What is a Foster Carer?
A foster carer is a crucial role for adults wishing to help improve a child’s wellbeing and situation temporarily while there are issues with their birth family. There is much to learn and you may wish to find out before starting the process of becoming a carer.
Do I qualify?
Being a foster carer is not for everyone. There are many requirements, such as possessing a full driving licence (if you are situated outside of London). You must not have a serious criminal record and you must have a spare room and a safe home to house a child. However, contrary to popular belief, living in low-income housing, age and marital status will not affect your ability to become a foster carer.
Where can I learn more?
Learning how to become a foster carer isn’t a straightforward process but we can help you throughout your whole learning experience. We host many events in a wide range of locations where you can come and chat with our friendly team of professionals. Check the events page on our website to find the nearest event to you; we will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have about the role. You can check the events page on our website to find upcoming events near you!
Will I receive support?
Fostering is a fantastic experience, although not always easy; fostering will come with all sorts of challenges. You will need support from friends and family to help you throughout your time as a carer. You’ll also benefit from our out of hours service giving you access to a social worker and 24/7 support, 365 days a year.
Your journey as a carer will begin with training as you will be invited to a ‘Skills to Foster’ course. Here, you will learn about many aspects of fostering. You will also have access to a multitude of training workshops and opportunities to keep your knowledge up-to-date throughout your time as a foster carer.
Being a foster carer is no easy job. You are expected to be able to be there for the child wherever or whenever necessary.
At Nexus Fostering we offer a competitive allowance, as we truly understand the importance of being financially stable and being able to support your foster child. We also offer many bonuses such as extra payments for birthdays, holidays and festivities!
Where can I apply?
We fully understand that this is not a process to be rushed into. There are many questions we can answer on our FAQs page. For the questions you still may have, we have a team of experts eagerly waiting to assist you at our hotline (0800 389 0143). You can also fill out the online form on our website to apply to become a foster carer with us today. We look forward to hearing from you!