Party to Celebrate Foster Care Fortnight 2023
Foster families in Bradford enjoyed a great day out to celebrate Foster Care Fortnight
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Support
If you're looking for a supportive role, you're in the right place.
Our foster carers have access to 24/7 professional support and guidance to help them be the best carers they can be.
Dedicated Social Worker
All of our foster carers receive consistent, reflective social worker supervision and support to help understand and meet the needs of the children in their care.
This is an important relationship and one that will develop over time. They’re there to listen and advise you as well ensure you’re getting the right support.
Initially, you’ll build a close relationship with our foster carer recruitment officer as well as your supervising social worker who will help you navigate the application and assessment process. They will then continue to meet with you every 4 weeks, helping you and your family prepare for welcoming a foster child into your home.
24/7 Professional Support
All our foster carers have access to 24 hour support via their supervising social worker during office hours and an emergency out of hours’ service. The out of hours helpline ensures you can get urgent support, at any time of the day.
All our fostering team are based in the Bradford district and will be local to you. Our team pride themselves on their local knowledge, extensive experience and being just around the corner if you need them for support or guidance.
Local Support Groups
We run 7 regular support groups including a new carers group and a buddy scheme. We also run regular events to help you meet with other foster carers and build support links in your local area.
We are very proud of the peer support offered by our diverse and friendly fostering community.
Within these groups, you can share experiences, ask questions, and get any support and advice you might need.
A Local Mockingbird Hub
Carers and their foster children can also make new friends through the award-winning Mockingbird scheme, which connects foster families in our district together.
Our hub currently supports 7 fostering households in the area. It provides a safe place for foster children as well as support and advice for carers.
Support Resources
With Bradford Fostering, the support never stops. Once your foster carer application is approved, you’ll become a member of The Fostering Network, the UK’s largest fostering support charity.
As a member of The Fostering Network, you’ll join a nationwide family of carers who are ready to enhance your fostering experience with bespoke training and development, discounts and days out.
You’ll also receive market-leading legal protection insurance and advice for your whole family if this is needed.
If you are an LGBT+ carer, you will also receive membership to New Family Social, a UK charity who provide a dedicated space to seek advice and make friends within the LGBT+ fostering and adoption community.
Therapeutic Team
As a foster carer in Bradford, you will have access to a dedicated therapeutic social work team. They provide a range of support to children in care, foster carers and their families. This includes a range of clinics and services such as:
Therapeutic Thinking Time (TTT): Provides a reflective space for thinking about the child, strengths and difficulties, and next steps. This is followed by further discussions to decide what therapeutic intervention support is required.
Fostering/Placement Support Clinic (FPSC): Helps to manage and understand children and young people’s complex behaviours.
Family Therapy Clinics: Provides a space for families to work together to tackle difficulties, build on strengths and make useful changes within their relationships and lives.
Life Story Clinics: Helps children and young people make sense of their lives, including why they are in care.
Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP): Uses the principles of Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy (PACE). to help families, foster carers, children and young people build and repair attachments and relationships.
Theraplay: Offers ideas for how carers can connect with children and help them to find ways to move forward together. This is a practical, active and playful approach which promotes closeness.
"Foster carers are a great support to one another. It’s good to do everything you can to get to meet other carers and learn from them."
Wendy and Michael, foster carers
Further Support Resources
With Bradford Fostering, you are given free membership to The Fostering Network. This is designed to ensure you are protected, supported and connected in your vital role transforming children and young people’s lives.
You will receive market-leading legal protection insurance that covers the whole fostering family, including a legal helpline for expert advice on allegations and help with any legal queries along with further practical advice and support.
You will also get access to the stress support service; learning and development opportunities; support to get specialist mortgages and insurance; as well as discounts on family days out and attractions.
Join Bradford's Fostering Community
We pride ourselves on the strong fostering community we have developed with our carers and support teams. From your initial information call, you will join a group of like-minded people who work hard daily to provide incredible care for young people. You're never alone as a foster carer in Bradford.
Our hugely diverse, friendly and active fostering community are there for you to share experiences, ask questions, and give any support and advice you might need. We would love you to join us too and help change young lives for the better.
"We are supported by Bradford Fostering, but you also need back up from your family and friends"
Naomi, foster carer
Foster Carers’ Association (BIFCA)
Our large and active foster carers’ association (BIFCA) offers a huge amount of support, advice, coffee mornings and a host of social activities for carers.
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