Support you'll receive
If you decide to become a foster carer there is lots of support available. All the local authorities in the North West or Yorkshire will provide you with a range of practical benefits and support packages. Details of the support will be slightly different depending on the local authority but there are a number of benefits that everyone will receive.
These include:
- Generous financial allowance which will depend on your skill level and the age of the child you are fostering.
- Comprehensive training programme including the ‘Skills to Foster’ course and ongoing development opportunities.
- A social worker specifically allocated to you. You can expect to receive regular meetings which are a chance for you to talk through any problems and share information about children in your care.
- Support groups for you and your family.
Staying local also includes additional benefits such as:
- Lower travelling distances, for example to school, meetings and contact with their birth families.
- Links with Children’s Centres, schools and other professional services.
- The benefit of your local authority’s knowledge and experience as our teams have often been working with the child’s families for a long time. Local authorities know the children in our care really well, it helps us to match children with the carers who are most suitable for them and their circumstances. This also means we can support you to get to know them and their background quickly and help them settle in.
There are many additional benefits and your local authority will let you know about packages specific to them.