What is Fostering?
Fostering involves children and young people being cared for by a person or people who are not members of their own birth family. Every foster carer’s journey is different, this is because the children and young people placed in foster care are from a diverse range of backgrounds and will display different behaviours depending upon their experiences.
Foster Carers play a vital role in providing a safe, secure and stable fostering environment for looked after children and young people. We provide training and support to our foster carers to ensure that children and young people receive a high quality of care and head towards a brighter future.
Can I Foster?
New Life fostering does not have fixed ideas about who makes a good foster carer. This is because all children have their own unique heritage, therefore, we are looking for foster carers from a wide range of backgrounds, races and religions, which are warm, caring and open to learning and have the time and patience to look after children and young people.
We accept applications from single people, same sex and cohabiting couples, as well as married couples. You do not need to own your own home or have your own children in order to become a foster carer.
We do have a few things we ask you to think about before you can make an application:
- Have a spare bedroom for the foster child
- Ability to write and speak English
- Able to pass a DBS and a medical check
- Have an understanding of the needs of children and young people;
see beyond their behaviours - A commitment to attend training and support groups
What will
I get paid?
Foster carers are classed as self-employed and earn a weekly allowance for each child or young person they look after. General household expenses, food, clothing, mileage, school meals and any other items or outings required to look after a foster child. The payment takes into account the fact that foster care for children cost more than caring for birth children.
The amount of allowance paid depends on:
The type of care and needs of the child / young person
The age of the child or young person
Duration of placement required
On average, IFA’s pay a basic weekly fostering allowance and fee ranging from £399 to £650 per week. Information will be provided during the home visit which will explain allowances and tax implications in further detail.
The process of
becoming a carer?
This can be done in two ways:
- Completing our online enquiry form
- Calling us on 0121 359 8811
This is normally a brief discussion on the fostering process, suitability and if we are right for you. At which point we will arrange a date and time to come see you in your home.
A qualified Social / Recruitment Worker will visit you in your home and talk to you about the process of transferring to another agency and why you should choose New Life Fostering as your first choice.
At this stage New Life Fostering Agency will ask potential carers to attend skills to fostering training, the training will be carried out by one of our many qualified trainers, this is a mandatory training for all applicants going through the assessment process.
You will now be ready to undertake the final assessment stage before you can be approved to become a foster carer, this is where a social worker will complete a report called a Form F in partnership with you and your family. Our Assessors are all experienced and trained and will be able to support you through the process. The Form F usually takes approximately 4 – 6 months to complete with birth children, referees and household members all included in the process.
The fostering panel is a group of professionals who have experience working with children and fostering families. We will invite you to meet the fostering panel, who will make a fostering recommendation based on your assessment and the welfare of children in placement. If all goes well, we will support you resigning for current fostering service, to move to new life fostering.
How will fostering affect my family?
Fostering a child is often a long term and serious commitment by all members of the family and/or everyone you live with. Therefore, as part of the Assessment Process your whole family will assessed when you apply. There is no doubt that family life will change when you foster. Our professional team, will during the assessment process, explain and help you understand the potential changes you may need to make, and guidance on how to make fostering a positive and rewarding experience.
Children placed with your family
It can be hard to imagine just what it must feel like to move into a new home, with people you don’t know, but who know each other so well. Imagine being asked to stay with people you’ve never met before at short notice? Or having a very little choice about where you’re going to stay. You’d probably feel very upset or worried at what was happening to you. Yet this is the reality for many foster children, who often have very little say in where they end up living.
There can also be a feeling that you know everything about them but they know very little about you. Your ‘Welcome Books’ are such an important source of information about you and your family as well as providing some practical information about the local area and your home. New Life Fostering wants you to look forward to and enjoy welcoming the new family addition into your home. If in the first few days you are worried or concerned about anything, please don’t hesitate to let your Supervising Social Worker know and you can talk through issues.
Testimonials
Contact us
West Midlands Office
Charter House, 848 Tyburn Road
Erdington, Birmingham, B24 9NT
Phone
0121 359 8811
