Fostering

Information about becoming a foster carer (call us on freephone 0800 169 3497 for more information or an informal chat)

Foster care provides a stable and supportive home for children and young people at difficult times in their lives. Children of all ages may need temporary support.  

This can be for all sorts of reasons, including: 

• parents and social workers agree that a child would receive better care away from their birth family      
• social workers believe that a child is being abused      
• a child or young person has been in trouble with the police and needs extra support outside their family     
• a parent has died      
• a child is abandoned, or has come into the country as an unaccompanied asylum seeker      
• a parent is temporarily unable to care for their child, for example if they have to go in to hospital                                   

Some children may need to be looked after for just a night or two but others live with foster carers for several years. Some children will be able to return to their birth families, others will go on to be placed with a permanent adoptive family. 

Who can become a foster carer? 

All sorts of people make good foster carers. The children we support come from many different backgrounds and we need foster carers to reflect the diverse needs of these children. We encourage applications from people: 

• between 23 and 62 years old
• of all nationalities and from all cultural, religious and social backgrounds including those with a disability
• who have any language as their first language                                         

Do I need to have children of my own? 

No. You do not need to have your own children, but we will assess your parenting skills as part of the application process. We expect you to have some experience of caring for children and a good understanding of the energy and commitment you need to look after a child or young person.   

If you do have children, they will play an important role in making your foster child feel at home. 

If you do not have children of your own, you may like to consider one of our more demanding specialist schemes such as Remand fostering, Brighter futures or Treatment foster care, where you could make a positive difference to a young person's life.

Do I have to be married? 

No. We welcome applications from single people and from straight, gay or lesbian couples, whether married or not. If you are applying as a couple we will ask you about your relationship to try to ensure we place children in a stable environment. 

Do I have to live in Hammersmith & Fulham? 

You do not have to live in Hammersmith & Fulham, but must live within Greater London and be within easy reach of the borough. The child you are fostering may be at school here, and you will have to attend regular meetings and training at our offices.   

Do I have to be employed? 

It does not matter to us whether you are in full or part time work, or are unemployed. But we do need to be sure that you have the time to give a child. If you work full time you will not be able to foster a pre-school child. 

You will need to give time and energy to your foster child or children. You will also be required to attend meetings and training. You may therefore wish to speak to your employer about opportunities for flexible working before you start the application process. 

If you do not work you may also want to consider one of our more demanding specialist schemes such as Remand fostering, Brighter futures or Treatment foster care (see below), where you will earn higher allowances, and will gain experience and specialist training in working with young people.

Will I be paid? 

You will be given a fostering payment for yourself in recognition of the extra demands on you and your home. You will also receive an allowance for your foster child’s care. 

Do I have to have training before I can look after a child? 

Yes. You will have to attend training and evaluation sessions before you can be approved to foster a child. If you are making a joint application with a partner both of you have to attend these sessions. 

You will continue to be offered training while you are fostering and will have the opportunity to gain an NVQ level 3 to support your professional development. 

What about other types of foster care? 

There are many ways of supporting a child or young person. In Hammersmith & Fulham we have a wide range of specialist fostering schemes that may be suitable for you. Some of these are:

• Remand fostering
  Providing care in your own home for young people who have been in trouble with the police. A young person will stay with you for between three and eight weeks, during which time you may work with social workers, youth offending team, the police and courts.
  Because of the demands of remand foster care it is not suitable for people who work full time. 
  We also ask that you have experience of working with or caring for vulnerable young people. If you are single, we will ask you about your support network.   
  Remand fostering gives you the opportunity to work as part of a professional team who can help a young person to turn their life around. 
• PACT (parents and carers together)
  Occasional care in your own home for young people between 11 and 16 years old. This may be a regular, planned visit or an emergency overnight stay. 
  You will be matched with a family at risk of breaking down. The care you provide will give parents and teenagers a break from each other and can help families stay together.   
• Shared Care
  Support service for disabled children and their families. Carers are matched to a family to provide either daytime or overnight care in their own homes, or befriending in the community. This important service allows the parents of a disabled child to have a break or spend time with their other children. It also provides the child with opportunities to make friends and enjoy new experiences.     
• Fostering brothers and sisters  
  Suitable for people who are able to foster more than one child at a time, this scheme helps brothers and sisters stay together whilst in foster care.
• Brighter Futures scheme
  Suitable for people with professional experience working with children or young people, this scheme needs people who are not working and do not have children under 12 living with them.
• Treatment foster care
  Fostering children aged 10-16 who have emotional or behavioural difficulties, you will work closely with social workers and other professionals for a period of 9-12 months before the child moves onto permanent foster care or returns to their birth family.                     

What is permanent fostering? 

Some children may need to be looked after permanently without being legally adopted. This may be because they are unable to live with their birth family for practical reasons but wish to remain in close contact with their parents. In this case we would look for permanent foster care. This may not suit people looking to build a family through adoption. But it may be right for you if your own children have grown up and left home. 

I am interested in fostering, how do I find out more? 

You should call us on freephone 0800 169 3497.   

If you are interested in fostering we will take brief details from you and then arrange for a social worker to visit you at home. This is the first stage of the assessment process and gives you the opportunity to talk to us about what is involved. It also gives us a chance to find out more about what you can offer a child or young person.   

The whole process, from when you first contact us, to being approved to foster a child, usually takes about six months.