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Social Work and Sociology at UEA
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Find out moreCertHE Therapeutic Fostering
Key details
- Attendance
- Part Time
- Award
- Certificate of Higher Education
- Course Length
- 2 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2027
Other Start Dates
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UEA is ranked top 20 in the UK for Research Quality
UEA is ranked top 20 in the UK for Research QualityCourse Overview
Why CertHe Therapeutic Fostering at UEA?
Our Therapeutic Fostering course is delivered by friendly and experienced experts from our renowned Centre for Research on Children and Families. It's been designed specifically for foster carers to provide an in-depth understanding of the principles of therapeutic and trauma-informed fostering.
Why choose UEA
- Exclusive programme: We offer the only CertHe in Therapeutic Fostering in the UK, enabling you to gain a recognised higher education qualification
- Flexible online delivery: Designed to meet the needs of busy foster cares, with materials you can work through at your own pace
- World-leading centre: We have a proud record of research and impact in the field of fostering and adoption. This course draws directly on that expertise
What is CertHE Therapeutic Fostering?
How does trauma impact on children and young people who come into care? What can foster carers do to build therapeutic relationships with the children they care for? Our CertHE in Therapeutic Fostering is designed to deepen your understanding of trauma-related behaviours and explore why the fostering relationship itself is such a powerful therapeutic tool in supporting young people who have experienced trauma.
This course is taught online, offering high-quality materials to guide your independent learning, complemented by live online workshops where academic staff will help you apply your learning directly to your fostering practice. The course is delivered part-time over two years and has been designed with the busy lives of foster carers in mind.
As the first university-delivered course in the UK focused on therapeutic fostering, this programme offers a uniquely tailored learning experience and the chance to earn a qualification from a world-leading centre of fostering and adoption research.
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Careers
Career Support
The course is intended to support you to develop your practice as a foster carer, giving you the tools to become more confident in offering therapeutic and trauma-informed care.
At UEA, we also offer careers advice and support via Career Central which you’ll have access to as a student.
After the Course
The knowledge and skills you'll gain from the course are primarily intended to support you in developing as a foster carer. The course should equip you with an understanding of trauma and its impact on young people and with the tools that you need to support young people with trauma-related behaviours. The knowledge and skills you learn are transferable too, particularly for those of you working in or considering a career in the helping professions, such as social work or teaching.
Study and Modules
Structure
In your first year, you’ll reflect on and strengthen your existing knowledge of therapeutic and trauma-informed approaches to fostering. You’ll delve into the key theoretical foundations of these approaches, focusing on child development and early childhood attachment.
You’ll then apply this knowledge to fostering relationships, exploring how the bond between foster carers and young people can provide therapeutic benefits for children who have experienced trauma or disruption in their lives. You’ll examine approaches such as the Secure Base model, helping you view fostering relationships as a vital therapeutic tool.
Next, you’ll explore the concept of identity, considering how young people’s identities are shaped by their unique characteristics and the impact of adverse childhood experiences. You’ll be encouraged to reflect on how you can support young people in developing a positive self-image through your relationship with them.
Compulsory Modules
Important Information
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Structure
In your second year, you'll build on your understanding of trauma-informed and therapeutic approaches to foster care. This will include exploring the specific challenges that young people in foster care may face, such as physical, emotional, and developmental difficulties, as well as educational challenges.
You’ll be guided to consider how best to support young people as they navigate key life transitions, from primary to secondary school and on to adulthood and independence. Building on the knowledge you've gained so far, you’ll develop an understanding of why these transitions can be particularly challenging for young people in foster care and learn effective strategies to help them manage these changes.
You’ll also have opportunities to reflect on the relationships young people have with their birth families and your role in supporting these connections. These relationships can be complex, and there will be dedicated space to explore how this complexity may affect the young people in your care.
Compulsory Modules
Important Information
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning, and Assessment
Teaching and Learning
Across both years of the course, teaching will be through a combination of self-directed learning activities and regular online workshops to help you reflect on and embed your learning. We use a range of materials, including academic and non-academic readings, recorded mini-lectures, and other audio-visual materials. These are designed to help you learn key ideas, theories, and models, which you can then critique, reflect on, and apply to your practice in the live online workshops.
In your first year, you’ll engage with a variety of learning materials to help you consolidate and build on your knowledge of therapeutic fostering. You’ll also have regular workshops where your learning can be applied. You’ll have specific sessions designed to help you get grips while studying at university. You’ll study about building therapeutic relationships and understanding identity through a therapeutic lens.
In your second year, you’ll continue to engage with thoughtfully curated learning materials, including videos exploring the challenges faced by young people in care and mini lectures on managing transitions. Teaching in this year will look to deepen your overall understanding of trauma-informed care. It’ll encourage you to think about relationships with birth families, and to think about transitions from a therapeutic standpoint.
Assessment
Across both years of the course, you’ll be provided with structured support to help you complete your academic assessments. We use a variety of assessment methods to support you to apply your learning to your practice as foster carers. Each module will have a formative assignment that doesn't count towards your mark but is intended to help you develop confidence in your academic skills.
First year assessments will be aligned with the course’s focus by giving you the chance to reflect on both your learning and your practice. The formative and summative assignments for the first-year modules include essays, evaluative conversations, and creating a mind map.
Assessments in your second year will also be coursework-based, reflecting the importance of exploring topics in depth and making meaningful connections between the course material and your practice as a foster carer. This will again include a variety of assessment methods across the formative and summative assignments, including essays and analytic writing.
Entry Requirements
- This course is open to
UK fee-paying students. The entry point is in September each year.
- Typical UK Entry Requirements
Students need to have approval and be nominated by their employing local authority.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all applicants.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all applicants.
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Fees and Funding
Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2027/28 are:
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UK Students: £ per year
Further Information on tuition fees can be found here(opens in a new window).
Course Related Costs
Please see Course Fees for details of course-related costs.
Additional Course Costs
Please see Additional Course Fees for details of course-related costs.
How to Apply
How to apply
Applications for Postgraduate Taught programmes at the University of East Anglia should be made directly to the University.
Applications open on 1st June 2025.
To apply please use our online application form(opens in a new window).
Further information
If you would like to discuss your individual circumstances prior to applying, please do contact us:
Postgraduate Admissions Office
Tel: +44 (0)1603 591515
Email: admissions@uea.ac.uk(opens in a new window)
International candidates are also encouraged to access the International Students(opens in a new window) section of our website.