Do you have a spare room and an open heart?

Our service includes…

• 24-hour support with a dedicated supervising social worker and a foster carer helpline.
• Monthly supervisions to guide and support you.
• Extensive training all year around. Our staff are highly trained in attachment, development trauma, and therapeutic parenting.
• Regular support groups and a buddy system for new foster carers.
• Support from a Clinical Psychologist from Changing Minds. Changing Minds | Comprehensive psychological services (changingmindsuk.com),
• Our five-stage model of support, HOMES, helps build supportive homes for children with complex histories and needs.
• Competitive fees and allowances. You could earn between £370 and £640 per week.
• A range of benefits and discounts for foster carers including a Blue Light card which gives lots of in-store and on-line discounts on every day shopping; as well as discounts for travel, family attractions, music, and sporting events.

For more information about this region's services, please email us at: [email protected]

• 24-hour support with a dedicated supervising social worker and a foster carer helpline.
• Monthly supervisions to guide and support you.
• Extensive training all year around. Our staff are highly trained in attachment, development trauma, and therapeutic parenting.
• Regular support groups and a buddy system for new foster carers.
• Support from a Clinical Psychologist from Changing Minds.
• Our five-stage model of support, HOMES, helps build supportive homes for children with complex histories and needs.
• Competitive fees and allowances.
• A range of benefits and discounts for foster carers.

For more information about this region's services, please email us at: [email protected]

• 24-hour support with a dedicated supervising social worker and a foster carer helpline.
• Extensive training all year around. Our staff are highly trained in attachment, development trauma, and therapeutic parenting.
• Regular support groups and a buddy system for new foster carers.
• Competitive fees and allowances.
• A range of benefits and discounts for foster carers.

For more information about this region's services, please email us at: [email protected]

• 24-hour support, with a dedicated supervising social worker and a foster carer helpline.
• Extensive training all year around.
• Regular support groups and a buddy system for new foster carers.
• Competitive fees and allowances.
• A range of benefits and discounts for foster carers.

For more information about this region's services, please email us at: [email protected]

Alongside our fostering service we also offer a short break service to children with disabilities. This tends to be for children with a learning disability, but all disabilities are considered. This service aims to offer a safe, positive home-from-home experience to children where they can try new activities, develop their independence skills, and have fun in another family environment.

Caring for children with disabilities is an incredible thing to do. As a family breaks carer, you will provide a safe and fun environment for children with disabilities in your own home. Each short break is for UP TO 24 hours, sometimes for two or more consecutive nights. These can be weekends, midweeks, and school holidays.

Short break carers offer children with disabilities a safe, meaningful, and enjoyable experience with another family. Additionally, the parent/families get a much-needed break from the full time caring role.

Yes. It can be, but you could also have a part-time job while fostering in England. There are also different types of foster care that you could do on a short-term basis. What we require is that you can be there for the child when they need you; for example, when they come home from school.

Yes. We want you to know that you can afford to care for a child. Action for Children Fostering pays carers in England a weekly fee and an allowance ranging from £370-£640.

Yes. Although you will need to check with your local authority to see if fostering affects your claims.

No. You can be in a rented home as long as you have a spare room but will need permission from your landlord. We will also carry out a home safety check which your landlord will need to be aware of and approve if any changes are required.

No. There is no upper age limit to fostering but you must be fit and healthy. Every potential foster carer will need to have a medical, paid for by Action for Children Fostering. We review all carers annually to reassess their suitability. As foster carers become older their ability to undertake more strenuous and demanding forms of care may decline. If health issues arise we will seek advice from a medical professional as to a foster carer’s suitability to continue in the role.

No. Experience in looking after children is really helpful but we will give you all the training and support you need to be a great foster carer if you have the desire to do it.

Yes. We’ll need to discuss how you will be able to manage the needs of your own child/ren and a foster child but it is often a real benefit for a foster child to become part of a loving and welcoming family.

Yes. Foster children need to have a safe place they can call their own. Going to live in a new home with a new family can be extremely overwhelming. Having a place where they feel secure and can go to if they want to be on their own, or are feeling anxious, is vital.

Yes. Many people wrongly assume that their sexuality could prevent them from becoming a foster carer. Thankfully, it is now illegal to discriminate against foster carers on the grounds of their sexual orientation. We welcome potential foster carers from all walks of life.

Yes. Your support network will be really important though. We’ll talk to you about your family, friends, and neighbours and also let you know what support we can give you.

Yes. If you reside in England and the job is at least partly home-based. You’ll need to be around to settle a young person in and attend training and meetings in the early stages. It may determine the age of a child that you can foster as you will need to be home for them after school.

No. Action for Children is a charity and does not profit from our fostering services. Any profit we make goes straight back into services that help children and families. It doesn’t go to shareholders or investors.