[This course will take you about 1 hour 20 mins to complete]

As a foster carer, there may be times when a child in your care shares distressing experiences from their past, or even things that are happening in the present. Because abuse and neglect are the most common reasons children come into care, it’s not unusual for disclosures to emerge once a child begins to feel safe in your home and processes what has happened. Disclosing takes immense courage, so it’s vital that you are prepared to respond in a supportive and appropriate way. This course aims to increase your awareness of how disclosures might happen and emphasise the importance of being a good listener, reporting concerns, and keeping clear, accurate notes.

In this course, you will learn:
- What a disclosure is
- The different types of disclosure, and why they might be delayed
- How a trusting atmosphere and relationship can help foster children feel safe to speak
- How to respond to a disclosure