How Fostering People prepare new foster parents to foster successfully

When you first begin the process of fostering, things can feel overwhelming as you learn all of the roles and responsibilities which come with being a new foster parent.

Let’s explore some of the ways in which our team at Fostering People will create a bubble of support around your family and help prepare you to foster successfully.

Home Visits

When you first apply to become a foster parent, you’ll take part in a fostering assessment process. As part of your fostering assessment, a social worker will visit you 8-10 times across the span of a few months to really get to know you, your family dynamics, and to get to the heart of what it is that will make you a fantastic foster parent.

During this time you’ll be given all of the information you need and will have the opportunity to ask any and all questions which will arise as you prepare to foster.

Excellent Training

During your fostering assessment process you will take part in a 2-3 day training course, offered either in-person or online, where you’ll have the opportunity to learn from our experienced training staff and meet other soon-to-be foster parents. Once you’re approved to foster you will also take part in a range of mandatory courses including Health and Safety and First Aid.

We also offer our very own ‘Next Steps’ foster care training programme which will teach you a wide range of crucial information, including understanding attachment theory and how to use therapeutic parenting techniques.

The learning doesn’t have to stop there; as an approved foster parent you will also have access to our online learning platform where you can take part in a whole range of interesting courses, available as both e-learning and virtual sessions with a trainer. You can choose any topics which interest you or which will help you to support a child in your care, with topics including gaming and gambling awareness, supporting a child with an eating disorder, and understanding gangs and knife crime.

We understand that everyone has unique learning styles and preferences. To accommodate everyone’s unique needs, we also provide face-to-face training sessions at our local offices where foster parents can come together, build new relationships and share their experiences during our training sessions.

Preparing the whole family

We believe in building close-knit communities and strengthening family bonds, which is why we make an extra effort to support your children through the fostering assessment process and beyond. Becoming a fostering family can be a big transition for some children, who may deal with feelings of jealousy or loneliness if they aren’t given the proper support during each stage of fostering.

During your home visits, your Supervising Social Worker will take the time to get to know your own children and will support you in supporting them through this exciting time of change. We also have a range of online resources for children of foster parents, including our guide for children and young people whose parents are considering fostering.

Your Supervising Social Worker

As a new foster parent, you’ll be assigned a designated Supervising Social Worker who will work closely with you throughout your fostering journey, being by your side to provide you will all of the help and advice you’ll need.

“My main role is to supervise and support foster parents,” says Rob, one of our Supervising Social Workers. “I see my other main responsibility as being an advocate for the foster parents I work with, and even more so for the children they care for. It’s important to ensure that everyone’s needs are taken care of."

By developing a great working relationship with your Supervising Social Worker, you can help to build a fantastic network of support around the children you’ll be caring for.

Support from other foster parents

We have an incredible foster parent buddy scheme, where as a new foster parent you’ll be matched with an experienced foster parent in your area who can give you help and advice during your assessment process and your first few months of fostering.

We also host regular support groups, including ones designed specifically for newly approved foster parents, where you can share your experiences, learn together and make new friends. We also plan regular events throughout the year where the whole family can have fun while making new friends.

Ongoing support, whenever you need it

As a foster parent with us you’ll also benefit from a wide range of other support once you begin fostering, including:

• A generous fostering allowance
• Access to our discounts platform
• 24/7 phone line
• 14 days of optional respite per year
• Free membership to Fostertalk
• Learn more about the holistic support we offer to our foster parents.

Ready to begin your fostering journey?

We’d love to hear from you if you’re passionate about the idea of fostering. Give us a call on 0800 077 8159 or fill in our enquiry form to learn more about how you can begin making a difference.