TOPS - Therapeutic Fostering
Who are TOPS?
Who are TOPS?
TOPS (Treatment Offering Placement Stability) are a treatment foster care team caring for 3 to 6 year olds. The team is made up of Health, Social Care and Early Years professionals, including specialist foster carers.
What does TOPS do?
The programme used by TOPS was developed in the USA in the 1980's. It is designed to help children to be successful in a range of settings, change negative behaviours and to develop the relationship and learning skills. The aim of this short-term programme is to help young children in care with complex needs to establish stability in their lives so that they are able to move on to a permanent family setting.
The TOPS team works with the children, their parents and carers to help the children to learn positive behaviours through detailed and individual behaviour management programmes. Foster carers are members of the team, making the programme work more effectively for the children. Placements are usually short-term lasting an estimated 6 to 9 months.
What kinds of children are in the TOPS programme?
These children are facing difficulties in all aspects of their lives, resulting from developmental delay. They need help to improve their emotional and learning skills and with managing their behaviour.
Contents of TOPS - Therapeutic Fostering
- Who are TOPS? (this page)
- TOPS Foster Carers
