Frequently Asked Questions
In short, almost anyone can apply to be assessed as a Foster Parent.
Although you must be over 21, there is no upper age limit. Neither your cultural background, marital status or disability play a part in determining whether you are suitable.
Things we must consider include:
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Your eligibility to work in the UK
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Your health, background and family lifestyle
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Your parenting skills and experience caring for children
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Your ability to provide a loving, caring and nurturing environment
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Our application process is broken up into 3 stages: Application, Initial Home Visit, and the Fostering Assessment.
(1) Application
Contact us. We'll answer any questions you have and get you started with the assessment process.
(2) Initial Home Visit
Once you’ve applied, we will call you arrange for a team member to visit you at home. They will look at your environment and will discuss the application and assessment process.
(3) Fostering Assessment
If both you and our supervising social worker think you’re suitable, we’ll write up a report and pass it on to the manager. If accepted, this is the start of the fostering assessment process. The process includes various checks and references and will require your enrolment on preparatory training.
Yes. Some of our foster parents continue to work, although it is essential that you are available to our young people and you will need to attend meetings and training.
We pay our Foster Parents a very competitive weekly rate, dependent upon your skills and experiences.
You would be paid a weekly rate for each young person that you care for.
Your own dedicated Therapeutic Social Worker
Your own Empathic Listener
The children will have their own Child Support Worker
Sarah Dillon, our in-house Attachment Therapist who facilities monthly Therapeutic Re-Parenting groups
Direct access to 1-to-1 consultations with the Attachment Therapist
An extensive training programme
24 hours out of hours support
As a foster parent, you are required to keep your skills and competencies up to date. We provide monthly Professional Development Support Groups and training in local venues, online webinars, online courses and we offer our Foster Parents access to The Diploma in Therapeutic Parenting.
No – But if you rent, you must tell your landlord you will be fostering. We will need to obtain a reference to evidence they are aware of your plan to foster.
There are some criminal convictions that would automatically cancel out an assessment, these include violent crimes and offences against children or vulnerable people.
Consideration will be given to other offences, this will depend on the type of offence, the circumstance of the offence and when it was committed.
We aim to complete the process within 4-6 months (maxiumum) of receiving your initial enquiry.
Yes. Most people who join transfer from an agency or a local authority.
The process is straightforward, and you have every right to transfer.
The exact process will depend on who you’re currently approved with and whether or not you have any foster children in your care.
If you are considering transferring, please contact us for a confidential chat and to learn about our high-quality training and fantastic therapeutic support.
From there, we can arrange a home visit to discuss the transfer and answer any questions you may have.
If you wish to join us, you must notify your agency in writing of your intention to transfer. We will arrange a meeting between your current agency, us, and any local authority that has children in your care.
Timescales will be discussed during the meeting to ensure no disruption to children’s stability.
Finances will also be agreed at the meeting.
We are the only fostering agency in England using the ‘brand new’ TFA (Therapeutic Fostering Assessment), which makes the whole transferring agency process much quicker and easier.
Yes. Most people who join transfer from an agency or a local authority.
The process is straightforward, and you have every right to transfer.
The exact process will depend on who you’re currently approved with and whether or not you have any foster children in your care.
If you are considering transferring, please contact us for a confidential chat and to learn about our high-quality training and fantastic therapeutic support.
From there, we can arrange a home visit to discuss the transfer and answer any questions you may have.
If you wish to join us, you must notify your agency in writing of your intention to transfer. We will arrange a meeting between your current agency, us, and any local authority that has children in your care.
Timescales will be discussed during the meeting to ensure no disruption to children’s stability.
Finances will also be agreed at the meeting.
We are the only fostering agency in England using the ‘brand new’ TFA (Therapeutic Fostering Assessment), which makes the whole transferring agency process much quicker and easier.
Any children currently living with you will transfer over to True Fostering with you, and benefit from all the additional support we have to offer.
The stability and wellbeing of children is at the heart of everything we do, and that begins with the transfer process.
This is dependent upon the needs of the children you are caring for.
We can guarantee that you would not be financially penalised if you are transferring to True Fostering.