Thinking about fostering?
Are you thinking about fostering and want to find out more or talk it through?
We welcome you to talk with us about any aspect of fostering, from how it works financially to what support and back up is provided. You can also speak directly with foster parents who are actively fostering with us now so you can find out first hand everything you need to know.
Fill out the form below or call us on 0800 019 11 65 to arrange and informal, no pressure discussion.
Why Foster?
Do you want to be part of children’s lives and make a difference to theirs?
If you are thinking about fostering you should know that Fostering a child can be challenging, but also a highly rewarding experience. Whether temporary or long-term, you’ll be giving a child a loving and nurturing home, which can make all the difference. Your life will never be the same – and neither will theirs.
Many foster children and young people have experienced difficult upbringings with inconsistent parenting and traumatic experiences or upheaval. Foster parents can give them the chance to grow up in a safe environment where they can focus on enjoying life and building a positive future.
Fostering will take you on a rewarding journey and you will be supported to look after the children throughout.
Read our Foster Parent’s blog to learn more about the fostering experience.

What you need to become a Foster Carer
Anyone over the age of 21 can apply to be considered as a Foster Carer. Our Foster Carers are as diverse as the children they look after. You can be single or married or be in a long-term stable relationship. You can own your own home, or you can rent.
However, you must have a spare room, so any foster child or young person placed with you has their own separate bedroom and space for themselves and to keep their personal possessions.
As you would expect, extensive references are undertaken in respect of all prospective foster carers, including police checks, but only certain serious criminal convictions will automatically disqualify you from becoming a Foster Carer.

Our role in supporting Foster Parents
Regional Foster Families is an independent fostering agency with a family feel. We provide safe, high-quality families for children and young people who are ‘looked after’ by local authorities. We pride ourselves on providing an environment which enables children and young people to fulfil their potential and live positive lives.
We’re passionate about providing the best outcomes for children and young people. We will be there every step of the way to support you in your journey as a Foster Carer. Our devoted teams have manageable workloads, so they can focus on helping our foster families and keeping everyone safe.
As a fostering agency we provide:
- Excellent Training (both online and Face to Face)
- A range of therapeutic and support services
- Regular support groups, family fun days and events so you can connect with other foster families
- Excellent pay and support package
- Holiday payments to help finance family holidays with foster children
- A mentor (another foster carer) can be allocated to our foster carers if needed for additional support
- Complimentary membership to the Fostering Network, which includes independent advice lines and legal insurance
- Individualised education programmes/courses available to help support children and young people’s development
- Access to specialist therapists and psychologists
- 24/7 out-of-hours support, 365 days of the year

How long does it take to get started?
As you would expect, references and checks are undertaken and training is provided to help ensure children and young people are kept safe.
A social worker will work with you to undertake a fostering assessment. This is known as a Form F fostering assessment. You can read more about this fostering assessment and approval process here. Rest assured, we will be with you every step of the way.
Most successful applicants can expect to be ready to start fostering within 8 to 10 weeks.

Is fostering financially Viable?
This is something everyone interested in becoming a foster parent will need to consider.
We have put together a page designed to give the important initial information. Click / touch the link below to find out more:
Regional Foster Families would love to hear from you!
Still thinking about fostering? If you would like to find out more about being a Foster Carer, fill out the form below. A friendly member of our social work team will be in touch. The contact from us to discuss fostering will be informal and there is no obligation or pressure to commit. It will give you an opportunity to talk it through, ask any questions and found out more about us.
For more information about Fostering and how to get started

