Norfolk carers using virtual reality to better understand lives of the children they care for

Carers will see immersive films showing what the children have been through and how it's affected them

Author: Sian RochePublished 31st Oct 2023

Foster carers in Norfolk are being trained using virtual reality to help them gain a better understanding of the lives of the children they care for.

Norfolk County Council says it's invested in the headsets as part of the increased training and support offered to foster carers introduced in the last year.

The immersive films place carers in the child’s shoes, showing what they have been through and how this has affected them - from the child’s perspective.

The sets are used in carers’ support groups and individual sessions.

It's also hoped they'll help carers understand brain development, the impact of trauma and the experience of children who have autism.

Cllr Penny Carpenter, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services at Norfolk County Council, said: “Foster carers offer love, care and empathy to some of our most vulnerable children, which is why it’s so important that we give them all of the training and support they need to really understand the experiences of the children they look after.

“The virtual reality training is just one of the ways we’re helping to support relationships between carers and their children and young people.

"We also have specialist teams offering therapy, one to one and group support.

"We know that fostering is both a rewarding and challenging experience and we want to make sure that we are doing everything we can to support our carers, so that they can provide the best care for our children.”

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