Becoming a foster carer

Whatever your age, ethnicity or personal circumstances, fostering can be for you. It doesn't matter if you are a home owner, tenant, or on housing benefit.  As long as you can demonstrate that you have room for a child and can provide them with stability and safety, we will consider your application.

Who are we looking for?
We are looking for carers who can provide a child with a strong environment for them to grow and develop. You will need to make them feel comfortable in your home and their surroundings.

It's important to remember that we are not simply looking for people who have had straightforward lives. We will consider your family history sympathetically. We want to know how you have dealt with difficult experiences and what you have learned. Having survived and learned from difficulties or losses is likely to be helpful in fostering children and helping those who have had their own problems.

You need time, patience, tolerance and energy. You must be able to share your home and life with others, and there's no doubt that a sense of humour goes a long way.

If you feel that you have the time and space to provide a child with support and stability, and understand what fostering involves, then please contact us.

What happens next?
There are five steps to becoming a foster carer.

Step 1 - Attend an information meeting at Heron Cross House
Information meetings are a chance to find out more about fostering to see if it might be right for you and your family. You will be able to talk to fostering social workers and foster carers. Meetings are held monthly on the following dates:

• Thursday 27 November 3-5pm
• Wednesday 7 January 5-7pm
• Thursday 5 February 3-5pm
• Tuesday 10 March 5-7pm
• Thursday 16 April 12-2pm
• Thursday 21 May 5-7pm
• Tuesday 23 June 3-5pm

More dates will be arranged later in the year. Should you wish to come along to one of our information meetings, then please contact the Fostering Recruitment Team on 01782 234555 to book your place.

Step 2 - An initial visit by a social worker at your home
At the end of the meeting a social worker will ask if you would like to have an initial visit at your home. The social worker will talk with you in greater detail and in a more personal way about fostering and what it may mean for you and your family.

Step 3 -Attend the Skills to Foster pre-approval training
After the initial visit if you and the social worker agree that fostering is right for you, you will be invited to attend the Skills to Foster pre-approval training at Heron Cross House. This training will form part of your assessment.

Step 4 - An assessing social worker will complete a home assessment report
You will also be allocated a social worker to carry out your assessment. This social worker will be responsible for your Assessment Report and will be at hand for any questions that you may have throughout the process.

Your social worker will visit you and your family regularly on pre-arranged dates and times, over a period of approximately two to three months, in order to help you prepare for fostering by contributing to your assessment and completing a portfolio about you and your family. Your social worker will help and support your throughout your assessment.

Whilst the assessment is underway we will carry out checks with the Police, Department of Health, Children and Young People's Services (formerly Social Services), Housing, Education and the Probation Service.  As intimidating as this may sound, it's important to remember that our first responsibility is to make sure the children in our care are safe.

When all the home visits have been completed the social worker will write a report recommending whether you should or should not become an approved foster carer. You will have the opportunity to read the report and say whether you agree with it.

Step 5 - Report presented to the Fostering Panel
When all the checks are returned the report is then forwarded to the Fostering Panel for approval. You will be invited to attend a Fostering Panel, which is made up of several people - some from the Fostering Team, Social Care and a number of independent members. They'll decide whether to approve you as a foster carer and what ages and number of children or young people you can foster. The decision will also be sent to you in writing.
Once approved you will be allocated a supervising social worker who will support you in your role as a foster carer. 

The time it takes between step one and five is about five months depending on your circumstances.

Training and support
You will be offered on-going training and opportunities to meet other foster carers. We have a comprehensive training programme and all foster carers have regular training to make sure they have the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of the children in their care. You will be invited to take part in various training events and sessions to equip you with the right skills needed to help a child. 

Foster carers are able to access psychological support and advice from yellowhouse psychology team who provide emotional health services to our children in care. Carers may also be asked to be an important part of the therapeutic services offered to such children and young people. All yellowhouse services can be accessed directly by foster carers.

There are regular peer support groups for you to be in touch with other carers. The fostering service also arranges a fostering funday in the summer and a Christmas party, which are good fun and a great way to network and meet similar people like you.

A foster care association has recently been established and will also provide support to all fellow foster carers.

The rewards
Remember, fostering isn't all about giving - you can get so much out of the experience - one that can enrich the lives of everyone close to you. You will be making a difference to a child's life, often seeing their confidence and self-esteem grow.

You will receive a weekly allowance to cover the day-to-day expenses of caring for a child. You may also be entitled to additional payments under the Payments for Skills scheme.