Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets
Standard Five
Worksheets
Understand the development of children
and young people
1. Attachment and stages of
development
2. Resilience
3. Transitions
4. Supporting play, activities and
learning
5. Supporting educational potential
6. Understanding contexts
7. Promote positive sexual health and
sexual identity
8. Supporting disabled children and
children with special educational
needs
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.1
1. Attachment and stages of
development
Attachment and bonding
Please fill in the gaps from the selection of words below.
Attachment is the feeling or need that a _______ has for a
particular adult and eventually a _________ group of adults.
_______ is the complicated process by which ______ grow to
love their child.
What is believed to be essential for good _______ health is
that an infant and young child should experience a ______,
intimate and continuous relationship with their parents in which
both find satisfaction and ________.
The ability to bond with a child may be considerably _______
by a parent’s own _______ needs.
A _______ attachment will enable a child to reach their
potential.
affected
enjoyment
bonding
warm
child
mental
unmet
secure
parents
small
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.1
Can you suggest some emotions that enable us to be social
beings? Write your answers in the balloons below.
Why are human beings born with a brain that hasn’t finished
developing?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.1
What does a child need to develop emotionally?
At 4 months old
At 12 months
At 2 ½ years
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.1
Emotional difficulties
Where a child has experienced dysfunctional parenting and has
not developed a secure attachment, what emotional and social
difficulties do you think they may have?
Give an example in each.
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.1
Understanding how a child may feel.
It is important for Foster Carers
to be able to put themselves in the
shoes of a child and imagine how
they feel so they can understand
what the child may need. It starts
with thinking about your own
feelings. Please don’t feel obliged
to write anything too personal or
difficult for you to share.
Can you think of a time when you felt
powerless and not in control. Can you
describe this feeling in three words.
Case study - Martha
Martha is living with you and you want to take her on a holiday
abroad with the rest of your family. However, her birth
parent won’t sign the form for the passport. The Social
Worker feels that this is because the birth parent is jealous
and doesn’t want Martha to have such a good time. This makes
planning the holiday difficult.
How would you feel?
How do you think Martha would feel?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.1
Attachments
Can you think of what makes you feel insecure?
Write down three words to describe this feeling.
Case Study - Tommy
You are caring for Tommy who has not seen his father for a
month because his father has been too drunk to make
arrangements or meet with the Social Worker. Eventually the
Social Worker manages to arrange a contact session and his
father has assured he will go. His father does not turn up.
Afterwards Tommy’s behaviour is erratic and hyperactive. He
keeps on asking questions such as, ‘When are we having tea?’
and ‘Where are you going?’
How would you feel?
How do you think Tommy is feeling?
What do you think you could do to help Tommy?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.1
Seeking Support
What makes you feel secure? Give three examples.
Who do you go to or where do you go when you feel insecure?
Write three words to describe what it
feels like to be secure.
Children with attachment difficulties can cause a Carer to
become exhausted, angry and hostile towards the child. A
Carer needs to be able to recognise this and seek support to
manage their feelings. What would you do if you started to
feel like this about a child in your care?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.1
Give examples of ways a Foster Carer can encourage a child to
develop a secure attachment with them.
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.1
What motivates a child with attachment
difficulties and how do you respond?
A seven year old boy is aggressive to his
peers at home and at school.
Why might he behave like this?
How could you respond?
Consider one child in your care.
What sort of attachments do you think they have and why do
you think this, e.g. what is it about their behaviour, etc.?
Stages of development
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.1
Gathering information
There are several ways to gather information about children in your care
on a day-to-day basis.
Observation
Watch and listen
during an activity.
Focus on specific
things that stand out.
Matt looks like
he’s having
trouble holding
the scissors.
How are you
getting on, Matt?
Question the child.
You do it for me.
Matt was having trouble
cutting out earlier. Have you
noticed anything similar?
Speak to colleagues.
Have you seen the way he
grips his pencil? And I have
noticed that he often swops
hands when colouring in.
Keep a note as a
reminder.
Matt – 15/03/05
probs holding scissors –
cutting-out activity.
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.1
Gathering information
Where else might you gather information about a child’s development?
Recorded information such
as registration forms,
profiles and assessments
Parents commented on
possibility of Matt being
left-handed.
Profile – noted he’s not
achieving milestone of
fine motor skills.
Matt - 17/03/05
Colouring activity –
took offered crayon in
right hand.
Playtime – kicked ball
with left foot.
Talking to parents
Information from training
materials and notes
made in training
fine motor skills acts:
 Cutting (use thick
black line)
 Placing/pasting
 Tracing & colouring
 Self care (e.g. zips)
Matt - 18/03/05
now uses spoon in
left hand at home.
Parents not
noticed preference
otherwise.
Further observation
with notes made on
a key development
area
Tips
 Keep a pad of sticky
notes with you so that
you can quickly jot down
information that might
be useful.
 You can put them in the
child’s profile to write up
later.
 Keep notes short and
relevant.
 Make sure you can read
them.
Relevant child development
information from
publications or websites
Sharing observations and
suggestions in team meetings
or with a supervisor
Keep notes on Matt’s use of
hands in activities. Check:
 which hand used (offer
choice)
 fine motor skills.
Note any concerns.
Info from ‘Sure Start’ –
develop fine motor skills:
pouring water into cups,
finger games, setting out
cutlery.
Can you think
of any more?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.1
Gathering information
Task 1
Choose one of your children or young people to observe how well he or she
shares things with other children or young people. Make notes from
different sources and show where the information came from.
Instructions
1 Use sticky notes
to jot down
useful
information.
2 Write up the
information as
notes in the
coloured boxes.
3 Write where the
information came
from in the white
boxes.
Tip
Keep notes
short and
relevant.
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.1
Stages of Development
Describe some of the skills you would expect a child who is
developing typically to demonstrate at the following ages;
Age
Such as;
Posture and large movements
Vision and fine movements
Communication
Social behaviour and play
1 month
6 months
9 months
12months
18 months
2 years
3 years
4 years
5 years
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.1
Describe some of the learning that is typical of the following
ages and how they might differ for boys and girls;
8 years
11 years
14 years
17 years
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.1
Observation and judgment
Why is it useful to observe children’s
behaviour?
To check if an activity is
suitable
Why is it important to remain objective when observing
children?
Avoid jumping to the
wrong conclusion
How can you ensure you make objective observations?
Give examples to
illustrate your judgments
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.1
Development charts
Why are charts of developmental
milestones useful?
They help us to predict a child’s
needs
When comparing children today with those in the 1950s, can
you suggest reasons why children today develop much earlier in
their vision and fine motor skills?
More toys available –
better variety and more fun
Why do some children not develop according to the milestones?
They have been deprived of opportunities
to stimulate their development
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.1
Development and growth
Is he?
Ben is
very
active.
We taught
him to sit
when he
was 2
months.
Oh
my!
We put him
on solid
food after 3
weeks.
Gosh!
Ben’s a
good dog!
Dog?
Recording development
Child’s name
Stands holding on
Moves around or crawls
Age:
Age
Stands alone
date
:
Walks holding on
Age:
Walks alone
Age
First outdoor walk was to-
Age:
Age
:
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.1
Developmental chart
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.1
Consider a child or young person in your care and describe in
what ways their development is not typical of their age.
In what ways do you record and share information about
developmental milestones?
Ensure that information is recorded in the Red Book and it is
available to others e.g. Health Visitor
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.2
2. Resilience
What helps children and young people to
become more resilient?
How have you encouraged a child or young person to raise their
self-esteem?
Give an example where you have worked with others to help a
child or young person to develop a more positive view of
themselves?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.3
3. Transitions
Describe a transition you experienced as a
child.
What happened?
What age were you?
Did you lose out in anyway? How did it feel?
How did adults respond to you at the time?
What helped you to cope or feel safe?
Did it affect you in the long term? How?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.3
Children’s transitions
List three transitions that you might expect a child to go
through at some point in their childhood. Describe what they
may lose in the process, how it might feel and what you could
do to help them to cope.
Transition
Loss
Affect on the
child
How could
you help?
Give an example of a child or young person in your care who is
going through a significant period of change. What support will
they need?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.3
Preparing for a placement
In the following case study about Tiffany, she is very anxious
on her first night in a new placement.
Tiffany
Imagine you are Tiffany, aged 5, who was moved as an
emergency yesterday…
It’s morning. As you awaken, you look
around. It is an unfamiliar room. You
slept little last night. You’ve always been
warned about strangers and here you are,
with no one else you know, in the midst of
them. You hear people up and about.
What are you supposed to do? Lie in bed
until someone comes and tells you to get
up? Get up, get dressed and go
downstairs on your own? Did anyone tell
you last night what was expected? Your
memory is fuzzy. You’re not sure where your clothes were put.
You need the loo but where is it? Will
someone shout if you get up? Will they
be angry if you don’t? You sob but quietly
so no one will hear. What will they do if
they get angry – will they hurt you?
Where are your parents? When will you
see them again? Do they know where you
are? You feel overwhelmed and pull the
covers over your head to block out the
questions.
You can’t hold on anymore and wet the
bed. What do you do now?? You can hear
someone coming. You are very scared…
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.3
If she had been placed with you, what could you have done to
help her cope better with her first night?
What might have helped?
Why?
What pre-placement information might you need about a child
or a young person?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.3
How could you involve a child in planning the move to your
home?
How could you ensure you helped a child to settle in if they
have a different cultural background or religion to yourself?
How could you communicate to them the guidelines and
boundaries in your family?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.3
Managing moving on - adoption
If a child who had been in your care were
to move on to an adoption placement, how
could you support this move and help the
adopters to take over the parenting role?
What might be some of the difficulties for you in moving a
child on?
How would you and your family feel and how might you cope
with this?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.3
Managing moving on - independence
What helped you to prepare for adulthood and to live
independently of your family?
List some skills that are needed to live independently?
What might be the difficulties facing young people?
How would you prepare a young person to live independently?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.4
4. Supporting play,
activities and
learning
Give examples of when you have
encouraged a child or young person in
activities. How did you ensure it was
fun and a positive experience?
At home?
Sporting or
outdoor
activity?
With friends?
After school
activity?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.4
Book Review
Choose a book appropriate for a child or
young person in your care. For a young
child it could be a picture book and for a
baby or disabled child, it could even be a
toy. Share this with the child or young
person and think about the following;
a. What is the book about? / Can you
describe the toy?
b. What did you like about it?
c. Was it enjoyed or useful to the child or young person? Why
do you think this?
d. What was not so good about it or would have been better if
different? Why?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.4
Development through play
For each of the pictures of a toy can you write underneath
what area of development you think it would assist in a child or
baby.
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.4
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.4
Varied play opportunities - SPICE
This is an example of a physical play activity that helps
children to develop in many areas.
Physical
Releases energy.
Promotes health
and well-being.
Tones muscles.
Gross and fine
motor skills
Social
Turn-taking
Interacting
Working
together
Negotiation
Sensory
Touch
Smell
Sight
Creative
Imaginative ideas.
Creating and making
things.
Practical skills
Emotional
Enjoyment
Fear
Confidence
Empathy for
others
Language
New terms
Special terms
Discussion
Moral
Consideration
for others
Acceptable
behaviour.
Intellectual
Concentration.
Curiosity
Observation.
Abstract thinking
Problem-solving
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.4
Can you think of an activity that would encourage
development in any three of the SPICE areas?
Activity
Developmental
Categories
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.4
Give an example of a game for a small group of
children or young people. What age is it for? How
would you ensure the game encouraged a child or
young person to interact better with their friends.
Give examples of toys that would encourage a 5 year old boy to
develop an open mind to what boys and girls can do.
Cooking or playing with
toy kitchen equipment
Why are play, hobbies and interests important? Can you give
examples to illustrate?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.4
Routines
Why are routines important for children and young people?
What routines do you have in your family and why?
What are the main difficulties in
maintaining routines with a child or
young person?
How do you help children or young people to manage routines?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.5
5. Supporting educational potential
Give two examples of ways you have encouraged a child or
young person to believe they can achieve at school.
Give examples of how to encourage a pre-school child to learn
something new.
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.5
Can you give some examples where you have made learning fun
for a child or young person in your care.
Singing a song to learn
the days of the week
What are the skills needed to encourage a child or young
person to learn and achieve their potential?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.5
Give an example of when you have worked
with others to support a child or young
person’s education.
How could you support a child or young person who is not
attending school?
What support is available to help maintain a child or young
person in school?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.5
What does ‘social exclusion’ mean?
Give an example of working with others to
support a young person in planning to leave
school. What were the difficulties? How did
you support them?
List the support and resources available to support a young
person who has left school.
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.5
How can you help a young person to attend school and achieve
their potential? What skills do you need?
Give an example when you have advocated for a child or young
person to ensure their educational needs are met.
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.5
Identifying learning
opportunities in books
What can a child learn from sharing a book with you? Think about the
learning opportunities that can come out of sharing a book.
An opportunity
to develop
listening skills
An opportunity to
develop
speaking skills
An opportunity to
develop knowledge
of the world
An opportunity to
contribute to
personal, social
and emotional
development
An opportunity for
creative and
imaginative
development
Sharing
a book
An opportunity
to develop
writing skills
An opportunity to
develop reading
skills
An opportunity for
mathematical
development
Mathematical
development
 Count the creatures
that chase the
gingerbread man.
 Count the eyes on a
tray of gingerbread
men before they are
baked.
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.5
Identifying learning
opportunities in books
Task 1
Think about the learning opportunities that can come out of sharing a
book. Make a list below of your ideas.
Development of listening

Development of
knowledge of the world
Development of speaking


Creative and imaginative
development
Personal, social and
emotional development


Mathematical
development
Development of writing
Development of reading



Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.5
Choosing a book to share
What skills do you use when choosing a book to share with a child?
What will the
children get
out of it?
What’
s the
cover
like?
What’s
the
whole
story?
How
can I
help
the
childre
n get
the
most
out of
it?
Does it
link
with
our
current
activity
plannin
g?Who’s it for?
What does it say
in the blurb?
What
kind
of
thing
is it
abou
t?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.5
Spidergram
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.5
Choosing a book to share
Task 1
Use the information to choose a book to use with each child. Write the
title in the space under the picture and explain why you choose each book.
Laura is 8 months
old. She can sit
without support,
and is beginning to
shuffle on her
bottom. She
makes repeated
sounds such as
‘da da da’.
Mark is three. He
lives in the
country. He
enjoys spotting
cars when he is
out with his
mum. He is just
starting to count.
Tariq is seven.
He has been
reluctant to read
to himself. He is
developing a
keen interest in
playing and
watching
football.
Kayley is five.
She has been an
only child, but
her mum has
remarried and is
going to have a
baby soon.
Task 2
Observe a child choosing a book. Make a note of the skills they use.
A list has been started for you. Add your own observations to it.
Examples;
Your list;
Looks at the cover?
Looks at the blurb?
Looks at the illustrations randomly
throughout the book?
Starts at the beginning and turns the
pages methodically?
Treats the book with respect?
Spends time looking at the text?
Is confident about reading aloud to
themselves or their friends?
Copies what you do?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.5
Book review
Title of the book
Author
What age child do you think would like this book? (Tick one or more)
__ 0–1 __ 1–3 __ 3–5 __ 6–8 __ 8–10 __ over 10
Tick the type of book
__ story __ picture __ interactive
__ information
__ poetry
_other
Briefly what is the book about?
What do you like or dislike about this book?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.5
Getting ready to read
Make it fun
Plenty of variety
Read anywhere/any time
Help children to join in
Let your child choose
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.5
Developing mathematical
language
For children to develop a rich mathematical language, it is important that
they hear mathematical language being used correctly and have
opportunities to practise using it.
Use the correct
mathematical
language to
describe things.
Use a wide
range of maths
language.
What is the
difference between
6 and 3?
Take 3 away
from 6.
6-3
How many fewer
is 3 than 6?
How
many left
over?
Leaves
how
many?
Here’s a
pentagon
6
minus
3.
Avoid ambiguities
that can lead to
misunderstandings
.
The first hand
is pointing to
12. Which
number is the
second hand
pointing to?
Subtract 3 from 6.
3 less
than 6.
How can I help children
to use mathematical
language?
Encourage children
to talk about what
they are doing.
Why are
these
shapes
good for
building
with?
Model language
by describing what
children are doing.
How are the red
and blue shapes
different?
How are they
the same?
Look, you’ve made a pattern with the
cylinders and cubes. It repeats itself:
red, yellow, blue, red, yellow, blue. What
shall we put on next?
Value what
children say and
extend their
vocabulary.
My shape has three
pointy bits.
Yes. It’s got three corners.
Tip
If there are any maths words or
phrases you’re not sure of, check
the meaning in a dictionary.
You can also ask your child’s
teacher for some information.
The National Numeracy Strategy
lists words and phrases that children
need to understand in order to make
good progress in maths.
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.5
Developing mathematical
language
Task 1
Many practitioners find it useful to have a checklist of maths vocabulary
and ideas.
Fill in the missing parts on this checklist for encouraging children to talk
about the properties of 3D shapes.
3D shape
Name of shape
Number of edges
Number of corners
cube
12
8
Task 2
You can encourage children to use mathematical language by modelling it
to them first.
 Describe these 2D shapes using the language modelled and Year 2
mathematical vocabulary from the National Numeracy Strategy.
This regular
hexagon has 6
straight sides and 6
corners. It has 6
lines of symmetry.
This _______ has ___
_______ ______ and ___
________. It has ___ lines
of ________.
This _______ has ___
_______ ______ and ___
________. It has ___
lines of ________.
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.5
Choosing activities to develop
numeracy skills
Much of children’s learning occurs through talk and play. It is up to you to
provide experiences and activities that promote children’s learning.
Making a shopping list
 reading and writing
numbers
 using vocabulary for
weights and liquid
measures
At the shops
 practising mental
maths skills
 counting money
 selecting and counting
produce
Cooking together
Washing up
 sorting items
by shape and
size
 measuring
liquids
 estimating
amounts
Presenting the food
 decorating using repeating
patterns or symmetry
 cutting into halves and
quarters (fractions)
 sharing into equal amounts
(division)
 calculating how many will be
left (subtraction)
 setting the table, counting
out cutlery, placements, etc.
Making the
recipe
 counting
 weighing
 comparing
amounts
 comparing
sizes
 discussing
shapes
Cooking the food
 looking at clocks
 counting minutes
forwards and
backwards
 setting timers
 discussing
temperature
Consider
Are there more numeracy skills that could be
practised or learned in a structured cooking activity?
Consider other numeracy skills you could teach or
practise with the children you work with.
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.5
Choosing activities to develop
numeracy skills
Task 1
1 Think of an activity that you could do with children (for example, a
teddy bears’ picnic, an outing to the park, gardening).
2 Think of the opportunities that the activity provides for children to
practise, learn or extend numeracy skills.
3 Draw a spidergram (like the one on choosing a book).
Put your activity in the centre below and arrange the opportunities for
developing numeracy skills around it.
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.5
Choosing activities to develop
numeracy skills
Task 2
Here are the key objectives in relation to measure for Reception, Year 1
and Year 2. Think of some practical activities that offer the chance to
practise, learn or extend the numeracy skills. List your ideas below.
Reception
Use language such as
more or less, heavier or
lighter, to compare two
quantities.
Year 1
Suggest suitable standard
units and measuring
equipment to measure a
length, mass or capacity.
Activities
Activities
Year 2
Read a simple scale to the
nearest labelled division,
including using a ruler to
draw and measure lines to
the nearest centimetre.
Activities
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.6
6. Understanding contexts
What is meant by a wider family, caring or social
network?
Consider one child, young person or sibling group in
your care and describe as many differences as you
can between their previous family, cultural and
social networks compared to those in your family.
Previous
Current
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.6
Who is included in these networks for one of the children or
young people you care for?
Why is it important to see the children and young people you
work with as part of a wider family, caring or social network?
How do these networks affect development?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.6
Give an example of how family, caring
or social networks can assist and
impede the development of a child or
young person.
Assist
Impede
How would you prepare a child to move to a lesbian or gay
family (or different to your own in some other way)?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.6
Supporting transitions between cultural and family networks.
In the following Case Study about Satnam, she has contact
with her previous Foster Carers that becomes difficult and
upsetting. Please answer the following questions.
a.) How do you think Mrs. Fletcher felt about Satnam moving
to live with her aunt?
b.) Why do you think it was in Satnam’s best interest to move
back to her family?
c.) What are the ‘mixed messages’ that Satnam is hearing
about living with her aunt?
d.) What could Mrs. Fletcher do differently to make the
contact visits more manageable for Satnam?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.6
Satnam
Satnam, aged 10, had been fostered by the
Fletchers for four years whilst plans to move her
back with her birth parents had been attempted
and failed. The Fletchers had grown very close to
Satnam and wanted to adopt her. Despite
Satnam’s long placement and strong attachment to
the Fletchers, she needed to live within her own
family and culture. Eventually, she was placed with
a maternal aunt. It was planned that she would
have regular contact with the Fletchers following her move.
However, at each contact visit, Mrs.
Fletcher would start crying and tell Satnam
how much she missed her. She would quiz
Satnam about the care she was receiving
and imply that it was not good enough. Her
departing comment was typically, “If you
have any problems or if things aren’t going
well for you, you can always ring us. You
know that you are always welcome to come
back and live with us.”
These contact sessions were confusing for Satnam. Although she looked
forward to them, afterwards she became very upset. Following the last
visit, she had begun to deliberately hurt herself.
The Fletchers’ Social Worker would need
to talk with them about the affect of
their visits and the mixed messages
Satnam was getting as a result. He would
also need to support them with their
painful feelings of loss around Satnam.
Ultimately, if Mrs. Fletcher could not
change her behaviour, then the contact
visits would need to be stopped as
Satnam’s self-harming behaviour outweighed any long-term benefits
gained by maintaining the contact.
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.6
Identifying the support needs of grieving children
a.) What are the four stages in the process of grieving?
Loss
Resolution /
moving on
b. Describe how a child might behave and feel at each stage
and what support they would need.
Stage:
Behaviour
Feelings
Support needs
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.6
Stage:
Behaviour
Feelings
Support needs
Feelings
Support needs
Feelings
Support needs
Stage:
Behaviour
Stage:
Behaviour
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.6
Enabling children to manage separation and loss
List three things you could do to help a child to express their
feelings and three things you would avoid doing.
Dos
Show you care
Don’ts
Change the subject when
they mention loss
What factors may affect how a child reacts to loosing their
parents?
Why is the period between the ages six months to four years
the most difficult age to move children?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.7
7. Promote positive sexual health
and sexual identity
What information and advice should children and young people
have about their sexual health at the following ages;
9 years
11 years
15 years
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.7
How would you ensure you were able to pass on accurate and
up-to-date information?
How would you open up a discussion about sex and related
issues with a child or young person? Give examples of things
you use.
In what ways is sex education more complicated with a Looked
After child who may have been sexually abused?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.7
How would you respond to a 15 year old in your care who
wanted to start a sexual relationship with their partner?
Would it make a difference if it were a young woman or man?
How would you respond to a 16 year old who wanted to start a
sexual relationship with their partner and asked if their
partner could stay the night in your house? Would gender or
sexuality make a difference?
What would you do if a 14 year old girl in your care disclosed
that she had started a sexual relationship with her 21 year old
boyfriend?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.7
What help do children and young people need to develop their
sexual identity in positive ways?
How would you respond to a child or young person telling you
that he or she is gay/lesbian or bi-sexual or who was unsure of
their sexual identity?
What is your understanding of homophobic bullying in schools?
How would you support a young person through this?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.8
8. Supporting disabled children
and children with special
educational needs
Explain what is meant by ‘social and medical models of
disability’.
Medical model
Social model
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.8
What is your own attitude to disability?
Give three examples of needs which may be specific to children
and young people who are disabled or have a learning disability.
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council
Foster Carer Induction
Worksheets 5.8
How can you help meet these needs?
Think of a game you use that you might adapt so a disabled
child or young person can join in?
Think of an example of a special educational need. How could
this be addressed at home and at school?
Heather Roberts and Jayne Bacon Workforce Development Unit, Derbyshire County Council