CertHE in Therapeutic Fostering with the UEA

Designed specifically for local authority foster carers in the East of England, this innovative course aims to enhance the care and support available to children who have experienced trauma, while providing a Level 4 qualification for foster carers as part of their continuing professional development. 

Therapeutic fostering is a type of foster care which recognises and supports young people and children who may have dealt with trauma, abuse or a severe disruption to their lives. It is an approach that sees relationships, particularly with caregivers, as being central to helping young people to live with and manage the trauma they have experienced.

Sara Tough OBE, Director of Children's Services for Norfolk County Council, lead authority for Foster East said: "Foster carers receive a wide range of training from their local authority to equip them for this essential role. This new course from the UEA will enable local authority foster carers to take their understanding of trauma informed care to a deeper level, and provide them with a recognised, professional qualification in fostering."

Led by experts in fostering, the CertHE consists of six modules, three in each year of study including building therapeutic relationships, working with families, identity and trauma-informed approaches to transitions. The modules are taught in a variety of ways from watching pre-recorded lectures to reading course texts, listening to podcasts and watching videos, as well as taking part in online discussion groups and workshops. 

Dr Mark Gregory, Director of Continuing Professional Development at the UEA, said: "Foster carers look after children and young people who have experienced significant trauma, so their ability to understand the impact of trauma on children and young people's behaviour is crucial. This course has been designed to help foster carers to understand trauma-related behaviour through a therapeutic lens, so that they have the tools needed to build and maintain supportive relationships with children and young people in their care."

A total of 50 places will be funded by Foster East with the first cohort of 25 local authority foster carers starting in September 2025 and the second in September 2026.

Local authority foster carers who live in the area covered by Foster East will be invited to apply by their local fostering service in time for the UEA to process their application before the start of the course. No qualifications are needed, however foster carers must be able to evidence that they have already undertaken at least 80 hours of trauma-related relevant formal training or self-directed learning since being approved. 

Prof Christine Cocker, Head of UEA's School of Social Work, said: "The School of Social Work and the Centre for Research on Children and Families has a well-established reputation for world-leading research in this field. This is a great opportunity for local authority foster carers in the East of England to benefit from this expertise. We are excited to be expanding our educational offer beyond our qualifying and post-qualifying social work programmes to foster carer professionals involved in providing care and support to children and young people."

For more details about the course, contact Dr. Mark Gregory at the UEA, or email Foster East. The UEA website will shortly be updated with more details about the course too.