Pre-Approval Training
in foster care
Workbook
Session 4
Diversity, identity and the experience of
being fostered
2
Contents
Contents ................................................................................ 3
Programme ............................................................................. 4
Using this workbook and the website ............................................. 5
Nottinghamshire Fostering Home Website ....................................... 6
What’s in a name? .................................................................... 7
Identity – who am I? .................................................................. 8
Doesn’t everyone have an equal chance in life? ............................. 11
A class divided ....................................................................... 12
"What's this got to do with me as a foster carer?" ............................ 13
Being fostered in Nottinghamshire .............................................. 15
3
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
4
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
5
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:
www.fronter.com/nottsslp
[email protected]
6
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?
You may like to make some notes here:
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.
7
Identity – who am I?
Home and Parenting
Influences
Discipline: Consistency: any
separations: good ground for
development: Religion:
lifestyle.
Sexuality
Genetic Influences
Intelligence: gender:
temperament:
colour of skin.
Health
Disability:
inherited
conditions.
Personal Development
Reaching expected
milestones:
Walking: talking: reading:
writing: independence:
making relationships.
Life Circumstances
Financial: housing:
type of school:
work availability:
marriage options.
Friends/Social
Group
Race: culture:
class opportunity
to extend
horizons: am I
part of a
community?
Roles in life.
How you see yourself
Successful: accepting:
beaten: able to make
decisions: is it worth
trying or are the
disadvantages too
great:
8
9
•
•
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
10
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.
You may like to make some notes here:
11
A class divided
Former school teacher Jane Elliott believes that "you can create racism.
And, as with anything, if you can create it, you can destroy it."
You may like to make some notes here:
12
"What's this got to do with me as a
foster carer?"
1. Your foster child tells a joke that is racist. How do you respond?
2. 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?
3. 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.
13
4. 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?
5. 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?
14
Being fostered in Nottinghamshire
An opportunity to meet and talk to a young person about their experience of
being fostered.
You may like to make some notes here:
15
16