UK’s first Therapeutic Fostering course opens nationwide to strengthen foster carer support
By: Communications
An innovative Higher Education programme designed to strengthen foster carers’ understanding of trauma‑related behaviours is set to expand nationwide later this year.
The University of East Anglia (UEA) has announced that its CertHE Therapeutic Fostering course will be opened to local authority foster carers across the UK from the 2026/27 academic year, with applications launching in June.
Therapeutic fostering recognises and supports children and young people who may have experienced trauma, abuse or significant disruption in their lives.
Officially established last year as the UK’s first university-led course of its kind, the CertHE course is designed to deepen foster carers’ understanding of trauma‑related behaviours and explore how the fostering relationship itself can act as a powerful therapeutic tool. It is currently being delivered to its first cohort based across the East of England.
Renata Watts, a foster carer currently enrolled on the CertHE Therapeutic Fostering course, said: “UEA is the only university in the country offering anything like this for foster carers, so they are trailblazers in my eyes, particularly given their strong reputation for innovation in social care.
“The people teaching us at UEA have such a passion and deep understanding of the practicalities, potential minefields and moments of joy that can be part of looking after deeply traumatised children. Discussions are always grounded in research, but they’re also very mindful of the deep emotions that are threaded through our practice as foster carers.”
Developed in partnership with regional fostering organisation Foster East, a UK government-funded initiative aimed at improving foster carer recruitment and support, the CertHE in Therapeutic Fostering is currently offered on a part‑time basis to support the commitments of working foster carers.
Dr Mark Gregory, who is Director of Continuing Professional Development at UEA and was involved in the course’s development, said: “We are delighted to be able to open up our unique CertHE to local authority foster carers across the country. Our first cohort has been a big success so far, with so much positive feedback from foster carers on the impact the course has had on them personally and professionally.
“For us, it has been a pleasure working with such committed foster carers and seeing their dedication to improving the lives of the young people in their care. It is a privilege for us to continue this journey by offering the course more widely from September 2026.”
Mandy Potts, who has been fostering for 32 years and is part of the inaugural intake, said a deeper understanding of how to nurture positive relationships will definitely help her in her long-term fostering.
She said: “The confidence this course is giving me will also help as I continue to build positive connections with my youngster – to help him see the world as a safer place, to see the adults around him as safe people who can support and nurture him in the most positive ways they can.”
The national rollout follows a new agreement with Foster East, enabling UEA to extend access to local authority foster carers across the UK for the first time. Applications will open in June for the initial national intake beginning in the 2026/27 academic year.
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