Becoming a foster carer is one of the most emotionally rewarding things you can do- helping a vulnerable child or young person by nurturing them and building their self- esteem. Being there for them to help them to try and make sense of their situation is an enormous reward in itself.

Support you'll receive

We recognise and appreciate just how important the role of being a foster carer is. So, if you foster with any of the local authorities in the North West we will provide you with a range of practical benefits and support packages to assist you. The details of the support you will receive will be slightly different in each local area but there are a number of benefits that everyone will receive regardless of the actual authority:

• A generous financial allowance –  to help you which will  depend on the age of the child you are fostering. In some cases this will also depend on the level of your skills.
• A comprehensive training programme.  This will include completing our ‘Skills to Foster’ course before you become an approved carer.  You'll also have the option of other learning and development opportunities, if you want to.  
• A social worker will be allocated to you specifically to help you. You can expect regular meetings with them.  These are sometimes called 'supervision sessions' and they give you the chance to talk through any problems and share information about the child you are caring for.
• Support groups for you and your family to attend
• Membership to the Fostering Network – who are a great resource.
• Staying local - when you foster for your local authority, you will be working within your local area, to minimise travelling distances to the child’s school and to contact meetings with their families.
• Links, with Children’s Centres, Schools and other professional services, to help you in your role as a foster carer.
• We will share our knowledge and first-hand experience with you. All children come into the care of their local authority in the first instance and  our teams have often been working with the families for a long time. This gives us a lot of important background knowledge  we can share with you. This also helps us to match children with carers who will be most suitable for them and their circumstances.

This list of benefits is by no means exhaustive and your local authority will let you know about the specific packages that they provide. 

In all cases though, you won't be on your own – we'll be there to support you in your role.

Fostering is challenging, but very rewarding

"Fostering is a full time job which needs commitment and realisation of what it will involve, but it is also the most rewarding and fulfilling job that you could ever have"

Yvonne, foster carer for St Helens Council.