Learning Outcomes
- Build self-awareness and resilience
- Apply ethical principles in care
Developing Self-Awareness
Taking stock of one's emotional responses, biases, communication filters and mental models surrounding situations provides the seeds for self-regulated collaborative conduct - be it through journaling reflections eliciting transparency with trusted peers or mindfulness practice centred on equanimity during turbulence.
Managing energy and attention also builds endurance against fatigue, information overload, burnout and self-doubt.
Upholding Ethical Standards
Self-leadership in foster care context demands upholding moral integrity above convenience or assumed wisdom. This translates to exhibiting loyalty specifically towards furthering children’s interests in securing support needed rather than becoming side-tracked by short-term expediencies promising control which may undermine child welfare.
It also warrants unbiased objective truth seeking through evidence gathering to inform care decisions which are aligned with facts, as opposed to preconceived notions of risks, judgements and/or disservices. It necessitates cultural sensitivity practices embracing equality during evaluations, so children’s individuality and uniqueness is addressed through customisation, against one-size-fits-all approaches.
It's all about putting the well-being and needs of children first, responding to situations with care, and ensuring their rights are respected. This kind of leadership goes beyond just following a checklist; it focuses on making principled changes that truly benefit children and bring about positive transformation.