Fostering in Wiltshire

For many children, coming into care can be a time of uncertainty and change. Foster carers provide the reassurance, guidance and consistency that help young people feel secure and supported during difficult periods in their lives. By fostering in Wiltshire, you can help local children remain connected to the communities, schools and friendships that matter to them.

At Action for Children Fostering, we're looking for people throughout Wiltshire who can offer a caring home and a commitment to helping children thrive. Whether you're in a market town, village or larger community, fostering can give you the opportunity to make a meaningful difference to a child's future.

You don't need previous fostering experience or specialist qualifications. What matters most is your ability to provide patience, understanding and a nurturing environment where children can feel valued and supported.

If you've been considering fostering, now could be the perfect time to explore how you could transform a young person's life.

We understand that fostering is a significant responsibility, and we want foster carers to feel financially supported as they provide high-quality care.

Our fostering payments are made up of a fee and an allowance. The allowance helps cover everyday costs such as food, clothing, travel, school activities and general living expenses. The fee recognises the important role foster carers play and the dedication they bring to supporting children and young people.

The amount paid will depend on the type of fostering you provide and the individual needs of the child in your care. Additional financial support may also be available for holidays, birthdays, educational opportunities and other important experiences that contribute to a child's wellbeing.

We aim to ensure foster carers can focus on caring for children rather than worrying about finances.

By providing practical financial support, we help create stable and nurturing family environments where children can feel secure and develop confidence for the future.

When you foster with Action for Children, you'll have access to a dedicated team that is committed to supporting you throughout every stage of your fostering journey.

Each foster carer is assigned a supervising social worker who provides regular guidance, support and professional advice. We work closely with carers to ensure they feel confident in their role and have access to help whenever it's needed.

We understand that fostering can be both rewarding and challenging. That's why we provide a range of support services designed to help foster carers feel connected, informed and valued.

Our support includes:

• Dedicated supervision from an experienced social worker
• Regular support groups and networking opportunities
• Access to specialist advice and professional expertise
• Practical guidance and emotional support
• Training and development opportunities
• Out-of-hours support for urgent situations

Many foster carers find great value in meeting others who foster. Sharing experiences and building relationships with fellow carers can provide encouragement, reassurance and practical insight.

Our focus is on building a strong fostering community where carers feel supported, respected and equipped to provide the best possible care.

Supporting children in care requires understanding, confidence and a willingness to keep learning. That's why we provide a comprehensive training programme that begins before approval and continues throughout your fostering career.

All training is provided free of charge and is designed to help foster carers understand children's needs while developing the skills required to support them effectively.

Skills to Foster

This introductory training explores the fostering role in detail, covering child development, attachment, safeguarding and the practical responsibilities involved in caring for children and young people.

Therapeutic Parenting

Children who enter care may have experienced trauma, loss or disruption. Therapeutic parenting training helps carers understand these experiences and develop positive approaches that support emotional wellbeing and trust.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding training provides essential knowledge around child protection, online safety, health and wellbeing, and recognising risks that may affect children and young people.

Ongoing Learning

We believe fostering is a journey of continual development. As your experience grows, you'll have access to additional training opportunities that help you build specialist skills and confidence in supporting different children's needs.

Our goal is to equip every foster carer with the knowledge and understanding needed to provide safe, nurturing and supportive homes.

Many people who become successful foster carers never initially thought fostering was something they could do. In reality, foster carers come from a wide variety of backgrounds, households 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 foster.

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
• LGBTQ+ individuals and couples
• People living with disabilities

There is no perfect foster carer. Children need different types of homes, experiences and positive role models, which is why diversity among foster carers is so important.

The qualities we value most are patience, empathy, resilience and a genuine commitment to helping children feel safe and supported.

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

Contact our Wiltshire fostering team today to learn more about becoming a foster carer and the support available throughout your fostering journey.