Simply Fostering Application Service
It’s an agency jungle out there.
Come join the fostering family!

UK FOSTERING APPLICATION SERVICE

Together we can make a difference – See what we can do for you.

Dear potential foster carer
Thank you for visiting us and being interested in the welfare of children. We hope we are encouraging everyone to find out more about what fostering is and how it could change people’s lives.
Read on for more information or contact us today if it’s the right time to take the next step and we’ll help you to get the best possible start.
Our no obligation, Fostering Application Service is completely free and confidential.
If you complete our enquiry form you will receive our Simply Foster Care Handbook, a comprehensive A to Z guide, which is yours to keep,
kind regards
The Simply Fostering Team.

Simply Fostering

We are a free national information and application service for people interested in becoming foster carers. Find out if you should apply, what’s required to foster young and older children, and how we can help you to get the best start in the fostering process.

What we can do

We are qualified to help, we are registered independent social workers with over 30 years experience working in UK Fostering Services. Since 2008, we have been helping people to get it right first time. Watch our video about who we are and what we can do for you.

I’m new to foster care

Don’t worry, take some time to look around our comprehensive website which probably has more information in one place than any other online service in the UK.

There’s facts about choosing the best fostering agency, allowances, fostering babies, mother and babies, children, teenagers, refugees and children with special needs.

Our website will answer most, if not all of the questions people ask, which reduces any confusion, and helps towards deciding to take the next step. Any other questions, just ask!

If you find it’s right for you, take a minute to contact us, then download our free Handbook.

We’ll help you to find a suitable agency on our national Fostering Agency Membership Database, wherever you live in the UK.

Why should you come join us?

Watch our video about;

‘What Simply Fostering can do for you.’

I’m an approved carer, help!

Having problems with your agency or just thinking about a change?

Is this the right time to take the next step in the process?

Then use our free UK Start to Transfer Service!

We specialise in helping you with or without fostered children in placement.

As soon as you contact us, Ian will be in touch to explain your right of transfer.

Ian will answer any questions then if it’s agreed, he will act on your behalf to find you the best fostering agency for you and your family.

Contact Ian to start the discussion about how to improve your support, number of placements, respite, fees and allowances.

Testimonials

What people say to us

Hi Annette, a big thank you, we got approved last week and and we’re looking forward to having our first foster child who is coming soon. The agency we chose has been great and our social worker is lovely. Take care,
Simon and Jo

After filling in the form we were called by two local agencies who wanted to visit next day so we met them and chose ‘………’ because they could help us to foster even if I had to keep on working for a while,
Anika and Jay

Hi Ian, I want to say thank you for all you did to help me change my agency, I would not have been able to do it without your professional, honest and friendly help and advice,
Rose

About fostering children

Fostering children in the UK means giving a child or young person a safe and caring home for as long as it takes to fix the reason why they can’t live with their family. The child’s local authority is legally responsible for their safety, however if there are no in-house carers available, a request is made to the authority’s preferred local independent agency.

Independent (Private) fostering agencies recruit, assess, approve, train, supervise, support and review foster carers who care for children looked after by local authorities. Visit our page about fostering agencies to find out more.

Most of the children and young people who need looking after have been abused or are at risk of being abused and can’t continue living with their family. There are different types of fostering. Placements are usually short term and the child returns home or is placed with extended family.

There is also long term foster care for children who can’t return home for the foreseeable future. Younger children may be adopted, and teenagers will start the process of living independently.

After a comprehensive assessment adults become registered, approved foster carers classed as self employed for tax purposes, and contracted to work with their approving agency. The foster care approval sets out the type and categories of care carers can provide in their family home.

An approval is reviewed annually to look at any needs carers might have, what quality of service is being provided and the support available from the agency.

Independent (Private) agencies pay a basic fostering allowance of around £450 a week for each child or young person looked after. The allowance covers all day to day needs of fostered children and includes a reasonable reward element, or fee, which is often enough for people to consider foster caring full or part time.

Visit the Department for Education website for lots of information about the government guidelines about the assessments and approval process.

Simply Fostering Blog

A Less Ordinary Fostering Family

Rotas and pigs

16th April 2018/in Blogs /by Dan

Alice – Fostering Blog Friday. I am not sure why I thought getting pets for the children was a good idea – I guess I thought it would teach them about responsibility of looking after something. A couple of years ago I thought it would be a great idea to get the girls guinea pigs […]

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Simply Fostering Application Service