Education and Child Matters

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Fostering

 

WHAT IS FOSTERING?

Fostering is the process of an individual(s) caring, looking after and bringing up a child as part of their family. The individual doing this is referred to as a foster carer. 

WHAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A FOSTER CARER?

Some of the responsibilities of a foster carer are:

  1. Day to day care of the child
  2. Support the child educational needs
  3. Care for the child’s health and well-being
  4. Support the child with their behaviour
  5. Support the child with their feelings
  6. Advocate for the child
  7. Keep records about the child
  8. Write reports concerning the child
  9. Attend training sessions
  10. Work as part of a wider team to look after the child. The wider team can include health professionals, social workers, the child’s birth family and the school.

WHO CAN BECOME A FOSTER CARER?

A person who meets the following criteria can become a foster carer:

  1. A person must be 21 years of age (in some cases a person of 18 years will be accepted).
  2. They must be a UK resident or have indefinite leave to remain in the UK
  3. Have the ability to take care of a child full time.
  4. A spare bedroom.

A foster carer can still work full time and be a foster carer. However, this will also depend upon the child that is fostered. 

 WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FOSTER CARE ARRANGEMENTS?

There are many different types of foster care arrangements:

  1. Short term fostering – This is looking after a child for a few weeks
  2. Long term fostering – This is looking after a child for a few years or until the child is 18 years of age.
  3. Emergency fostering – This is looking after a child for a few nights often with little notice.
  4. Specialist therapeutic fostering – This type of fostering is provided by a very experienced or trained foster carer. This type of care is for children with behavioural problems and complex issues and needs.
  5. Adoption fostering – This is looking after a baby or child with the aim of adopting them. 
  6. Remand fostering – This type of fostering is provided by an experienced or trained foster carer. This type of care is for children who have been remanded by a court.
  7. Short break fostering –  This type of fostering is provided by an experienced or trained foster carer. This type of care is for children with disabilities, special educational needs and behavioural problems when their parents or carers need a break.

WHAT ARE THE ROUTES FOR FOSTERING A CHILD?

The routes for fostering a child are:

  1. Through your local authority fostering agency
  2. Through an independent fostering agency.

The individual interested in foster care will need to send a completed application form to an agency and register with them. They can only register with one agency. After registration they will be required to attend a preparation course on fostering, pass an enhanced DBS check, everyone in their household will need to pass an enhanced DBS check, have a social worker make an assessment of them and their immediate family who live with them and then be reviewed by a panel. The panel will decide whether they can become a foster carer.

It can take 8 months to become a foster carer.

The fostering agency will send a qualifying determination letter informing the prospective foster carer if they have been approved or not.

WHAT IS A FOSTER CARER ASSESSMENT?

Part of the process for becoming a foster carer is an assessment. This will be carried out by a social worker. The social worker may visit the prospective foster carer at their home and have meetings with them at their offices. They will gather personal information about them and their family and about their circumstances. A detailed list is available if you click the link below.

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE FOR YOUR FOSTERING ASSESSMENT.

WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU ARE NOT APPROVED TO BECOME A FOSTER CARER?

If the application to become a foster carer is rejected then an appeal can be made to the independent review mechanism (IRM). 

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE FOR APPLYING FOR A REVIEW PANEL 

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE TO PREPARE FOR A REVIEW PANEL

WHAT IS FOSTER CARE ALLOWANCE? 

Foster care allowance is a weekly payment paid to look after the child.

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBPAGE FOR HELP WITH THE COST OF FOSTERING

WILL THE FOSTER CARER NEED TO REGISTER AS SELF EMPLOYED?

Yes they will and they will have to file annual tax returns. 

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE FOR REGISTER FOR SELF ASSESSMENT (SELF EMPLOYED)

You will also be able to claim tax exemptions and reliefs. 

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE FOR TAX ARRANGEMENTS FOR FOSTER CARERS

DOES THE GOVERNMENT HAVE A DEDICATED TELEPHONE LINE FOR ADVICE FOR FOSTER CARERS?

Yes they do. It is called fosterline and the telephone number is 0800 040 7675.

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE FOSTERLINE

DOES A FOSTER CARER GET PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CHILD?

The foster carer will not have parental responsibility for the child they foster. They can only make general day to day decisions for the child. 

The parental responsibility will remain with the parents and/or the individual(s) who have parental responsibility.

WHAT DOES A FOSTER CARER HAVE TO DO TO GET PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY  FOR A CHILD?

There are 3 ways a foster carer can get parental responsibility for a child they are looking after:

1. Apply for adoption

LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR DOMESTIC CHILD ADOPTION

2. Apply for special guardianship

LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR SPECIAL GUARDIANSHIP

3. Apply for a child arrangements order.

LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR CHILD ARRANGEMENTS AND PROCEEDINGS

Parental responsibility will allow a foster carer to apply for a passport for a child, make decisions about the child’s schooling, medical treatment and look after the child’s finances.