What is fostering
Foster Carers, Parents, Social Workers, Fostering Agencies and Social Services all work together.
Although exceptions where siblings need to be kept together can be made, Foster Carers can look after up to three children at once.
If you have your own children, your Fostering Agency will consider them and recommend the number and age of fostered children you can look after.
What Does A Social Worker Do?
A Supervising Social Worker supports and guides a foster carer and when necessary, their family in aspects of their day to day foster care.
The Social Worker should develop a close working relationship with their group of foster carers so that honesty and open discussion is promoted based on mutual respect and understanding to help and enable foster carers to provide the best possible care.
The role of a supervising social worker should be a busy one!
Types of fostering
Learn more about the different types of placements.
ABOUT Fostering
- ‘Fostering is when children and young people who can’t live at home, are looked after by foster carers in a foster home. It’s usually a short term arrangement but can be long term if required. There are several different types of fostering placements.’
What are Foster Carers Responsibilities?
Foster carers are responsible for working closely with their Fostering Agency and Local Authorities, to provide a safe and nurturing family environment. Foster carers are usually expected to help fostered children to stay in contact with their own families.
Foster Carers are expected to advocate on behalf of foster children by supporting their educational, health and social wellbeing, managing their behaviour, keeping records, attending meetings and being an active part of a wider team, including developing your own skills.
As a UK foster carer, you will be able to decide the best types of placements suited to you and your family. Brothers and sisters who need to stay together, children with special needs, teenagers, asylum-seeking youngsters, and mothers and babies all need foster homes. Children who need foster care come from all backgrounds, and because of many different reasons.
What are the different approval terms?
An important part of a foster carer’s approval is the types of placements, including the age ranges, carers are allowed to take. The terms of approval include the categories or types of placements, which the Fostering Panel has recommended.
The terms of the carer’s approval, makes it clear for the carer, the agency and the Local Authorities. The terms of approval can be changed by the agency at any time by presenting the reasons to the Panel and/or the Agency Decision Maker who is the person in the agency who makes the final decisions.
Fostering Legislation
The main piece of legislation that affects children who are placed in foster care is the Children Act 1989, which says: There are also Fostering Services Regulations and Minimum National Standards, which govern how Local Authorities and Independent Fostering Agencies must work with children who are fostered and their birth families.
Affording to foster
Both private agencies and local authorities pay their carers fees and allowances for every child or teenager they foster. For many across the UK, fostering is their full-time job.
What is the need?
New carers
New carers are required for children and young people aged between 0 to 18, from a variety of different backgrounds and abilities. Across the UK there is an urgent need for over 8,000 more foster carers every year.
This shortage means that social services have fewer choices of foster carers, therefore children are often being moved around from home to home, have to be split up from their brothers and sisters, and have to live a long way from their family and friends.
UK Wide Fostering Network
If you live in the UK… We’ve got you covered.
We cover the length and breadth of the UK with our unique Agency Network. Finding an Agency near you and supporting your move into foster caring.
Free Fostering Essentials Handbook
By contacting us you are entitled to the Simply Fostering Essentials Handbook, a wall to wall guide to fostering.
An A-Z comprehensive guide to a range of useful fostering terms. Essential reading for any newbie foster carer. Includes subjects as varied as:
- Parental Responsibility
- Managing Behaviour
- Human Rights
- Reviews
- Eat Disorders