The Scottish Government is seeking foster carers and fostering services views on pre and post approval fostering training and are calling on them to respond to a consultation that is now available on the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) website.

Evidence from the Scottish Government's National Review of Foster Care has shown that 31 out of 32 local authorities, and the vast majority of independent fostering providers, use The Fostering Network's Skills to Foster pre-approval training course.

Sara Lurie, director of The Fostering Network Scotland, said: "We believe that the recently updated Skills to Foster course thoroughly meets the needs of people becoming foster carers. Almost all of Scotland's foster carers will have completed earlier editions of Skills to Foster and many foster carers in Scotland took part in piloting the third, and most recent, edition of Skills to Foster.

"Training is a vital part of the role of foster carers and we would encourage you to complete this consultation and call for more provision to be provided for post-approval training so that you can continue to grow and develop as a foster carer after you are approved.

"We are disappointed in the short time that foster carers have to respond to this consultation, as it does not allow them to sit as foster carer groups to consider the issues - and we hope the Scottish Government will seek a more in depth discussion with foster carers following this consultation." 

You can find the consultation, which closes on 31 October, on the SSSC website.