London and South East England

We find foster homes for children of all ages. The biggest need is for homes for children and young people aged 6 to 18.

The children and young people who need your care have been through tough times. Many have experienced abuse, neglect and trauma. They may need help managing their emotions and behaviours.

Where are we recruiting foster carers?

At Action for Children Fostering, we're recruiting foster carers across London and the South East of England to help more local children stay close to their families, schools and communities. We're particularly looking for people in:

London - including Camden, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith & Fulham, Islington, Kensington & Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth and Westminster. We also cover the Greater London Boroughs of Barking & Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton and Waltham Forest.
Dorset
East Anglia
Essex
Hampshire
Kent
East Sussex
West Sussex

Coverage Map

A map which shows the area which Action for Children Fostering covers for London and the South East.

Service details

Service Name:
Fostering South East - London, Kent
Fostering Wessex - Hampshire, West Sussex, Dorset
Service Type:
Fostering
Phone:
0845 200 5162
Email:
[email protected]

Statement of purpose

View our current service statement of purpose.

Types of fostering

Long-term fostering

This could last for many years and into adulthood.

Action for Children Fostering will be with you all the way, supporting you emotionally, financially and with regular training. We offer 24/7, year-round support with a dedicated, qualified social worker.

Many of our foster carers give children and young people a long term home until they’re ready to live on their own.

Some young people stay with their foster family into adulthood, whether they study or work. This is what we call “staying put”. We want children to feel part of a family.

Short breaks

We have carers who provide a short breaks service to children and young people with disabilities.

This service aims to offer a safe, positive home-from-home experience to children in which they can try new activities, develop their independence skills, and have fun in another family environment.

Caring for children and young people with disabilities is an incredible thing to do. As a short breaks carer, you will provide a safe and fun environment for children and young people with disabilities in your own home.

Each short break is for at least 24 hours, often two nights. These can be weekends, midweeks and school holidays. Some carers will do this as a full-time role. Others will do smaller chunks of short breaks.

Short break carers offer children with disabilities a safe, meaningful and enjoyable experience with another family.

They also help families get a much-needed break to recharge their batteries.

Action for Children Fostering will make sure that all of our short breaks carers are given the training and 24/7 support and advice they need to manage a child’s disability and health needs.

Parent and child

Typically lasting around three months, this type of fostering involves safeguarding and supporting babies and young children whose parents are unable to safely care for them without help.

The parent(s), who can be teenagers or adults ranging from 18 to 40+, live with you during this time, and care for the child under your observation and with your help.

This is a very different role from other types of fostering and is offered in only some of our services.

You receive additional training and support. Our current specialist carers have told us it can be extremely rewarding.

We’d be happy to talk to you if you wish to explore this further.

Siblings

Where possible we try to keep brothers and sisters together.

Sibling relationships, like all relationships, are complex. But it’s usually in the best interests of the child to stay with their siblings.

Many of our carers who foster siblings say how rewarding it is.

There’s nothing better than knowing you are keeping siblings together.

Giving them the opportunity to grow up together and have shared experiences. Helping them have that shared history.

Unaccompanied children and asylum seekers

Therapeutic fostering

Within a therapeutic foster home, our foster parents look after and provide a loving home for children and young people who have faced severe disruption, abuse or trauma. These young people are likely to have complex needs, attachment difficulties and challenging behaviours. Action for Children Fostering will provide you with access to our professionals in this field and all the training and support you will need to manage any situation that may arise.