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

FGM stands for female genital mutilation and refers to the cutting or damaging of the female genitalia. It is a cultural practice experienced by millions of girls and women around the world. It is extremely traumatic and leads to a wide range of complications, both mental and physical.

It is illegal in the UK and in most countries in the world. However, many children around the world and in the UK still undergo FGM or are at risk of FGM. As a foster carer, you of course have a duty to safeguard your foster child from FGM and to report it if it has happened.

In this course, you will learn:
- What FGM is and who is at risk
- Why it happens
- What the short and long-term consequences of FGM can be
- How to spot the signs
- How to support a child who has experienced it or protect a child at risk of experiencing it