All About Fostering
What is Fostering?
Foster careers and families, care for children and young people living with them when the children or young people are unable to live with their birth families.
Fostering provides a safe and caring family space for children and young people to find security, understanding and support.
Foster Carers provide a family home enviroment whilst being trained to be able to support individual experiences with truma and attachment.
Why foster?
Young people of all ages, from babies to teenagers need stable, safe and nurturing environments to grow up in.
This is the next generation, and we need to ensure that they have the best possible opportunities to access education, to grow and thrive in loving, supportive and understainding homes.
If you have the time, willingness patience, understanding, abillity to learn, study new skills to support children experiencing trauma and attachment, to provide a safe environment, you can make a genuine difference to improve the lives of children and young people.
Why are children Fostered?
Children and young people can enter foster care for many different reasons. Sometimes their birth parent may be struggling with illness, need some extra support or their home may not be safe.
Some children and young people are not able to return home and the local authority assumes the responsibility for the child or young person and finding a foster home for them to live with.
Other times, families just need a little time to resolve difficult situations and the children or young person need to be somewhere safe whilst they are.
Who can foster?
Lots of people and maybe you! Every child is different, so is every foster carer.
Each application will be assessed on it’s own merits but the minimum requirements are:
You are over 21.
Will commit to trainning.
Have the ability to learn new skills.
Have an understainding of technology/willingness to learn.
You are in good health.
There are many myths and misconceptions abiut who can and can’t foster, we welcome applications from people from all walks of life.
If you have read this far, why not get in touch an we can advise you further.
If you would like to know more about fostering, please call 01745 421669.
Types of Fostering?
There are several different forms of fostering from short to long term, emergency to planned respite/short break, or parent and child, for differing reasons.
If you would like to know more about the different types of foster care, please click here.
How do i become a Foster Carer?
Great! You are thinking about becoming a foster carer and start a journey that really does change lives; not just of the child but yours too.
The very first thing to do is to give us a call for a friendly and informal chat.We can answer any questions you may have and help to ease any fears or concerns. Alternatively use the Contact Form and we will get back to you at your convenience.
We will then arrange a home visit to talk in-depth about fostering. We will be honest with you. Fostering is not all sparkels and rainbows, it will be challenging and at times hard but we will support you.
If we then mutually agree to continue the assessment processes will begin.
To find out more go to How Do I Become A Foster Carer?