Fostering gives children a safe and secure family home.

What does it mean to foster a child?

At present there are over 9,000 foster carers needed throughout the UK to provide stable family homes for children not able to live with their own families.  A significant number of children in the care of the Local Authority live with foster families. Fostering is a way to offer children and young people safety and security within a nurturing, loving family home.
Fostering is often a temporary arrangement and children eventually return to their own families. However, for those children who cannot return to their families; long term foster placements are invaluable. Foster carers look after children within their own families and are considered child care experts who work alongside other professionals to ensure children and young people are provided with the highest standards of care.
Many of the children who come into foster care have experience a great deal of upheaval and trauma in their lives and this may show itself as challenging behaviour, misuse of drink/drugs or self harm. Despite the problems they have experienced within their birth family they can find settling into a foster placement quite difficult. They will need support, patience and understanding whilst they settle. Fostering teenagers and children who have experienced great upheaval will not be an easy career choice but it can be extremely rewarding.
As a foster carer you are able to choose the level of service you provide. For example; you may initially wish to offer weekend or respite foster care. You may have had previous experience working with challenging young people and feel you are able to offer a foster placement to young people whose behaviours may be more demanding. You chose the service which is right for you and your family. To reflect the additional costs you will incur as a fostering family you will also be paid a foster carer salary which includes allowances to cover your foster child’s requirements and  a fee for your professional skills.

Why are children fostered?

There are many reasons children come into local authority care but often it is characterised by experiences of abuse or neglect within their family. Despite the difficulties they have experienced at home, children often feel a sense of powerlessness, anger and confusion at leaving their families. Their experiences may lead them to develop emotional or behavioural difficulties. But all foster children share a common need for a safe and supportive home. As a Foster Carer you could give a child a supportive family and stable home whilst their own families try to solve their difficulties with help from other professionals.
Children of all ages from 0-18 need foster placements. There are currently over 8,000 more children in local authority care than in 2007 and of these two fifths are aged 11-15. There is a desperate need to recruit foster carers throughout the UK who have the necessary skills to support these children to achieve their full potential.

If you have the time, patience and dedication, complete our application form and we will match your details with local agencies who meet your requirements.