Training

Foster Care Ireland is committed to sharing knowledge and facilitating training. We select training that will support professionals and foster carers in their understanding of children in care through the lens of attachment and trauma. We provide training on assessment to help us better understand the experiences of children in care and we provide training on how to respond to their experiences. We believe ongoing training and learning encourages us to make informed and timely decisions for the children in our care.

Dyadic Developmental Practice: Level One

Trainers: Dr. Kim Golding

4 days:

This is an introductory 4-day course on Dyadic Developmental Practice, Psychotherapy and Parenting, the intervention model developed by Dr. Daniel Hughes, the internationally acclaimed therapist and author of ground-breaking books on attachment and emotional recovery.

This approach assists therapists and other professionals to understand and effectively support children, young people and their families. In this model, theory and research in the areas of developmental trauma, attachment theory, intersubjectivity and child development are integrated to produce a therapeutic approach used for relationship development and trauma resolution.

DDP recognises the vital role which adoptive parents, foster carers and residential workers play as primary attachment figures in the recovery of traumatised, attachment-resistant children. The principles and interventions are presented through formal presentations, discussion, videotape of sessions, role-play, and hand outs.

Dyadic Developmental Practice: Level Two

Trainers: Dr. Kim Golding

4 days:

This four day course is open to those professionals who have undertaken Level One training and are beginning to use the principles and interventions of Dyadic Developmental Practice, Parenting and Psychotherapy in their day-to-day work. It focuses on gaining a deeper understanding of the theory, successes, and barriers experienced by participants in applying the model in practice, more videos and discussion of DDP and the impact of participant’s own attachment experiences.

It is helpful if participants have examples of their own DDP practice, such as case studies and/or recordings, to share with the group.

Register interest

Nurturing Attachments

Trainers: Lesa Daly, Fostering Service Lead

Nurturing Attachments is a group-work programme developed by Kim Golding.

It is designed to provide support and guidance to adoptive parents and foster or kinship carers. Based on attachment theory and an understanding of the impact of trauma on children’s development and security.

  • Module 1: Provides an understanding of attachment theory, patterns of attachment and an introduction to therapeutic parenting.
  • Module 2: Introduces the House Model of Parenting, providing guidance on how to help the children experience the family as a secure base.
  • Module 3: Continues exploring the House Model of Parenting, with consideration of how parents can both build a relationship with the children and manage their behaviour.”

Who is the training for?

This course is aimed at parents and carers who are looking after a child who has insecure attachments. This includes adoptive parents, foster and kinship carers.

  • Module 1: Dates to be confirmed in 2021
  • Module 2: Dates to be confirmed
  • Module 3: Dates to be confirmed

Would you like to apply to become a Foster Carer?

Make an Enquiry to begin your journey

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