Apply today, and do something amazing
Apply today, and do something amazing
If you have the space, time and patience, then we can give you all the training and support you need to foster.
Anyone who is interested in becoming a foster carer already has the key skill needed – a genuine desire to support a child.
All applications are welcomed
Your faith, ethnicity or culture, your sexuality, your age, or whether you already have children will not be a barrier to you applying – if you would like to help children in need, then we would like to hear from you.
Either room in your own bedroom for a child aged 0-2, or a spare room for children aged 3 and over.
Whether you live in a house or a flat doesn’t matter, but the property should be in your name – either owned or you as the tenant.
Ideally, each child or young person should have their own bedroom.
Babies up to the age of three can stay in your room in their own bed or cot.
Sometimes siblings can share, depending on their sex and age.
You will need to have availability to take the young person to appointments, family visits, school and other places essential to their development, as well as time to explore leisure activities, ensuring they get to have the learning and fun that all children deserve to experience.
It depends on individual circumstances.
For most types of foster care, we require at least one carer per household to be available at all times. However, we can discuss your personal circumstances and let you know if we can progress with your application, so please don’t be afraid to apply.
This rule does not apply to short break foster carers, who will often offer care for our children at weekends. Why not give us a call and we can discuss your individual circumstances?
No young person is the same, and they will all have had differing life experiences, and it can take time for them to settle into a new home.
Your role in helping them is to give them the time to settle and adapt, and the space for them to thrive and grow while making them feel wanted and welcome.
You will work with other people who play key parts in our child’s life.
Apart from meeting the child’s basic needs, like getting them to and from school, clothing and feeding them, and providing a secure home life with warmth, kindness and love, Foster Carers can expect to work with other people who play key parts in our child’s life.
Most important among these are the child’s family – you will have a vital role to play in ensuring children and their families stay in contact in a safe way.
Other people you might see regularly will include social workers, teachers, therapists and health professionals, too, although this list is not exhaustive.
Don’t be worried though, as working with others as part of a team is a key part of the role. You will be the lynchpin, ensuring everyone knows what is going on with the children you are caring for, and your role will be vital, and well respected.
Our children need compassion, kindness, understanding and love.
They need stable adults in their lives who can be there for them, at all times, no matter how they are feeling or what they are facing in life.
Our children will often have experienced adversity and will have learnt different coping strategies. They need to be given time and patience so they may learn how to settle and feel accepted in a new family environment.
You do not need to be married or live with someone to become a foster carer.
However, you will need to consider your support network. Who can you rely on for practical assistance?
Many of our foster carers are single, and will turn to their family, their friends or their community to offer them support. But equally do not worry if those in your network are not always available – we link our carers up with others who foster for us locally, so you will never feel on your own.