Hope & Healing for Foster Care launched
PeakCare is excited to announce that the new Hope & Healing trauma-informed Framework for Foster Care has been endorsed by the Queensland Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs.
This is great news as we look forward to rolling out the new Hope & Healing for Foster Care training aligned to the framework. It’s been developed to support foster carers in the care they provide for children and young people.
Hope & Healing launch and gratitude celebration
Hope & Healing was officially launched not far from our Paddington office on Thursday, 12th May. We thanked the many who have been involved making Hope & Healing for Foster Carers possible and celebrated the framework and training becoming a reality. It was a fantastic time to celebrate the endorsement of the framework by the department and the official launch of the training that supports the valuable work that foster carers do.
Yesterday, PeakCare also had the opportunity to demonstrate the training to Minister Leanne Linard MP, who gave her own supportive thoughts on the training in a recent social media post.
Life Without Barriers participated in a soft launch throughout March and April to gather feedback on the training and give PeakCare a perspective on how the training could be successfully rolled out across the state. The early adopters have had an overwhelmingly positive experience with the training. One described the training as “…wonderfully presented and easy to follow, so far I love it” and another, “it’s easy to use, beautiful imagery and I love how some of the case studies flow through the module. I absolutely love Hope and Healing.”
In reflection of their experience so far with the Hope & Healing for Foster Carers training, Life Without Barriers says “LWB is grateful that carers can be further supported to understand the needs of vulnerable children through this expansion of the Hope and Healing model. We look forward to partnering with PeakCare, the department, our sector colleagues and of course carers to see this model rolled out over the next two years.”
A trauma-informed framework and training program
Applying the Hope & Healing framework in the training designed for foster carers will achieve a consistent approach to day-to-day care. This will increase overall well-being of the children and young people in their care through trauma-informed practice.
Emily, one of our carer-reviewers and contributors believes Hope & Healing will provide much needed tools to carers. “As a foster carer, this is a welcome resource on trauma-informed care. Hope and Healing modules are relevant, accessible and absolutely needed, and it’s something I wish had been available to me when I first started out,” says Emily. “It’s helped me to see kids’ “bad behaviours” or “big emotions” through a new lens, and it’s given me the language and tools to be able to properly advocate to my agency and Child Safety.”
Trauma includes a range of factors that can contribute to grief and loss, disrupted attachment and other damaging developmental impacts. In helping children and young people reach their care goals, this framework assists foster carers to navigate the challenges involved in supporting children and young people in their care who have been impacted by trauma.
The vision of the framework is that children and young people in foster care are safe, are connected to friends, family, community and culture, and are supported towards realising their hopes, dreams and full potential.
Hope and Healing for foster carers mandatory training
The Department has made the training mandatory for approved foster carers. Each organisation will be in contact with their foster carers to make them aware of the training needed and to manage access. There will be a staggered implementation process depending on when their initial approval was granted.
- New carers with initial approval in 2022 will need to complete the Hope & Healing training for foster carers as part of the standard care training they complete in their first 12 months. This provides agencies with at least 7 months from launch to plan for carers to undertake the new modules. For carers with initial approvals prior to May 2022, their first renewal may proceed noting a training plan is in place to have the training completed by end of May 2023, if required.
- New carers with initial approval in 2021 will be able to be approved for renewal and will have until end of May 2023 to complete the modules. This provides at least a full year for foster carers to complete the modules. Carers being renewed during this time may be renewed noting that a plan is in place to have the training completed by end of May 2023.
- For all existing carers with an initial approval from 2020 or prior will have until end of May 2024 to complete the modules. Carers whose approvals are being renewed during this time may be renewed noting a training plan is in place to have the training completed by the end of May 2024.
Once foster carers have access to the system, they can log in at any time to complete the self-paced e-learning modules. The training platform has an in-system approvals and certificates workflow, streamlining the process for everyone, and building on feedback we have received from the Hope & Healing for Residential Care training program.
For more information about the Hope & Healing Framework and training please email support@peakcare.org.au.