Becoming a foster carer
Now more than ever, children across Scotland are in need of the love, care and support which can only come from being in a loving family home.
With a concerning decline in foster carers across Scotland in the past 5 years, we’re encouraging more people who are caring and passionate, just like you, to dive into the world of fostering and see just how incredible a difference you could make to the lives of children in Scotland.
Why do children need foster carers?
There are many reasons why a child may need the support of a foster family. Some children are taken into foster care due to a family crisis, such as the sudden illness or death of a caregiver. Other children will need a safe place to live due to facing abuse such as neglect or witnessing domestic violence in their family home.
Some children will need support only for a few nights, whereas others will live with their foster family until they reach adulthood. There are many types of fostering built to suit the individual needs of children in need of care.
Whatever the reason for a child coming into care, we’ll always be on hand to ensure that they are carefully matched with a loving foster carer family.
As a foster carer, you’ll receive excellent training and a generous fostering allowance to ensure that you can provide the children you welcome into your home with everything they need to thrive despite the challenging circumstances they’ve had to face.
A life-changing career
It takes a special kind of person to become a foster carer – someone who is selfless, patient and endlessly empathetic. You’ll need to be ready to open yourself up to welcoming a new member into your family, and to always put the children in your family first.
Fostering is open to everyone, and there’s no upper age limit. We welcome foster carers from all backgrounds, no matter your relationship status, sexuality, gender, cultural background or religious beliefs. There are just a few things you’ll need to be eligible to foster:
- You need a suitable spare bedroom
- You must be over the age of 21
- You have the right to stay and work in the UK
- You’re passionate about changing the lives of young people
If you meet the above foster care requirements, that’s fantastic news! Why not enquire with us today to learn more about your journey to becoming a foster parent?
‘Keeping the Promise’
We’re committed to delivering the foundations set out by Scotland’s Care Review, ‘Keeping the Promise‘, which aims to involve children in decisions made around their care, ensuring they can build meaningful relationships with the adults in their lives, supporting families to stay together wherever possible.
By ‘Keeping the Promise‘ , we can find the best outcomes for children and their families.
For me, the most rewarding part is seeing the children achieve. When they first come to you, often these children are quite broken, and to see them become happy children really makes you feel good.
What we can offer your family
Fostering is an incredibly diverse community, and a community which thrives on support for one another as carers and from us, your fostering agency. It’s our responsibility to take great care of you so that you can take great care of the children and young people you’ll welcome into your family.
As one of our valued foster carers, you’ll benefit from a wide range of ongoing support, including:
- Local support groups to meet other foster carers
- A tax-free fostering allowance designed to support you and the children you care for
- The chance to take part in excellent ongoing training on topics of your choice
- Your own dedicated supervising social worker
- Out-of-hours support whenever you need it via our 24/7 phoneline
- A bespoke matching process designed to ensure both you and the children you care for get the most out of your time in fostering
Support for your foster children
Children are at the heart of everything we do, and our excellent services for young people reflect that. Just some of the fantastic support we offer includes:
- As part of our dedication to ‘Keeping the Promise’, we’ll ensure that children are able to spend time with their biological families, including their parents and siblings, wherever it is safe and in their best interests.
- We have our own in-house education advisors to support children with their educational needs.
- Children can access therapeutic services to help them heal from the ongoing effects of living with trauma.
- Children and their foster families are encouraged to attend our exciting free family fun days, which include a wide range of activities from outdoor play sessions and creative workshops to seasonal celebrations and community fundraising events. to fundraising events.
- We also have an online Young Person’s Hub with age-appropriate blogs and advice, as well as a text chat where children can contact us if they need any support.
Support for your own children
Fostering is a family effort, and it’s vital to have your whole household on board for this new adventure. That’s why we’ll do all we can to ensure that your own children have a great fostering experience, including:
- Your children will have the opportunity to develop a great relationship with your family’s supervising social worker, who will take the time to get to know them and have regular check-ins to support them.
- We offer friendly training sessions on being part of a foster family, designed specially for the children of our foster carers. Your children are also welcome to come along for your training sessions while you take part in the fostering assessment process.
- Your children will be provided with many opportunities to meet other children from fostering families, both by getting involved in our family fun days and by attending our meet-ups for children whose parents foster.
Getting started – it’s as simple as 1,2,3!
Let’s take a look at how to get started on your journey to becoming a foster carer in Scotland, and how long it takes.
Step 1: Enquire with us
If you’re interested in fostering, your first step is to reach out to our team via 0800 098 4152 or by filling out our online enquiry form. This casual chat is a great chance to ask any questions you may have and learn if you might be a good fit to foster.
Step 2: Meet our team
If you’re right for fostering, we will arrange for a member of our team to visit you at your home. This visit can be either in-person or virtually via video call. During your time together, you’ll learn all about the ins and outs of fostering, and we’ll also take a look at your spare bedroom to make sure it’s suitable for a foster child.
Step 3: Apply to become a foster carer
If both you and our team agree that fostering is right for your family, you’ll be able to submit an application to foster! Once your application is accepted, it typically takes about 4-6 months for you to complete the assessment to become an approved foster carer. This assessment involves 8-10 home visits, some mandatory training and a range of background checks.
Just do it! There is nothing stopping you as long as you have the love in your heart to give a young person a safe and secure environment, it’s a fantastic opportunity and a fantastic thing to give a child a second chance.
Be the change for young people across Scotland
Have you got what it takes to become a foster carer? If you’re a compassionate person who values community, hard work and always being open to learning new things, we’d love to get to know you.
Speak with our team today to learn more about how you can change children’s lives for the better, or check out our fostering FAQ’s to learn more about becoming a foster carer in Scotland.
Speak to our team
Whether you’re ready to apply or just want to find out more, get in touch with us today
Enquiry
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