Why choose us?
Not only are we a not-for-profit charity, we are also experts in finding the best possible match between children and foster families.
What sets us apart most from other services is the way we work together with our carers, young people, and other professionals.
We promote positive working relationships and good connections between everyone. Relationships are built on clear, honest and respectful communication which is often key to the success of our fostering homes.
We offer a child centred approach that focuses on offering stable, loving, and secure fostering homes that will enhance children’s life chances.
As one of the oldest and largest registered charities in the UK we do not profit from any of our fostering services. We provide 24/7, year-round professional support tailored to the needs of our foster families.
Children in care and young people can be at risk of sexual and other forms of exploitation. We give them the intensive professional support they need in a safe, warm, and loving environment.
This includes social workers and - in many of our regions - clinical psychologists, therapeutic practitioners and nurses. We will create an annual training plan for all our foster carers to make sure they're fully equipped to care for their young person.
Action for Children Fostering is dedicated to finding safe and loving homes for our cared for children.
Action for Children Fostering welcomes all potential foster carers no matter what their sexual orientation, gender, or identity. It’s really important that our foster carers reflect current, diverse family structures in society.
We recognise that being a foster carer is a huge commitment. It’s a life-changing vocation and a role beyond the 9-5. We value our foster carers and look after them so that they can look after the children who need them.
As an Action for Children foster carer you will receive tailored support year-round to care for a child or young person. From support groups and regular training to fun activities for the whole family.
As an Action for Children foster carer you'll benefit from tailored training throughout your fostering journey.
We work jointly with local authorities to provide therapeutic counselling for the young people who have come into the care system. We protect and support children and young people by providing practical and emotional care and support. We strive to ensure their voices are heard and campaign to bring lasting improvements to their lives.
Our therapeutic approach aims to build supportive homes for children who have experienced trauma and loss.
The training was excellent and really helped. After we got approved, we attended a support group once a month - it was invaluable. The best thing is that the social worker is always at the other end of the phone. Action for Children themselves are like a big family; we know all of them and they know all of us.
Action for Children foster carer
We have dedicated services located in the north, north-west, south-west and south-east of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales so you will be able to speak confidentially to a fostering professional local to you.
We provide foster care for short term, long term, parent & child, planned breaks, short breaks for children with disabilities, siblings, caring into adulthood and unaccompanied children and young people seeking asylum. To find out more about the services available in your region, visit our regional services page.
We have teams across the UK so you will be able to speak, confidentially, to a fostering professional local to you.
Action for Children Fostering provides carers a competitive, weekly fee and allowance. This ranges from £370-£700, depending on your location and the type of fostering that you do.
For more information, please contact your local service or download the fees and allowances leaflet for your region.
We want you to know that you can afford to care for a child. Being a foster carer is skilled and dedicated work.
Children and young people need fostering for many different reasons. Many of the children in our care have experienced trauma in their childhood. This could be due to abuse, neglect, or exploitation. They need a lot of love and support.
- Always putting children and young people first.
- Making sure that children and young people are protected from harm.
- Encouraging children and young people to maintain and develop family contacts and friendships.
- Making sure that children and young people have a say in decisions related to their care and plans for their future.
- Ensuring that our services recognise and address individual needs and value differences related to culture, disability, gender, ethnicity, language, religion, and sexuality.
- Making sure the identity and self-esteem of young people is valued and promoted. Ensuring that their ethnicity, culture, and religious background is accurately recorded, understood, respected and preserved and that they are supported and encouraged to develop skills to deal with all forms of discrimination.
- Ensuring that children and young people with any disabilities receive services that maximise their potential and that they are able to lead as full a life as possible.
- Listening to the views of children, young people, their families, foster carers, short break carers and staff to help us plan and run better services.
- A safe, welcoming and inclusive service that will value, respect and listen to you regardless of your sexual orientation, race, gender, gender identity, disability, age, religion or belief, or community background.
- Equal opportunity to any training and personal and professional support to help you develop your caring skills.
- Support and guidance to help you challenge any discrimination, prejudice, bullying, harassment, or victimisation.
We work with children and young people to make sure they have the best experience possible when they move to a new home.
Here are just a few of the many "happy times" stories that Action for Children Fostering is proud to have been involved with.
