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Therapy Service
FCA has a commitment to a child centred service through the promotion of a broad understanding of the emotional and behavioural needs of children/young people and the implications for their carers.
Qualified and Experienced Therapists
FCA employs qualified, accredited and experienced therapists and psychologists who work locally in multi-disciplinary teams. A list of these staff and their relevant qualifications is available if required. The standards of FCA’s Therapy Service have taken account of the National Minimum Standards for Fostering Services 2002/3 and the ethical guidelines of the professional organisations who oversee training and accreditation of therapists.
Placement Support from Therapists
Therapists are employed to offer consultation, on an individual basis and through group processes, to those immediately supporting the young person in placement and the wider network as required. They also provide training on specialist subjects, such as self harm, to staff and carers.
Team Parenting Assessment
Where timescales and conditions permit, an assessment of a young person’s needs in the context of their specialist ‘team parenting’ placement with FCA will be initiated. FCA’s assessment protocol is described as a Team Parenting Assessment to reinforce the emphasis on the contribution needed from all ‘team’ members and to underscore the therapeutic nature of the whole process through good collaborative working and communication. The therapist, working with others in the team supporting the young person in placement (e.g. supervising social worker, education liaison officer, support worker, carer, young person’s social worker) is then in a better position to make recommendations to, and work with, the Local Authority/Trust about the nature of the commitment required to address identified and specific needs.
The focus of our attention is to make placements more successful and to help young people have positive relationships and experiences. Information gained will also help us develop a system of identifying and measuring the beneficial aspects from our approach in order to continue to inform practice.
Individual Therapy for the Child/Young Person in Placement
If therapy for the child/young person is indicated through assessment this will be supported with suggestions about the approach and qualifications required by the therapist.
Should it be recommended that a child/young person receive individual therapy by an appropriately qualified member of FCA’s Therapy Service, an additional charge will be negotiated with the Local Authority/Trust.
