We often hear this! So we have put together some of the most frequently asked questions. They probably cover some of the things that you might be wondering about.

We have also added some of the things that our own Foster Carers have said about their experiences. We hope it will be of help to you!

And of course, if we haven’t covered all of your questions, then just give us a ring or drop us an e-mail. We will be happy to chat to you or put you in touch with one of our existing Carers who will be able to help you.

WHY DO WE NEED FOSTER CARERS?

“I think fostering is really about ordinary people doing something very special for kids who are not their own.”

Sadly, circumstances often arise that make it impossible for many Children and Young People to be cared for in their own homes or with their own families. When this happens their soicial workers often look for temporary Foster Placements as the best alternative means of caring for them. There can be many reasons why this becomes necessary, from a single parent going into hospital, right through to terrible episodes of abuse and neglect. Many of the Children and Young People will have experienced acute trauma or had little love in their lives. So they need love and patience and understanding to help them to settle into their new surroundings.

WHAT SORT OF PEOPLE ARE YOU LOOKING FOR TO BECOME FOSTER CARERS?

“We are just a plain everyday family sharing our very ordinary home with a needy teenager.”

Our Foster Carers come from all walks of life and there is no such thing as a typical Foster Carer. Some are married, some aren’t. Some have their own families, some don’t. Some own their own houses, some rent. Some are couples, some are single. And so on! But they do have some things in common. They are all committed to helping Children and Young People and they all have the patience, love and understanding to care for other parents’ children.

WOULD I BE A SUITABLE PERSON TO FOSTER?

“When we first enquired about fostering we were surprised that we didn’t need special qualifications or have to be well off.”

There are some obvious requirements. First, you would need to have the space in your own home for someone else to join you. And, of course, if you have a partner or or your own children living with you, they would all need to be happy to invite someone else into their own home and lives. You will also have to have appropriate time to care for and meet the demands of a Child, depending on the type of fostering that you would be interested in or suited to. Most importantly, you will have to have the personal qualities that good Foster Carers need. You must like Children, have a sense of fun, be patient, and very flexible. And above all, you must be able to cope with the big changes that having someone else sharing your home and life entails.

ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FOSTERING?

“Over the years I have been involved in a whole range of fostering. I’ve done short term, long term, respite care, had teenagers, worked with babies, had brothers and sisters, and at the moment we are caring for a young man with severe disabilities. I wouldn’t like to say which I have enjoyed most, it has all be so fulfilling.”

At Integrated Care we offer a whole range of Foster schemes and of course seek to match up the experience and home situation of a Foster Carer with an appropriate Child or Young Person. Sometimes placements are short term with a Child needing a home for a few nights or a number of weeks. We are also often looking for longer placements, sometimes for two or three years to give a Child a settled period of development and care.

We also look for more specialised placements for, perhaps, troubled teenagers, single mothers with their Babies, or children with disabilities. And we also provide what we call Specialist Placements or Sole Placements, where there is only one fostered Child in the home with the Foster Carers.

As an agency we also provide a type of Fostering called Respite Care where we place Children for up to two weeks to give existing Carers a break. This is often a good way for new Foster Carers to start off.

WHAT SORT OF FINANCIAL HELP WOULD I GET?

“My husband and I have been fostering for a few years now. I’m the primary carer and see it as my job. It fits in well with bringing up our own children, gives me a sense of purpose, and also helps with the family finances.”

Depending on the type of placement Foster Carers are bpaid a fee that covers the cost of looking after the Children in their care and for the caring work that they do. This is normally paid monthly. Typically this is about £335 per week and is paid straight into the Carer’s bank account. Obviously payments for Birthdays, Christmas, holidays etc are also taken care of by Integrated Care.

IS TRAINING PROVIDED FOR FOSTER CARERS?

“I thought the training course run by Integrated Care for new Carers was excellent. It wasn’t just fun and interesting, it was helpful.”

All new Carers do an initial, nationally recognised, training course called “Skills to Foster” which is designed by the National Foster Care Association. This is followed by ongoing training programmes and the opportunity to acquireNVQ qualifications in Foster Care. And of course there is the added benefit of contact with other Carers in your area who effectively provide a self help network. At Integrated Care we believe that it is important that you undertake training at the level and rate that you feel comfortable with.

WHAT SORT OF SUPPORT WOULD I GET?

“My wife and I know from experience how important support is. We switched to Integrated Care simply because of the much better levels of support that they provide.”

Support is all important in Fostering and in Integrated Care we try very hard to make good, understanding support for our Carers a feature of our service. Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Experienced Family Placement Managers are always available to provide more practical support and respite care according to the needs of each placement. We are always seeking to improve the levels of support for Carers and encourage suggestions to help make good support systems even better.

HOW DO I BECOME A FOSTER CARER?

“For us it all started with a phone call to Integrated Care. Although the vetting process took quite a few months, it was really interesting and thought provoking. It has all been very rewarding since then and we are glad that we followed up on our interest.”

Becoming a Foster Carer doesn’t happen overnight. There are many factors that have to be carefully considered and rigorous checking is required. It is also important that, as you get greater insight into what is involved in fostering, and the impact that it will have in your own life, that you are able to reflect upon the type of fostering that would be most suitable for you. You will be steered through this process by one of our experienced Family Placement Managers. The whole process can take up to six months. At the end of this your application will be brought to one of Integrated Care’s Fostering Panels for a final decision and approval.

THE NEXT STEP

If you are interested in becoming a Foster Carer or would just like some more information, please get in contact.

We’re looking forward to hearing from you!