What is foster care?
Discover more about why this rewarding, challenging and life-changing career could be perfect for you.
What is foster care?
Foster care is an essential service which finds homes for children who are unable to live with their birth families. The ultimate goal of fostering is to protect a child and improve their overall wellbeing so that they can live the healthiest, happiest and most fulfilling life possible.
When a child needs somewhere safe to live, their local authority becomes responsible for their wellbeing. The local authority works with fostering agencies like us to help match children with foster parents, trained and dedicated professionals who take on the role and responsibility of parenting them until they’re able to return home, or until other arrangements are made for their care, such as adoption or supported accommodation.
The time a child spends in care can vary in length, and there are many different types of fostering designed to meet the needs of different children. Some children may only spend one night with a foster family, while others may stay with them until they're able to live independently. It all depends on the child’s unique circumstances.
At Orange Grove, we have over 25 years of experience in helping to provide children with safe, loving homes through fostering. Fostering is truly life-changing for everyone involved.
Why are children brought into foster care?
There are many reasons why a child may come into foster care. These include:
- The child’s caregiver has become ill or has passed away
- The child’s environment is unsafe due to abuse or neglect
- The child has arrived unaccompanied in the UK, seeking sanctuary and asylum
- The child’s parents are going through court proceedings or have been imprisoned
- The child is moving from a children’s home to live with a foster family
- An older child has autonomously asked to be removed from their family home
What is the role of a foster parent?
A foster parent has the same role as any other parent— ensuring that the child in their care is as safe, healthy, and happy as possible, as well as supporting their education and growth.
When a child comes into foster care, they’ll have their needs professionally assessed and our dedicated referrals team will begin a careful matching process to find the right family who can fulfil their needs. If you’re thinking of becoming a foster parent, your responsibilities may include:
- Taking part in regular training to develop skills which can help the young person in your care to thrive
- Working with therapists and educational specialists to ensure that the child in your care receives the support they need
- Taking your young person to appointments, for example with a therapist
- Helping the child in your care to keep in touch with their birth family by taking them on family visits
- Working with your dedicated social worker, family support worker and other professionals in your local team, who will always be there to help you and your family
- Keeping records of the progress and achievements of the child in your care
- Helping your young person to heal from the impact of their early life experiences through patience, empathy, and tailored care
Do foster parents get paid?
Foster parents receive a fostering allowance for their hard work in providing love, care and a safe home for children in need of support. Here at Orange Grove, we offer generous tax-free fostering payments which support your family to thrive.
Our financial support package is made up of two payments, a fostering allowance which covers all the essentials for the child you take care of, including school uniforms, food and leisure, and a professional fee as a thank you for your incredible hard work and dedication.
Download our finance guide today
Discover everything you need to know about fostering allowances, tax relief, benefits and pensions by downloading our Guide to Fostering Finances.
Who can foster?
Let’s start with the must-haves – because there aren’t many!
You must be over 21 and have a legal right to work in the UK. You’ll also need a spare room in your house that’s always available, though you don’t need to own your home.
It’s important to know that a spare bedroom is an essential requirement. We all need privacy and alone time, and a bedroom of their own gives your young person space to play, relax, and do their homework.
We recruit, train and reward a diverse team of passionate individuals who are committed to changing the lives of children. We welcome people from all backgrounds, and we encourage you to foster whether you’re single or in a relationship. If you think you could make a great foster parent, we’d love to hear from you!
"I’m so glad that I started fostering. It’s given me a focus, it’s given me purpose. Having a role keeps me engaged and I get the opportunity to spend time with young people and that is a joy. I’m absolutely delighted that I became a foster parent."
Kathy, foster parent with Orange Grove
The benefits of fostering with Orange Grove
- You can learn new skills, use your lived experiences to help children in need and build treasured bonds which last a lifetime.
- We’ll put you in touch with a thriving support network of professionals and new friends among other foster parents, so you’re always supported along your journey.
- Our assessment process understands how busy life can be, and is tailored to your needs. We’ll design a schedule which works around your work and family commitments, and many of our training opportunities can be completed online from the comfort of your own home.
- Our fantastic training opportunities are available to you and your wider support network from the very beginning to help you boost your skills and prepare to foster.
- You’ll have the backing of an experienced fostering agency who provide reliable support for your whole family, helping to ensure that you, the children you look after and your own children can enjoy an amazing fostering experience.
How do I become a foster parent?
Step 1: Enquire with our team
If you think fostering is right for you, our team would love to hear from you. Call us today or fill in our quick and easy enquiry form. A member of our team will be in touch shortly to tell you everything you need to know about fostering with Orange Grove.
Step 2: Home visit
During the next stage, a member of our team will visit you at home, either in person or virtually, to learn more about you and give you personalised advice about what your fostering journey could look like. They’ll also take a look at your spare bedroom to make sure it’s a good fit.
Step 3: Apply to foster
When you’re ready to take your next step, simply fill out an application to foster with us. Your application will be reviewed by our assessment manager, and if successful, you’ll start your assessment.
Step 4: Fostering assessment
This is the most intensive part of the fostering application, where you’ll have 6-8 visits from your assessing social worker and complete your ‘Prepare to Foster’ training, and we’ll complete a series of background and health and safety checks.
Step 5: Panel and approval
Once you’ve completed your assessment process, you’ll attend a meeting with your social worker where an independent panel will assess your application and will make a recommendation to our Agency Decision Maker.
Step 6: The matching process
If you’re approved as a foster parent, our dedicated referrals team will begin looking for the right child to join your family. With our team screening hundreds of referrals every day, it shouldn’t be long until you’re welcoming your first young person into your home.
Remember, we’ll be by your side to offer support and guidance through every stage of the assessment process.
If fostering sounds right for you, we welcome you to fill in our online enquiry form or call our friendly team on 0800 369 8513 to start your fostering journey today!
Still not sure if fostering is the right choice for you? Download our guide below to discover everything you need to know about becoming a foster parent.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between fostering and adoption?
When you foster a child, legal responsibility for them remains with their birth parents or the local authority. When you adopt a child, this responsibility transfers to you.
Some children in care will be reunited with their birth families, others may stay with their foster families until they reach adulthood or beyond, thanks to the ‘Staying Put’ arrangement for adult care leavers. Adopted children, on the other hand, become part of your family forever.
Foster parents receive a weekly fostering allowance to cover the cost of caring for a child, as well as high levels of ongoing training and support. This financial package is not available to adoptive parents (though they may be entitled to other types of financial support), and the support they receive is usually only temporary while a child is settling in with their new family.
Do I need experience to become a foster parent?
We welcome those both with and without previous experience of looking after children. If you have children of your own or have worked with children in a voluntary or professional setting, you’re sure to be bringing lots of valued skills along with you on your fostering journey.
Our foster parent training programme is designed for every level of experience to teach you all you need to know about how to care for a vulnerable child. Plus, you'll have the support and guidance of your very own supervising social worker and 24/7 access to our team via our out-of-hours helpline.
How long does it take to become a foster parent?
At Orange Grove, we aim to complete your fostering assessment within 4-6 months. This may seem like quite a while, but it’s important to take this time to ensure that you’re a great fit to foster with us and to ensure you’ve had time to complete our fantastic training. Once you’re approved, our matching team will begin searching for the right child to join your family straight away.
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Can't find what you're looking for?
By phone
One of our team is available to talk to you over the phone to answer any of your fostering queries.
Enquire online
You can get in touch by filling out our online enquiry form with any queries that you may have.
Your local office
We have local teams covering most of England. Find your local office today.