Training to be a caregiver

It will help you understand the special needs of your foster children, as well as offer real solutions and skills.

Caregivers say the training is an excellent opportunity to share their own experiences, skills and knowledge with each other. You'll able to talk to experienced caregivers who have been there before.

"All caregivers should do the training, it is so helpful and gives you more confidence. I found it wonderful from start to finish." Caregiver

Before you begin as a caregiver, you will go on a Caregiver Induction course.

People who have done the course say it has taught them a lot about the special skills it takes to look after foster children, as well as practical ways to deal with their needs. 

Some of the interesting things you'll learn on the Caregiver Induction course include:

• Family culture: How do you help a child fit in to your family culture, when they feel like 'a fish out of water'?
• Attachment: What happens when attachment to parents is disrupted?
• Loss and grief: How children grieve losses and learn to live within a new environment.
• The longing to belong: How do caregivers help children feel they belong?
• The effects of abuse: Behaviours of children who have experienced harm, abuse or neglect.
• Discipline verses punishment: Discipline promotes healthy development whereas punishment fulfils the need for vindication.
• Promoting positive behaviours: Helping the child build self esteem.

"The course teaches you how to recognise what is driving certain behaviours and how to find a solution. We discussed how the brain works and I found the concept of 'stress and regression' really interesting - where a stressful situation might cause a child to regress in their behaviour, but they are not back where they started, it won't take them as long to recover. Those kind of things are really interesting." Mike, caregiver

Once you have become an approved caregiver, we offer a range of other training courses which will help you understand the needs of your foster child, and be able to give them the best care you can.

The courses include:

• Family Dynamics
• Child Health
• Legal Issues
• Managing Behaviour
• Safe Caring
• The Older Child
• Understanding Maltreatment
• Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (NVCI).

"It was an awesome day. It's good to have reassurance you are doing okay or that perhaps you may want to make some changes." Caregiver

If you are passionate about being a skilled caregiver who can nurture children to grow and develop in your care, you can do an NZQA-approved national certificate or diploma in Whānau/Family and Foster Care.

Carers with this qualification are skilled in:

• developing relationships with children and young people in their care
• managing human development and health issues of children and young people in care
• responding to the effects of abuse, neglect and violence
• supporting children and young people to leave whānau, family and foster care.

You can do this at home, no matter where you live in the country, while you are caring for children and young people. This is self-directed learning, where you'll receive assessment materials and get support from an assessor.

"I'm so glad I did this. Even though I've been a caregiver for 20 years I learnt a lot of new things, and it was also really good to share knowledge with other caregivers. They give you a basketful of wealth with their knowledge and support." Sue, caregiver with Diploma in Whānau/Family and Foster Care

To find out more about doing the certificate or diploma contact:

• Te Kaiawhina Ahumahi on 0800 558 558
• New Zealand Family and Foster Care Federation 0800 693 323.