Becoming
a Foster Carer
The process
Although it can initially appear
quite a lengthy process, we’re committed to ensuring that
the time from application to approval takes no more than 6 months.
As we’re sure you’ll understand, the reason it takes
this long is because vulnerable children and young people will be
coming to live in your home and we have to be 100% sure that they’ll
be safe, protected and well looked after.
You'll be asked to go through a process, during which your abilities
as a potential foster carer will be assessed. You'll need to show
that you have the skills required to care for other people's children
and that you understand how it feels for children to be separated
from their own families. These are generally the next steps:
1. A social worker will visit for an initial discussion with you
about foster care and provide you with details of the assessment
process.
2. You’ll complete a detailed application form about yourself
and other members of your household. This form gives us permission
to carry out a range of statutory checks including police checks.
3. We’ll carry out these checks to make sure that you've not
committed any offences that automatically disqualify you from fostering.
We’ll ask for proof of your identity (like a passport, birth
or marriage certificate) and will ask for you to have a health check
to show you don't have any major health problems.
4. You'll be invited to attend pre-approval training, where you'll
learn more about what's involved with fostering. This is also a
chance to meet other people who are going through the process and
to talk to experienced foster carers.
5. You will be allocated a social worker who will explain the skills
and qualities that foster carers need and how to demonstrate them
through practical examples of activities you're already involved
in, or through detailed conversations.
6. The social worker will arrange regular appointments to meet with
you and during these sessions you'll cover a range of subjects relating
to the needs, numbers and ages of children you could foster.
7. We take up your personal and employer reference.
8. All the information is pulled together by the social worker who
then writes a report outlining your skills, your future training
needs and areas where perhaps you need more help. You'll see the
social worker's report and if you disagree with it, you can make
your own comments in writing.
9. Then this report is presented to the fostering panel to enable
them to make a recommendation about your approval as a foster carer.
You will be invited to attend this meeting with your social worker.
10. The fostering panel recommends your approval as a foster carer.
If you are not approved the social worker will discuss the reasons
with you and the agency decision taker will write to you. Sometimes
it’s possible to re-apply in the future. When you are approved,
you’ll be given further information about training opportunities
and the name of your supervising social worker who will support
you as a foster carer.
11. A child or young person is placed with you. Their age and the
length of their stay depend on the type of fostering you're approved
for.
12. You'll need to be re-approved every year. Your approval is also
reviewed when there are significant changes in your circumstances
e.g. If you move house.
Six months may seem like a long time, but if you take all the right
steps and full advantage of the help and support that we have to
offer, you will eventually succeed. We know you can do it so embark
upon your journey of a lifetime - the rewards make the effort worthwhile.
Support
It’s not just children and young
people in foster care who need looking after. As a foster carer
you do too and, in Cheshire, we’re really proud of the high
levels of accessible support and encouragement that we offer you.
By providing you with a good support framework, we enable you to
develop new personal skills and concentrate on what you want to
do most – provide a high standard of care for the children
you look after.
What’s more, just as each child placed has their own social
worker, every foster carer has a supervising social worker to support
them too. You can also have access to other professionals such as
child psychologists, if you need to.
There are also support groups you can attend, where you’ll
meet and chat with other carers, some at the same stage as you,
others more experienced, and share ideas and concerns. If you want
advice outside normal working hours, there’s a carer support
line staffed by other carers or social workers available each evening
and weekend. However, sometimes you just need a break from caring
for a child for a while - be that a couple of hours, a weekend or
a week and if this is the case we can provide respite support or
care for you too.
Allowances
Caring for a child costs money. As
a foster carer we don’t expect you to stand the cost yourself,
you’ll be paid an allowance. This covers the daily costs of
looking after a child and is a rate recommended by government. Foster
carers receive an allowance for each child placed in their care.
Holiday, birthday and Christmas allowances are also paid and you'll
receive expenses covering other costs you may incur as a result
of looking after a child. What’s more there are generous tax
allowances for those who foster. You can also receive a fee for
the work you undertake as a foster carer. This fee is based upon
the skills you have as a carer. As a carer you can progress through
to different levels of fee; this is dependent on the training undertaken
and the skills you develop. If you already have relevant qualifications
when approved you may receive a higher rate of fee immediately.
Training
Pre-approval
Training
You’ll receive this during your assessment
period. It aims to provide you with the knowledge and information
you’ll need in order to gain a more realistic picture of what’s
involved in caring for children. It follows key modules and everyone
must complete this course before becoming an approved foster carer.
Induction training
Induction training offers newly approved
foster carers the opportunity to meet with key personnel, including
experienced foster carers within Cheshire. It also provides new
carers with information regarding services available, including
out of hours support and training opportunities. As part of your
induction you will be expected to complete the Children’s Workforce
Development Council (cwdc) Workbook, leading to a nationally recognised
certificate.
Further Training Opportunities
During the first two years of fostering,
you're expected to attend a number of other core training courses
designed to support your work. You’ll have a personal development
plan which detail your skills and lists the training that you and
we believe you would benefit from to improve your knowledge and
skills.
If you wish to, you could undertake
a National Vocational Qualification level 3 award in Health and
Social Care. This is arranged through the fostering service and
much of the other training undertaken e.g. core training will count
towards you achieving this qualification.
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