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Foster carer annual review - reflective questionnaire

This questionnaire is to be completed by caregivers prior to your annual review interview. Your reflections here will assist your reviewer and help demonstrate how you're meeting the minimum standards of practice.

There are no right or wrong answers - we're looking for an honest, reflective account of your caregiving over the past 12 months. Take your time, and if a question doesn't feel applicable to your situation, let your reviewer know during the interview.

Competency B: Attitudes and connections

Motivation to continue caring
• How do you show your commitment to the child/young person?
• What language or gestures do you use to give the child/young person a sense of stability?
• How have your values, beliefs, and ideals impacted your caring and your motivation?

Support networks in place and how utilised
• How has the child/young person experienced your support network?
• What impacts have you noticed?

Financial stability
• Any impacts or issues with funding, payments, etc.?
• How are the child/young person's resources, physical, and emotional needs being financially met?

Cultural respect and understanding
• As carers, how do you demonstrate your understanding of cultural difference and show it is valued to your foster child/young person?
• How have you held in mind culture, identity, diversity, and respectful relationships for the child/young person?

Aboriginal cultural awareness and knowledge
• How connected is the child/young person to their family, culture, and community?
• How did you grow the child/young person's connection to family, culture, and community?
• Were cultural plans enacted?

Attitudes to the family of children in care
• How have you, as carers, supported ongoing contact and connection to kin and extended significant others?
• What language do you use with the child/young person regarding family and kin?

Competency C: Personal resilience

Attachment/attunement
• How does the child/young person experience you?
• How are you seen as a source of strength and support to the child/young person?
• How do you communicate with the child/young person during times of stress and anxiety? What drives those responses?

Trauma, grief and loss
• Have there been any major events (e.g. grief and loss, fertility, financial, or other stressful events) that have impacted you or your family?
• How is this communicated to the child/young person and managed overall by the family?

Dealing with stress
• Have there been any major stressors over the last 12 months that have impacted the family? What supports were offered, and what other supports are needed?
• Are there any self-care practices that could be suggested or put in place? Are there any barriers to these?
• Is there anything in the child/young person's presentation, behaviour, or interactions that you might be taking personally?

Relationship with partner (if applicable)
• Any impacts upon relationships within the family & to support networks.  
• Are you aware of and how do you manage the effects the child/young person is having on others?   
• How do you help the child/young person and others in the household when the child appears out of “sync”?

Desire to have a biological child (if applicable)
• How have you continued to support a foster child/young person in the context of dealing with fertility issues?

Competency D: Child focused nurture

Providing nurturing care
• How have you been able to demonstrate warmth, affection, nurture, and playfulness to the child/young person?
• What small rituals have you created with the child/young person that they can look forward to?
• How does the child/young person contribute to or have input into the ordinary daily events or routines within the home?

Understanding developmental trauma
• How have you managed pain-based behaviour displayed by the child/young person?
• How well do you understand the child/young person and what they are trying to communicate about their needs through their behaviour?

Promoting the child/young person's positive self-image and identity
• How have you encouraged pride and involvement in cultural and gender identity?
• How have you encouraged the child/young person to develop strengths and abilities (e.g. music, art, sports)? What signs of resilience and strengths does the child/young person display?
• How have you encouraged the child/young person to develop their own social relationships (e.g. allowing friends over)?

Meeting day-to-day needs
• How have you met the child/young person's physical, emotional, and developmental needs? What routines and activities are in place?
• What do you do to support the child/young person's physical and emotional wellbeing?

Managing behaviour
• What is your understanding of the child/young person's pain-based behaviour?
• What pain-based behaviours have you found difficult to manage?
• What behaviour support techniques have you used — what worked, and what didn't?
• Are there any additional supports you need to help manage and understand the child/young person's pain-based behaviour?

Impact of fostering on your own children
• What have been the impacts on your own family from fostering?
• How are your own children coping with the foster child/young person?
• What have you done to help others, and the child/young person, cope?

Competency E: Working with others

Working with service providers
• Have you attended any care team meetings? Are they effective in meeting the care needs of the child placed with you?
• Have you experienced any difficulties working with Brophy staff or other service providers?

Promoting educational engagement
• How have you supported the child/young person educationally?
• Have there been any issues or additional supports needed?

Supporting family contact
• How have you supported contact with family, extended family, and the child/young person's community?
• Have there been any difficulties with contact, and how have you tried to resolve these?

Commitment to ongoing training
• What training have you attended over the last 12 months? How have you used this in your day-to-day care of the child/young person?
• If none, what have been the challenges in attending training?
• What can be done to support your ongoing training and parenting skill development?

Acknowledgement

How many carers are completing this form?

Full legal name

Applicant 1

Signature