In short, almost anyone can apply to be assessed as a Foster Parent.
Although you must be over 21, there is no upper age limit. Neither your cultural background, marital status or disability play a part in determining whether you are suitable.
Things we must consider include:
- Your eligibility to work in the UK
- Your health, background and family lifestyle
- Your parenting skills and experience caring for children
- Your ability to provide a loving, caring and nurturing environment
Our application process is broken up into 3 stages: Application, Initial Home Visit, and the Fostering Assessment.
(1) Application
Contact us and we will send you an information pack and application form to take you to the next stage.
(2) Initial Home Visit
Once you’ve applied, we will call you arrange for a team member to visit you at home. They will look at your environment and will discuss the application and assessment process.
(3) Fostering Assessment
If both you and our supervising social worker think you’re suitable, we’ll write up a report and pass it on to the manager. If accepted, this is the start of the fostering assessment process. The process includes various checks and references and will require your attendance at preparatory training.
It depends on how flexible your employer is. Some of our foster parents continue to work. It is essential that you are available to our young people and you will need to attend meetings and training.
We pay our Foster Parents an agreed weekly rate, dependent upon your skills and experiences as well as the therapeutic needs of the young person.
You would be paid a weekly rate for each young person that you care for.
Your own dedicated Supervising Social Worker
Your own Empathic Listener
The children will have their own Child Support Worker
An attachment Therapist who facilities monthly Therapeutic Re-Parenting groups
Access to 1-to- 1 consultations with the Attachment Therapist
An extensive training programme
24 hours out of hours support
As a foster parent you are required to keep your skills and competences up to date. We provide training in local venues, on line webinars, on line courses and we offer our Foster Parents access to The Diploma in Therapeutic Parenting
No – But if you rent, you must tell your landlord you will be fostering. We will need to obtain a reference to evidence they are aware of your plan to foster.
There are some criminal convictions that would automatically cancel out an assessment, these include violent crimes and offences against children or vulnerable people.
Consideration will be given to other offences, this will depend on the type of offence, the circumstance of the offence and when it was committed.
We aim to complete the process between 4-8 months of your receiving application.
The transfer process is simple.
We will arrange a home visit to discuss the transfer answer any questions you may have.
If you wish to join us, you will need to notify your agency in writing with your intention to transfer. A meeting will be arranged between your current agency, us and any local authority who have children in your care.
Timescales will be discussed during the meeting to ensure there is no disruption to children’s stability. Finances will also be agreed at the meeting.
We are the only fostering agency in England that are using the ‘brand new’ TFA (Therapeutic Fostering Assessment) which makes the whole transferring agency process much quicker and easier.
Yes – Transferring agency is straightforward in most cases, and you have every right to do so.
The exact process will depend on who you’re currently approved with and whether or not you have any foster children in your care.
If you are considering transferring, please contact us for a confidential chat and to find out about our high levels of training and support.
Yes – Transferring is straightforward in most cases, and you have every right to do so.
The exact process will depend on whether or not you have any foster children in your care.
If you are considering transferring, please contact us for a confidential chat and to find out about our high levels of training and support.
The child will transfer over to True Fostering with you.
This is dependent upon the needs of the children you are caring for.
We can guarantee that you would not be financially penalised if you are transferring to True Fostering.
