Accreditation

The NIS has a 100% track record of supporting sites through to accreditation and currently over 60% of UK TFCO sites are accredited.

Maintaining programme fidelity is extremely important for achieving the positive outcomes demonstrated by the TFCO evidence-base.  In order to ensure fidelity, all UK teams operating under the trademark TFCO or Treatment Foster Care Oregon must be in receipt of consultation from the National Implementation Service until the team becomes accredited with the model developers at Treatment Foster Consultants Incorporated, Oregon, USA.

Programme accreditation confirms that a TFCO team meets the programme standards and outcomes that have been demonstrated by the model developers in establishing the TFCO evidence-base. It is also recognition that the clinical team and foster carers are skilled and committed to the delivery of the TFCO programme.  Many TFCO teams use their accreditation as opportunity to celebrate the gold standard to which the team is operating but also to encourage neighbouring local authorities to spot purchase TFCO placements.

Timescales

It takes a minimum of 12 months for a TFCO team to become accredited, once the first children are placed.  However, the time scale is dependent on the number of children who successfully complete the TFCO programme, with a minimum number of 7 children having had to successfully complete the programme before a team is eligible to apply.  There are a further 6-9 Criteria that a TFCO team need to meet, depending on which TFCO programme they are running.

Initial accreditation is valid for a period of two years and subsequent accreditation renewals are valid for three-year periods. Weekly consultation with the NIS stops once a team is accredited, which represents a significant cost saving to a site.  An annual model fidelity review by the NIS is a requirement in order for accreditation to remain valid.