Fostering in Darlington

When children are unable to remain with their birth families, foster carers play a vital role in helping them feel secure and valued. A caring foster home can provide the structure, reassurance and positive relationships that help children develop confidence and look toward the future with optimism.

At Action for Children Fostering, we're looking for foster carers throughout Darlington who can offer patience, understanding and a commitment to helping children thrive. Whether you live in the town centre or a surrounding community, your support could make a lasting difference to a local child's life.

You don't need previous fostering experience or professional qualifications to become a foster carer. What matters most is your ability to provide a nurturing environment where a child can feel safe, respected and encouraged.

If you have a spare room and a desire to positively impact a young person's future, we'd love to hear from you.

We understand that fostering is an important commitment that requires time, energy and dedication. That's why we provide fostering fees and allowances designed to support carers while they provide high-quality care.

Fostering payments are made up of two parts. The allowance helps cover the everyday costs of caring for a child, including food, clothing, travel and day-to-day living expenses. The fee reflects the significant role foster carers play in helping children achieve positive outcomes.

The amount paid varies depending on the type of fostering you undertake and the needs of the child placed with you. Additional financial support may also be available for educational activities, celebrations, holidays and other opportunities that support a child's development.

Our goal is to ensure foster carers feel financially supported so they can concentrate on creating positive experiences and helping children reach their potential.

With practical support in place, foster carers can focus on what matters most: providing stability, care and encouragement.

Fostering is a journey that should never be undertaken alone. That's why we provide comprehensive support to help foster carers feel confident and supported throughout their role.

Every foster carer receives dedicated support from a supervising social worker who will provide regular guidance, practical advice and professional supervision. We build strong relationships with our carers and work closely with them to ensure they have the support they need.

We also understand the value of connecting with other foster carers who understand the realities of fostering.

Support available includes:

• A dedicated supervising social worker
• Regular supervision and support visits
• Foster carer support groups
• Opportunities to network with other carers
• Access to specialist advice and services
• Out-of-hours support when needed

Many of our carers tell us that meeting and learning from fellow foster carers is one of the most valuable aspects of fostering. Sharing experiences and gaining different perspectives can help build both confidence and resilience.

Our aim is to ensure foster carers feel fully supported, informed and appreciated throughout their fostering journey.

Providing children with the best possible care starts with having the right knowledge and skills. That's why we offer a comprehensive programme of training and development for all foster carers.

All training is provided free of charge and begins before approval. Learning continues throughout your fostering career, helping you adapt to the changing needs of children and develop your confidence as a foster carer.

Skills to Foster

This introductory programme provides a detailed understanding of the fostering role, covering child development, attachment, communication, safeguarding and the responsibilities involved in caring for children and young people.

Therapeutic Parenting

Many children entering care have experienced trauma or disruption. Therapeutic parenting training helps carers understand how these experiences affect behaviour and development while providing practical approaches for building trust and emotional security.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding training explores child protection, health and wellbeing, online safety and recognising risks that may affect children and young people.

Continuous Development

As your fostering experience grows, you'll have access to ongoing training and learning opportunities that help you develop specialist knowledge and respond confidently to a wide variety of situations.

Our training programme is designed to help foster carers provide safe, nurturing and supportive homes where children can thrive.

Many people who would make excellent foster carers never consider fostering because they assume they won't meet the requirements. In reality, foster carers come from a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences.

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 become a foster carer.

We welcome enquiries from:

• Single people
• Couples and partners
• Parents and non-parents
• Homeowners and tenants
• Working professionals
• Retired individuals
• People from all cultural, ethnic and faith backgrounds
• Members of the LGBTQ+ community
• People living with disabilities

There is no "ideal" foster carer. Children benefit from a diverse range of carers, experiences and family environments.

The qualities we look for most are patience, empathy, reliability and a genuine commitment to helping children feel safe and supported.

By becoming a foster carer in Darlington, you could provide a child with the security, encouragement and opportunities they need to build confidence and create a brighter future.

Contact our Darlington fostering team today to find out more about becoming a foster carer and the support available to help you begin your fostering journey.