Why foster?
It’s really rewarding...talk to any of our foster carers and they’ll tell you that being a foster carer is a very rewarding and satisfying role. And for many it’s the best decision they have ever made, for them and their family. And
Help young people to get on the right path, and realise their potential. You could Being a foster carer can be challenging, but you can rely on Staffordshire County Council to be with you every step of the way. Our support and training is second to none, for you and your family.
Because every child deserves a loving and stable home, and it’s something that many people take for granted. Foster carers are needed for a number of different reasons, but always because the child can’t stay with their birth parents. But what they all have in common is that they need your support. Fostering means real joy, and a sense of family, and has a positive effect on everyone involved.
Because now could be the right time for you to pick up the phone and begin your journey. You might have been thinking it for a while. Or it could be a passing thought. Either way, if you think you can help a child make memories, pick up the phone and ring 0800 169 2061, or text ‘FOSTER’ to 60003 , and see if fostering is right for you.
Why foster for Staffordshire County Council?
Because it’s quicker Children who are taken into care are the responsibility of the county council . Fostering for us means that you’re more likely to be able to care for a child sooner than if you foster through in Independent Fostering Agency (IFA). We approach our own approved carers first, before talking to other agencies, because we have that personal relationship with the people that we have trained to be the best they can be. We’re a non-profit making organisation, unlike most IFAs, so our full focus is on the right carer for the right child.
Because the support you’ll receive is second to none Staffordshire County Council’s Fostering Service has been accredited as ‘Outstanding,’ because of the support and training given to our foster carers and their families. We’re really proud of our practical and emotional support, if we do say so ourselves. Start your training with us and you’ll have a mentor, an experienced foster carer, to speak to at any time, day or night. You’ll have a dedicated social worker to help you through the training process as quickly as possible, but without cutting corners. But then there’s the social aspect and the social support we pride ourselves on. We have regular events, award ceremonies, coffee mornings (support groups), fun days and experiences for our carers and their families. And of course, there’s specific support groups for your own children. They’re part of your decision to foster and will enjoy spending time with other young people and children in the same position.
Because you’re financially supported Most foster carers receive a professional allowance, money for the essentials such as beds and furniture, and an inflation-busting child allowance that is higher than central government’s recommendations. Staffordshire’s foster carers can now receive between £116and £609 per week per child in allowances, depending on the age of the child and experience level of the carer (the higher amount being for full time care of one child or for intensive specialist fostering schemes).
Because we offer different types of fostering that can fit around you.
You could be:
• looking after a disabled child once a month, to help give them new experiences and a break;
• caring for child for a couple of months until they are able to go home;
• supporting a child until they are ready to be independent.
• looking after a child in an emergency, when you’re an experienced foster carer