Frequently Asked Questions
What is fostering?
Fostering means providing care for a child (the term 'child' is used here to mean baby, child or young person) in your home while their own family cannot.
It's not the same as adoption which is a life-long commitment to bring up a child as your own.
Why do some children need foster care?
Children need foster care for a variety of reasons and come from a variety of backgrounds. Some families may be struggling to manage teenage behaviour while other parents could have health problems that make caring too difficult.
Parents with disabled children often benefit from respite care.
The decision where the child will go is made by the child's social worker, after consulting the parents, when possible.
How long is the stay likely to be?
It depends on the circumstances.
It can be from just a day or two to a few weeks and most children return to their own family. Some children may need fostering for several months while the Courts make decisions about their future.
If you have no experience of fostering, you'll probably start with short-term care and move to longer stays after. Many carers choose to remain in short-term fostering.
Who can foster?
Almost everyone has the right to apply to be a foster carer. You can be single, cohabiting or married; you can be of any sexual orientation, have a high or a low income. You can be renting or buying your home and your home doesn't even have to be big, all that's required is that you have a spare bedroom for the foster child.
You can have your own children or grandchildren and there's no upper age limit, though it's usually best if you at least have experience of parenting, caring or working with children.
What really matters is that you have the time to devote to children who will have a variety of needs.
We need a wide range of people with different experiences of life to meet the different needs of the children we seek to place in foster care.
Are foster carers paid?
Yes. The Fostering Foundation pays its carers almost £400 per child, per week while they are in your care. In some circumstances the allowances may be bigger.
Can I expect any support?
Yes. The Fostering Foundation employs Field Managers who are all qualified Social Workers. One of their main jobs is to ensure that you get the help you need. We take pride in the quality of support we provide.
We operate a 24-hour phone line for emergencies or when you're facing issues you want to talk about immediately.
The Fostering Foundation also runs regular carer support groups which encourages you to meet in a group with your Field Manager to discuss anything you want to. It's a chance to meet, chat and discuss the issues you face with carers like yourself.
Children who are fostered have their own Local Authority Social Worker for their support. The social worker will also give you information about the child and visit the child and you regularly in your home.
Can I expect any training?
While a caring nature takes you a long way, training will help you prepare better for dealing with some of the more difficult situations you may encounter.
If you foster with us, you'll do the Skills To Foster course which will help you prepare for fostering and deal with the needs of children, their behaviour and working with their parents.
Once you are an approved foster carer, you will be able to access a full range of training workshops.
Interested?
If you'd like to find out more, you can contact us.
We'd be very happy to arrange an informal meeting at which we can tell you more about fostering and its rewards. You won't be committing yourself in any way.
We can also explain what The Fostering Foundation can do to help you with the fostering process.