fostering right for you and your family?
• The impact of good foster care to a child’s life.
• Skills and knowledge you need to develop when you become a foster carer.
• Working together to safeguard children.
• Understanding attachment and caring for children.
• Understanding and managing foster care transitions.
• An introduction to working with birth parents.
• An introduction to trauma informed parenting.