Fostering support
When deciding on your fostering agency there can be many considerations including your support, training you will receive, foster carer payments and the Ofsted rating of the fostering agency. You are looking for an agency that will provide a skilled and committed social worker, provide relevant and well delivery training and is rated “good” or “outstanding”. All fostering agencies are rated by Ofsted providing a clear indicator of their quality of care.
Do you need to live close to your fostering agency?
We live in an virtual world now with more contact through video calls, mobile and online interaction. However, spending time together face to face is important. There are challenges and issues in fostering that are best covered and discussed face to face together. For example, if you are exploring how best to deal with challenging behaviour for a child or young persons. Through meeting other foster carers, this can be a problem shared and understood together.
You therefore would want to be close to your fostering agency to travel and spend time with others. Your fostering agency can hold support groups, events and training together. At Beacon Fostering, we look to bring people together and talk through challenges together.
Training can also be better held together at a local location.
If you a placement challenge with a child or young person, you also want your social worker to be close by to visit, again making your support being local an important consideration.
How do I become a foster carer?
The steps to becoming a foster carer are involved but not a difficult as it may seem. The most important areas are having time, energy, commitment to children and a spare room.
It is your first step to know about fostering and that it is right for you overall. This can be covered at the first stage of your fostering process.
1. Enquiry and initial visit
You should start with learning about fostering, the types of children you would support and expected support levels. You can cover all the questions at the outset. Your fostering agency or local authority can visit you to discuss the application process, checks required, references and other requirements to become a foster carer. Each foster carer has to complete relevant training called “Skills to Foster” initially and then complete annual ongoing training. Safeguarding training is a key requirement.
Financial support is a consideration and discussing your foster carer payment levels. These are for your reward and also to cover the children’s allowances.
If you decide fostering is right for you, then you apply at the next step.
2. Application
You complete an application form to formally apply to become a foster carer. This covers your full personal details, employment history, family relationships, health areas and other relevant personal information. Your fostering agency will receive this and it is important that it is held on a confidential basis.
3. Assessment process
A skilled assessor will complete a “Form F’ assessment with you. This involves several meetings and time together to discuss your parenting experience, skills and it is an assessment overall of your suitability to foster. The assessment process is between 2 to 4 months overall. You can also explore fostering in more depth and discuss your expected approval terms. This includes the age of the children you would want to support and look after. Also the placement needs including complex, enhanced or unaccompanied asylum seeking young persons, parent and child, or large sibling groups.
4. Checks and references
Alongside your assessment, there are key safeguarding and personal checks. These include DBS, personal referees, medical and local authority. These are undertaken on a confidential basis by your fostering agency.
5. Skills to foster
This is targeted and focused training on fostering to prepare you to look after a child an and young person. It covers all the key areas across interactive sessions by a skilled and experiencer trainer. You can ask questions and discuss any specific areas also as you develop your fostering knowledge.
6. Panel attendance and representation
When your checks and assessment are complete, then you are ready to attend “panel”, this is with a small group of fostering professionals that representing your fostering agency. It is similar to an interview but in a friendly and engaging manner. Your fostering panel will explore with you around your reasons for fostering and any other questions together.
7. Decision as approved foster carers
The fostering panel arrive at a recommendation from their review of your fostering assessment and time together at panel. When recommended for “approval”, an independent decision maker will review this and then complete a final decision. You are then approved as foster carers! You can then start your fostering journey following a induction with your fostering agency. This first child or young person would only be placed with you when you are ready.
Fostering is a brilliant positive experience as you are helping other. The overall process takes between 3 to 6 months on average. At each step, you will receive excellent support and help.
Foster carers required
Foster carers are urgently required across all local areas across the North West. Beacon Fostering is recruiting in Manchester, Liverpool, Warrington, Preston and Blackpool. We are local in these areas and our team are from the North West also.