How Do I Become A Foster Carer?
Initial enquiry.
Whether you contact us via phone or email, your enquiry is where it all begins. The first step is small but sets you off on the journey to becoming a foster carer. all it takes is picking up the phone and giving us a call for an informal and friendly chat or pop into the office, we have an open-door policy, and the kettle is always on.
We can gather some initial details from you, get an overview of your situation and answer any questions you may have. We will then arrange a visit to your home.
We will talk you through the process and talk to you what being a foster parent is all about and what to expect; we are here to guide you every step of the way and fully support you along your journey.
The Process…
Home Visit.
Once we have had our initial conversation and you are happy that you wish to proceed, we can arrange to visit you at your home to meet you and your family.
It’s very important we get to know you and what you are looking for from this journey. There will be a number of visits and conversations from your supervising social worker to collate information about you and your life experiences.
They will want to speak about your health, family, work history and check your home is safe. Do you have pets, do you smoke? These do not prevent you from fostering but need to be taken into consideration.
Assessment.
Once all the required paperwork and checks are completed, your supervising social worker will complete an assessment of your information. We will invite you to our introduction to Fostering workshop, training and our coffee mornings.
Once your assessment has been completed we will then present it to a panel who will review your application and make recommendations to the decision maker. The decision maker will then decide if more information is needed or if they will approve your application based on the recommendations from the panel.
The process can take from 2 to 4 months.
Application form.
If you are happy to proceed, you will now fill out our application form. It includes an array of information such as your employment and education history, personal information, previous addresses, household information, etc.
Once this has been submitted, we will begin collecting references, start your DBS application, contact your children’s schools for an education reference and contacting the local authority for the relevant checks.
