Diversity, Identity and the Experience of Being Fostered

Pre-Approval Training

in foster care

Workbook

Session 4

Diversity, identity and the experience of being fostered

Contents

Programme

Using this workbook and the website

Nottinghamshire Fostering Home Website

What’s in a name?

Identity – who am I?

Doesn’t everyone have an equal chance in life?

A class divided

"What's this got to do with me as a foster carer?"

Being fostered in Nottinghamshire

Programme

Pre-Approval training in foster care

Diversity, identity and experience of being fostered

(Session 5)

Aims:

Explore some ideas about difference, discrimination and equality in fostering children

Appreciate the need to act as an advocate on behalf of children and young people who may experience disadvantage as a result of unfair discrimination

Look at what makes for a secure sense of identity and ways of nurturing the heritage and personal identity of children and young people

Explore foster care from the point of view of a fostered young person

9.15 / Refreshments
9.30 / Welcome back
Review
9.40 / What’s in a name?
10.00 / Doesn’t everyone have an equal chance in life?
Exercise
10.30 / ‘Class Divided’
Video looking at difference and diversity followed by discussion
11.15 / Refreshments
11.30 / Being fostered in Nottinghamshire
An opportunity to meet and talk to a young person about their experience of being fostered
12.30 / Lunch

Using this workbook and the website

This workbook and the website are designed to support your learning and reflection both during and after the course. You will find some exercises that we will do during the course and some for you to look at after the course and then discuss with your supervising social worker.

You will find that you do not need to write a lot down unless you want to. However, we suggest that you do complete the exercise sheets and assessment quizzes either during the course or later. If you complete this, you will be able to use the workbook as evidence that you have understood and used the course content:

for your application to become a foster carer

Later on, when you are approved as a foster carer, you will also be able to use it as evidence towards:

your Training Support and Development Standards for Foster Care Certificate

your annual review

your Levels portfolio

Nottinghamshire Fostering Home Website

You will find further materials and articles including the presentations and video from this and the other Fostering Pre-Approval Training sessions on the Nottinghamshire Fostering Home website. This is a password protected website which contains information, study materials and documents essential to fostering.

You will be given your password and UserName when you attend your first session.

You will be given additional access to the fostering Pre-Approval materials after you have attended each session.

The Website address is

e-mail:

What’s in a name?

How did you get your given name and your surname? Who chose your given name? Where did it come from? What does it mean to you? Do you like, or dislike it?

Names have important meanings for people.

It is important to ensure that children's identities, as expressed by their names and the culture links to them, are respected and valued.
The culture of carers (in the widest sense) can be different from that of the child placed with them.
Parents who are separated can continue to have an active part in caring for their child by continuing to pass on important aspects of their history and culture - often referred to as their heritage.
Some children know little about their families of origin. This can be a source of mixed feelings, which can change over time.
Some children are unhappy about their names. Perhaps their name was chosen by, or is the same as, an abusing parent.
Carers should take special care over the spelling and pronunciation of names, always checking this, even with names they feel they are familiar with.

Identity – who am I?

•A healthy identity will increase self-esteem and give you a higher level of mental/emotional health

•It comes from understanding you are a unique and valuable person

Doesn’t everyone have an equal chance in life?

Individual’s opportunities may be affected by unfair discrimination against them, because of family background, racism, sexism, unfair discrimination against disabled people and those who are lesbian or gay.

A class divided

The Blue eye brown eye experiment

Former school teacherJane Elliott believes that"you can create racism.

And, as with anything, ifyou can create it, youcan destroy it."

"What's this got to do with me as a foster carer?"

Your foster child tells a joke that is racist. How do you respond?

Your foster child Melissa has Down's Syndrome and attends the local junior school. One day, your own child tells you that no one will play with Melissa because they are frightened of "catching it".

What will you do, if anything?

You are discussing religious education in school when a friend remarks “Of course, I understand that they should be taught something about their own religion and culture, but it has gone too far and I think they should be making much more of an effort to fit in here and become English.”

Please comment.

Your 15 year old foster boy comes home and tells you: "I'm not going to that school any more. They keep calling me a 'poof and a 'shirt-lifter'.

How would you respond?

Your daughter aged 4, who attends nursery school, tells you: "only boys can be doctors, when they grow up. Girls get to be nurses".

How would you respond?

Being fostered in Nottinghamshire

An opportunity to meet and talk to a young person about their experience of being fostered.