Life as a foster carer is one of the most rewarding things you can do, but there will likely be a few challenges along the way. There will always be someone there to help and support you in your fostering role.
In this article, we discuss the common concerns people worry about before becoming a foster carer. If you have any more questions, book a call back or get in touch with us via our live chat!
Support and Community
Will I feel alone as a foster carer? No! As a foster carer with Bradford Fostering, you will speak regularly with a dedicated social worker, your child’s school, an experienced therapeutic social work team and other foster carers so you and your foster child feel regularly supported and part of a local community.
As part of Bradford Council, we are the biggest fostering service in the Bradford district, so you will meet lots of other foster carers who live locally to you.
Alongside our team of social workers, you will also have access to 24/7 professional support, so we will always be just a phone call away. You can also access support online as part of our active and friendly private Facebook group. As things return to normal, you will also be able to join our active foster carer association (BIFCA) and regular meetups and days out with other foster carers.
You will also receive free membership to The Fostering Network, where you will receive market-leading legal protection insurance and practical advice and support whenever you need it.
Why do people foster?
The Fostering Network asked foster carers why they continued to foster - here are the top three reasons given:
I want to make a difference to the lives of children in care
I want to offer children the opportunity to be part of my family
I enjoy working with the children
The added benefits of a local and supportive community are just some of the reasons why our carers continue to foster for us as well.
If you would like to learn more about fostering in Bradford and the support we offer, please book a call back with our team today.
“It is so rewarding and has brought many benefits to our family” - Kal and Ash, foster carers
The importance of stability
Stability is important for both children in care and foster carers.
There are many reasons why children cannot live with their family, and all children deserve to feel safe, welcomed and loved in a stable home. To achieve this, we need a variety of foster carers to meet the needs of all children who enter care.
Some of our foster carers foster children on a short-term basis until decisions are made about their future, while others foster a child long-term, often until they reach adulthood.
We also work with part-time foster carers, who look after children on evenings and weekends, helping to maintain a stable home environment for children.
It is also important for foster carers to feel stable in their roles - this is why we run a variety of support groups and regularly speak with our carers to support them.
Alongside 7 regular support groups available for carers to join, new carers are also invited to join a buddy scheme with a current carer for their first year, which helps carers develop friendships and build a support network.
Carers and their foster children can also make new friends through the award-winning Mockingbird scheme, which joins groups of foster families together to provide peer support, training and friendship.
So carers can plan for their future, all Bradford Fostering foster carers work with a social worker to develop a personalised development plan to identify personal goals and suitable training.
It is also important that children and young people in care feel welcome and comfortable in your home, so alongside regular allowances we also offer additional allowances, including:
An annual allowance for religious holiday expenses
Financial support to prepare for a child’s first placement, such as bedroom furniture, safety gates and/or car seats
Additional payment at the start of the 6 weeks’ summer holiday to help with those extra costs during the long school break
You will also receive 12 week retainer payment on the rare occasions that there are short periods between placements. You will receive your full fee for the first 6 weeks and 50% for weeks 7 to 12.
So our carers feel financially stable, our fees are transparent and all carers receive regular payments into their bank account so they can plan their finances.
Training
Learning and development is important. That’s why all foster carers receive extensive training from day 1.
Alongside the mandatory Journey 2 Foster training, our foster carers have the opportunity to develop their skills further. Some of our training courses include:
Adolescent Development - Level 2
Safer Caring & Risk Management
Advocacy & Children's Rights
A Whole Family Approach to Safeguarding
Counselling Skills
Effects of Trauma and Caring for Traumatised Children
Equality & Diversity
First Aid (Emergency & Paediatric)
Mental Health
Promoting Resilience
Therapeutic Parenting
Understanding Attachment
Would you like to learn more about fostering a child in Bradford? Speak to a member of our expert team now and see how you could make a difference to a child’s life.
Our information calls are a no obligation way to explore your options and see whether fostering is right for you.
If you would prefer to read more about fostering before embarking on an information call back, download an information pack and rates sheet now.
