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Becoming A Foster Carer

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Have you thought about fostering and wondered how to become a foster carer? Do you have a lot of questions about what is involved?

If you know people who are already fostering, then you have a head start. If the idea is new to you, there are some facts about being a foster family that are worthwhile mentioning.

To begin with, this can be a full-time career. There are government established allowances calculated on a weekly basis for fostering all children from birth until they turn 18. These rates vary slightly depending upon where in the UK you are located and they are adjusted by the Government every April.

Who Can Foster?

You don’t have to be a married couple. You don’t have to be straight. You don’t have to own your home. You don’t have to be young. At Capstone Foster Care, the minimum age limit for foster carers is 21.

The first thing to do is call Capstone Foster Care for a preliminary chat with one of our fostering advisors. It only takes a few questions to know if this is the right career for you. You will not be pressured into making a decision. Take your time. Once you express interest in fostering, our staff will visit your home. This gives you an opportunity to ask more questions and us the chance to see if you have the space necessary. If you prefer you can begin with a call to your local authority for preliminary information.

The next step is for you to fill out an application form and a social worker begins the assessment process. The social worker will visit your home several times and get to know you and your household and learn about your experience with children.

There are several checks that are conducted. These include Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), Social Services and medical checks. As well there will be a home risk assessment. A fostering advisor will keep you informed of the progress of your application during this time. You will attend training sessions where you meet other people undergoing the same process, learn about fostering, and have all your questions answered.

The final assessment is given to an independent panel which will meet with you. The panel provides Capstone Foster Care with its recommendation and our decision maker will make the final decision using the panel’s recommendation as a guide. It can take four to six months for your application to be reviewed.

The types of fostering includes emergency, short term, short break, long term, permanent, therapeutic, parent and child, and remand foster care. Sometimes a child who is in long-term foster care or permanent foster care may be considered for adoption. Therapeutic placements focus on challenging behaviours. Remand care is specific to England and Wales where courts often choose to release young offenders into foster care.

At any given time, almost 9,000 of these children are waiting for foster parents.  If you would like to register your interest, or simply talk to someone further, please call Capstone Foster Care on 0800 012 4004 or simply click here.

Thinking of fostering?

If you’ve got any questions or would like to find out more about fostering with Capstone, fill out the form below.
An experienced fostering advisor from your local area will then be in touch.

The information you provide will be used to respond to the enquiry you have submitted, for further information please refer to our privacy policy.

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Find out more about fostering with Capstone.

Download our helpful guide to becoming a foster carer

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Ways to
GET IN TOUCH

Start the conversation today. Our team of friendly advisors are on hand to answer any foster care questions you may have. We can offer you honest and practical advice that can help you decide if becoming a foster carer is the right path for you. 


Request a
call back

Contact us by completing our online form and one of our fostering advisors will respond to your enquiry within 24 hours.



Call us

Contact us by phone and one of our friendly fostering experts will be on hand for any foster care advice and support you require.



Download a Brochure

Download our helpful guide to becoming a foster carer with Capstone Foster Care.