EVERY CHILD MATTERS Fostering
Categories of foster care:
Becoming a foster carer
An introduction to Fostering Anyone can apply to be a foster carer, so long as they have the qualities needed to look after children who cannot live with their parents. There is no maximum age limit for being a foster carer. You can be a foster carer...
• whether you have your own children or not • if you are single, married or living with a partner • if you are in or out of work • whether you live in your own home or rent • whatever your race, religion or sexuality • Applying to become a foster carer If you are interested in becoming a foster carer, the first thing you should do is contact your local fostering service (either the social services department of your local council or an independent fostering agency) and arrange a meeting. They will explain what fostering involves and will help you decide whether you are right for fostering. Once it has been decided you are suitable to become a foster carer, the Criminal Records Bureau will check that you have not committed an offence which would exclude you from fostering. You will also have a health check, to rule out any health problems. A social worker will then help you fill in an application form and you will be asked to attend a group preparation session with other people who are applying. Finally your application will be sent to an independent fostering panel, which will recommend whether or not you can become a foster carer. This can take up to six months.
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Emergency: When children need somewhere safe to stay for a few nights. Short-term: When carers look after children for a few weeks or months, while plans are made for the child’s future. Short breaks: When disabled children, children with special needs or children with behavioural difficulties regularly stay for a short time with a family, so that their parents or usual foster carers can have a break. Remand: When young people are remanded by a court to the care of a specially trained foster carer. Long-term: Not all children who need to permanently live away from their birth family want to be adopted, so instead they go into long-term foster care until they are adults. ‘Family and friends’ or ‘kinship’: A child who is the responsibility of the local authority goes to live with someone they already know, which usually means family members such as grandparents, aunts and uncles or their brother or sister. Specialist therapeutic: For children and young people with very complex needs and/or challenging behaviour.
Support and training
All foster carers are reviewed every year and receive any training that’s needed to ensure they are suitable to continue fostering. They are also given a supervising social worker who visits on a regular basis to offer advice and support for foster carers and their families. The advice line ‘Fosterline’ provides information and advice for foster carers and people thinking about becoming foster carers. Subjects covered include: allegations of abuse, benefits, training, breakdown of foster placements, and legal matters relating to fostering. Freephone number is 0800 040 767 or email fosterline@fostering.net.
Do foster carers get paid?
All foster carers should get a minimum allowance to cover the cost of caring for a child in their home. The actual allowance that a foster carer receives will depend on a number of factors, in particular the specific needs of an individual child. Some carers may also get paid in recognition of their skills, commitment or time. Fostering agencies may make one payment to cover both of these.
Do foster carers get a pension?
Foster carers are entitled to a scheme called Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP), which helps them to get a basic State Pension. This is because their opportunities to do paid work are limited while they are foster caring. From 2010, HRP will be replaced by weekly credits for parents and carers (including foster carers). These will count towards basic State Pension and additional State Pension. If you reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2010, any years of Home Responsibilities protection you received will be converted to credits. For more information see www.direct.gov.uk.