Fostering in West Sussex

Children enter care for many different reasons, and every child has their own unique story. What they all need is a caring adult who can provide consistency, reassurance and a home where they feel secure. Foster carers play a vital role in helping children build confidence, develop positive relationships and believe in their future.

At Action for Children Fostering, we're looking for people throughout West Sussex who can offer a nurturing home and a commitment to helping children thrive. Whether you live in a coastal community, a market town or a rural area, your support could have a life-changing impact on a young person.

You don't need to have worked with children before or have previous fostering experience. With the right support, training and commitment, many people discover they have the qualities needed to become successful foster carers.

If you have a spare room and the desire to make a difference, fostering could be one of the most rewarding opportunities you'll ever undertake.

We know that fostering requires dedication, time and responsibility. That's why we provide financial support that allows foster carers to focus on providing the best possible care for children and young people.

Fostering payments are made up of a fee and an allowance. The allowance helps cover the everyday costs associated with caring for a child, such as food, clothing, travel, school activities and household expenses. The fee recognises the important role foster carers play in supporting children and helping them achieve positive outcomes.

The amount you receive will depend on the type of fostering you provide and the needs of the child placed with you. Additional financial support may also be available to help with important events, celebrations and other placement-related costs.

Our aim is to ensure foster carers feel financially supported throughout their fostering journey, allowing them to focus on creating positive experiences and opportunities for the children in their care.

By removing financial barriers wherever possible, we help foster carers concentrate on what matters most: building strong relationships and helping children flourish.

Fostering works best when carers feel supported, valued and confident in their role. That's why we provide a comprehensive support network to every foster carer.

From your initial enquiry through to approval and beyond, you'll have access to an experienced team that is committed to helping you succeed. Every foster carer is allocated a dedicated supervising social worker who provides advice, guidance and regular supervision.

We understand that every fostering household is different, so we tailor our support to meet your individual circumstances and the needs of the children in your care.

Support available includes:

• Dedicated support from a supervising social worker
• Regular supervision visits and guidance
• Foster carer support groups
• Opportunities to meet and learn from other carers
• Access to specialist advice and additional services
• Out-of-hours support when you need it most

Many foster carers find that talking with others who foster provides valuable reassurance and encouragement. Being able to share experiences and learn from one another helps build a strong and supportive fostering community.

Our goal is to ensure that no foster carer ever feels alone and that support is always available whenever it's needed.

We believe that well-supported foster carers provide the best outcomes for children. That's why training plays such an important role in our fostering service.

All training is provided free of charge and is available throughout your fostering journey. Whether you're new to fostering or have previous experience, our development programme is designed to help you build confidence and strengthen your skills.

Skills to Foster

This introductory course provides a solid foundation for fostering. It covers key topics including child development, attachment, communication, safeguarding and understanding the foster carer role.

Therapeutic Parenting

Many children who come into care have experienced trauma, loss or disruption. Therapeutic parenting training helps carers understand how these experiences affect behaviour and development while providing practical strategies for supporting children's emotional wellbeing.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding training focuses on helping carers understand how to promote children's safety, recognise risks and respond appropriately to concerns. It also covers online safety, health and wellbeing and current issues affecting young people.

Ongoing Learning and Development

Learning continues long after approval. We offer a range of additional training opportunities that allow foster carers to expand their knowledge, develop specialist skills and respond to the changing needs of children and young people.

Our commitment to ongoing development helps foster carers feel confident, capable and well prepared for the challenges and rewards of fostering.

Many people are surprised to discover that they could become a foster carer. Foster carers come from a wide variety of backgrounds, experiences and family situations.

Generally, if you're over 21, have a spare bedroom and have the right to live and work in the UK, you may be eligible to foster.

We welcome applications from:

• Single people and couples
• Parents and people without children
• Homeowners and tenants
• Working professionals and retired individuals
• People from all cultural, ethnic and faith backgrounds
• LGBTQ+ individuals and couples
• People with disabilities

There is no ideal foster carer profile. Children need different kinds of homes and positive adult role models who can support them through important stages of their lives.

The qualities we value most are patience, compassion, resilience and a genuine desire to help children feel safe and supported.

By becoming a foster carer in West Sussex, you could provide a child with stability, encouragement and the opportunity to build a brighter future.

Contact our West Sussex fostering team today to find out more about fostering and how we can support you every step of the way.