Fostering in Southport

Every child's journey is different, but many children in care need the same things: someone who will listen, provide consistency and help them feel valued. Foster carers play an important role in supporting children through periods of change while helping them build confidence, independence and positive relationships.

At Action for Children Fostering, we're looking for foster carers throughout Southport who can provide local children with the support they need to thrive. Whether you live near the town centre, along the coast or in one of the surrounding communities, fostering gives you the opportunity to make a meaningful difference while helping children remain connected to familiar places and people.

You don't need specialist qualifications or previous fostering experience to get started. What matters most is your commitment to supporting children and your willingness to open your home to someone who needs care and stability.

If you're ready to explore a role that changes lives, we're here to support you every step of the way.

We know that fostering is a significant commitment, which is why we provide financial support that helps carers focus on meeting the needs of children and young people.

Our fostering payments include a weekly allowance and a fostering fee. The allowance helps cover day-to-day expenses such as food, clothing, travel and activities, while the fee recognises the dedication, skills and responsibility involved in being a foster carer.

The amount you receive will depend on the type of fostering you provide and the individual circumstances of the child placed with you. Additional support may also be available for educational resources, special occasions and activities that help children enjoy positive experiences and opportunities.

Our aim is to ensure foster carers feel supported financially so they can focus on creating a nurturing and stable environment.

By helping to reduce practical pressures, we enable carers to concentrate on helping children achieve positive outcomes and brighter futures.

We believe foster carers should always have someone they can turn to for advice, guidance and encouragement.

When you join Action for Children Fostering as a foster carer, you'll have access to a dedicated support network designed to help you succeed. Every foster carer is allocated a supervising social worker who provides ongoing supervision, practical support and professional guidance.

Support is tailored to your needs and delivered by a team that understands both the rewards and challenges that fostering can bring.

As a foster carer, you'll have access to:

• A dedicated supervising social worker
• Regular support and supervision sessions
• Foster carer discussion groups
• Opportunities to learn from experienced carers
• Specialist professional advice
• Emergency support outside normal working hours

Many foster carers tell us that sharing experiences with others in similar situations helps them feel more confident and supported.

Our goal is to ensure every foster carer feels connected to a wider community and well supported throughout their fostering journey.

Providing excellent care starts with having the right skills and understanding. That's why we offer comprehensive training before approval and throughout your fostering journey.

All training is free of charge and designed to help carers understand children's experiences, build confidence and develop effective fostering skills.

Skills to Foster

This introductory programme explores the fostering role and covers key topics such as child development, attachment, communication, safeguarding and understanding the needs of children in care.

Therapeutic Parenting

Many children entering care have experienced challenges that can affect their emotional wellbeing and behaviour. This training helps carers understand these experiences and develop supportive approaches that build trust and resilience.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding training covers child protection, online safety, emotional wellbeing and recognising potential risks that may affect children and young people.

Ongoing Learning

Learning continues long after approval. Foster carers can access additional training opportunities that support professional development, enhance confidence and help them respond effectively to different situations.

Our training programme is designed to ensure foster carers feel prepared, knowledgeable and supported in providing high-quality care.

One of the most common misconceptions about fostering is that only certain types of people can do it. In reality, foster carers come from many different backgrounds and life experiences.

Generally, you may be able to foster if you:

• Are over 21 years old
• Have a spare bedroom available
• Have the right to work and live in the UK
• Can provide a stable and supportive home

We welcome enquiries from:

• Single people
• Couples and partners
• Parents and people without children
• Homeowners and tenants
• Full-time employees
• Retired individuals
• People from all communities, cultures and faiths
• Members of the LGBTQ+ community
• People living with disabilities

Children need different types of homes and positive role models, which is why diversity among foster carers is so important.

The qualities we value most are kindness, patience, empathy and a genuine desire to help children reach their potential.

By becoming a foster carer in Southport, you could provide a child with the stability, guidance and opportunities they need to feel secure and confident about the future.

Contact our Southport fostering team today to learn more about becoming a foster carer and the support available to help you get started.