You can foster in Oldham.

In Oldham we would particularly like to recruit foster carers who are able to care for:

• Brothers and sisters.
• Older children and young people.
• Children from BME communities in particular black children and increasingly those from new migrant communities.
• Children that will be in foster care long term.
• Children with additional needs. This might include behaviour that challenges.

Oldham Fostering Service values the contribution of their foster carers and offers a generous support package. This includes:

• 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.
• Membership to the Fostering Network which is a great resource for foster carers.

Staying local also includes additional benefits such as:

• Lower travelling distances, for example to school and meetings with birth families.
• Links with Children’s Centres, schools and other professional services.
• The benefits 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 have a lot of important background knowledge which they can share with you. This also helps us to match children with the carers who are most suitable for them and their circumstances.

If you’d like to foster for Oldham please complete this form and your enquiry will be emailed to the local authority you have selected.