Young people may be in need of a foster home for all kinds of reasons. But almost all of them will be feeling confused, angry, betrayed, hurt, insecure or uncertain about their future. There are very many more teenagers than infants requiring foster homes, and typically it is boys more than girls that struggle the most to find secure long-term homes.
Your initial application to become a foster carer is the first step in the application and approval process, which can take around 4-6 months. As well as providing us with all the necessary information about yourself and your family the process also involves several meetings where we can discuss your application in depth, and your commitment to and expectations of fostering.
Unlike parenting your own children, as a Family Fostercare foster carer you never have to go it alone! Foster carers are part of the Family Fostercare team, and that team is there to provide not only the mandatory supervision required by the local authority but also to provide practical and emotional support for both foster carers and fostered children.
We know how hard foster carers work, and how much time and energy they devote to the children they care for, and we offer our carers generous allowances to reflect that. The allowance covers the child’s basic needs and includes something towards utilities and maintaining your home. It also includes a fee for the care you provide.
Despite our tireless work to spread the message about fostering, unhelpful myths still abound about fostering and who can foster children. So we thought it might be time for a little bit of myth busting. Here's Family Fostercare's answer to the Top 10 Fostering Myths!