Child focused evidence
These criteria can be evidenced with work undertaken with the children looked after by you or through the support you provide for other foster carers and within the wider service above and beyond the Foundation Level. This evidence should include how you have used your skills and experience with children and young people with complex and challenging needs.
For Skilled Level you are required to provide 4 different examples of evidence from the criteria below.
For Advanced Level you are required to provide different examples of evidence for all the criteria below.
Your statement should include:
- the need you identified
- what you did
- how it benefitted children or young people with complex and challenging needs
- how it benefitted other carers
- how it improved practice within the service in Kent.
Sense of belonging
How have you promoted the sense of belonging for children in a way that has had a positive impact for their outcomes?
For example, how have you supported children in your care or supported others to ensure that children have a sense of belonging in their placement and community through placement stability, transition to adulthood, Staying Put, Lifelong Links, participation at events, sustained relationships with birth or foster family and friends.
Advocacy
How have you advocated, over and above, for the needs of children in a way that has had a positive impact on their outcome or on the wider service or fostering community?
For example, through your advocacy for one child, has it affected the opportunities of others, this could be through the experience you gained to benefit others or by the outcome of the advocacy opening doors to more than just the child concerned. How did you research, document, provide evidence and influence outcomes to ensure informed opinions are heard.
Knowledge and skills
How have you recognised a need to gain new knowledge and skills or use existing knowledge and skills to improve your practice as a foster carer with the children in your care or others in the wider community within Fostering?
For example, using a high level of understanding for educational, child development issues, processes and practices and that you have imparted this information or knowledge to provide support that has directly benefited outcomes for children within the wider service. This may have had a positive impact or highlighted a gap in services.
Creativity
How have you been creative within your role as a foster carer to benefit a child, children and the wider service?
For example, how have you thought ‘outside of the box’ to resolve a difficulty? Give examples as to how you have recognised, suggested, committed to and engaged with innovative productive ways of working to enable and support better outcomes for children.
Flexibility
How have you been flexible in your role as a foster carer to enable an improved outcome for a child, children and the wider service?
For example, how you have adjusted your views, working practices and extended your experiences. With consideration towards complex and challenging behaviours, contact arrangements and supporting placement stability.
Resilience
How have you been resilient within your role as a foster carer?
For example, reflect on what you have found difficult this year, whilst recognising what has been learnt, how you gained improved insight, understanding and commitment to the child. Consider any future vulnerabilities or strengths gained.