Therapeutic Foster Care Series:

The Therapeutic Foster Care series includes 4 online sessions looking at the core concepts of therapeutic foster care that are practically focused and interactive.

Therapeutic care is a specific way of providing out of home care that is grounded in intentional healing using the essence and strength of authentic and responsive relationships.

The series is designed for Therapeutic Foster Carers and open to All Foster Carers.

Foster carers can register for one or more of the four online sessions.

Session 2: Responding to behaviours that challenge us

Date: Saturday 23 May

Time: 10.00am – 1.00pm (3 hours)

Location: Online (Zoom)

Presented by: Marina Dickson

Often the children and young people we care for are defined by their behaviour, but this is not who they are.  Behaviour can delight us, frustrate us or challenge us but it is all representative of our experiences, needs and stories. This session will consider how we can understand the meaning that sits behind children and young people’s behaviour and how we can supportively respond to it.

By participating in this session, it is expected that carers will:

• Identify some of the current behaviours that challenge – and what makes them so challenging
• Explore the meaning that sits behind those identified behaviours
• Consider the range of behaviours that children and young people share with us
• Build new strategies for best meeting the needs of children and young people in their care, and reducing the need for the behaviour that challenges us
• Consider ways of responding to behaviours that challenge us as adults who care
• Reinforce the relevance and importance of self-care in the context of responding to behaviours that challenge us

Marina Dickson has significant experience in developmental trauma and working collaboratively with those who care for and support children and young people.  She works hard to ensure her training programs are both practically focused and include a bit of fun. Marina holds a Bachelor of Social Work and a Graduate Diploma in Vocational Education and Training, as well as an MBA.  She has also completed a Certificate qualification in Bereavement Counselling.

The session is designed for Therapeutic Foster Carers and open to All Foster Carers.