Foster Care Fortnight 12 - 25 May 2008

Foster carers step in, sometimes as an emergency. Some offer long-term homes, some offering short respite care to assist families who are under pressure. Whilst they are paid for the work they do, obviously the emotional investment is priceless as it enables children to remain in family situations rather than having to go to a children’s home, which would be a likely alternative.

So how do you become a foster carer?

There are two ways. One is with a private fostering arrangement with the parents direct, the other is the more traditional way of being approved as a foster carer by your Local Authority.

The Local Authority, before it can approve people for fostering, undertake an assessment of the applicants. They carry out checks into the prospective foster carer(s) own arrangements and the accommodation that the child could be moving in to. Police checks are also done to ensure the safety of the child. Items covered include the foster carer(s) religious persuasion, race, cultural and linguistic background. Health checks will be carried out and two personal referees will need to be supplied and checked.

When the Local Authority are satisfied they give their approval. This approval may be limited for only certain ages of children. They may also limit the number of children to be fostered and will decide whether you foster on a long-term or short-term basis.

Foster carers are very important to the Local Authority in discharging its duty to keep children safe and to allow them to remain within the home. It is a full-time job – 24/7 – and whilst challenging can be extremely rewarding. It is also possible for foster carers, if they have children long-term, to consider whether they wish to adopt or apply for them to live with them permanently until the child reaches maturity.

The Fostering Network is a central national agency that promotes improvements in the quality and type of foster care available to children. Their aim is to bring together foster carers and fostering agencies to ensure that information is shared and that discussion and research continues into fostering to better the lives of the foster carers and the children who live with them. They also publish a wide variety of pamphlets and text on aspects of fostering to assist would-be foster carers.

For further information or advice contact Vanessa Priddis or visit www.fostering.net