About Fostering

About fostering

Fostering is about providing a home for a child or young person who is unable to remain with their own family for any number of reasons. There are several different types of fostering which are designed to meet the varying needs of the children concerned:

• Long-term care
• Short term (or temporary) care
• Respite (or short break) care

Next steps

If you are interested in making a difference to a child’s life by becoming a foster carer please contact us.

How to foster

Can I become a Foster Carer?

• We welcome applications from people who are single, married or in steady relationships
• You can be of any age – over 21 years
• You could be working, retired or unemployed
• You could own your own house or rent. You will need a spare bedroom for the foster child
• You may be childless, have children who are grown up or children living at home
• The age and needs of your child/children will assist us in considering the type of fostering which would be most suitable for your family and the needs and ages of children to be placed
• We welcome applications from people of all ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds

Essential Qualities

• You genuinely like and enjoy being with children
• You have determination and commitment
• You appreciate that fostering will have an impact on your own children (if you have any) and your wider family
• You have a sense of humour
• You have the ability to ask for support
• You are flexible and able to make necessary changes

Please note: we will consider applications from smokers – subject to conditions which will be explained fully at time of application.

Support and training

We are dedicated to providing on-going support and training for our foster carers. We create an individual support and learning package which considers both the carers’ and the child’s wishes, feelings and needs.

We provide all foster carers with:

• A named, qualified and experienced social worker, who will support you and your family on an on-going basis, by regular visits and telephone contact
• A competitive fostering allowance which is reviewed annually
• Access to a 24 hour telephone support line, staffed by workers who know you and your children
• An on-going training programme in all aspects of fostering which can include an NVQ qualification relevant to your role
• On-going support groups – held in the evenings; with meetings, at the same time, for the YoungStars (foster and birth children of carers).
• Informal social events held throughout the year