The Process to Becoming a Carer

 

Of course in order to be a foster carer you have to be approved as one.  And so this means there’s a process to go through.  As we’re talking about caring for vulnerable children it’s quite a thorough process too.  But this is a good thing as it ensures you have enough time to make sure that becoming a foster carer is right for you.  It also means that we’re 100% certain that you are able to provide a safe and secure home for a child.  Typically this process will take several months.  But believe us it’s definitely worth the wait!

 

There are various stages of the approval process, and by the end of it we aim to have gained a complete picture of your personality, lifestyle, attitudes and culture plus be able to gauge your skills, knowledge and ability in relation to caring for a child.

 

So first things first if after reading this information you decide you want to continue with your application to become a foster carer, then you’ll be invited to attend an information evening.  This is your chance to meet current foster carers and learn more about what’s involved.

 

Following this a social worker will arrange to come and visit you at home.  This will be the first home visit to discuss in detail what fostering is all about.

We’ll then ask you to attend a preparation course.  We run a number of these a year so there should be one that fits in with you.  During this training course you’ll receive your application form to fill in and your social worker will complete an assessment with you.

 

This will involve interviews with you and other resident family members, providing us with some referees, having a medical and giving your permission for us to check you don’t have a criminal record.

 

During this time we encourage you to take part in our Mentoring Scheme too.  This will enable you to talk to one of our existing foster carers who’ll be able to provide you with advice, support and a friendly face to make the start to your fostering life an easier one.

There are occasions when it is appropriate to stop an assessment. It may be that you know longer feel you want to continue for your own personal reasons, or  we decide to end the assessment because either we feel fostering is not right for you or because of issues raised during the assessment; for example; either as a result of checks we have made, or you are unable to meet the standards required to foster. Where this happens the reasons for ending the assessment will be discussed with you.

 

You’ll then be invited to attend a Foster Panel where your assessment will be discussed and a decision will be made on whether to recommend you for approval.  You’ll be informed both verbally and in writing of the final recommendation and then fingers crossed your new life can begin!

 

To start your journey to becoming a carer and changing children’s lives for the better call us on 0114 273 5075 or drop us a line through our contact form.