what is fostering?
Fostering means accepting a child as part of your family when they have to be away from their own. It could be for a night, a month, a year or several years. At the heart of any foster placement is a dedication to make a difference – to change the course of a child’s life.
Foster carers mean a fresh start and a new family, but this doesn’t mean erasing the past – the important bonds foster children have with their biological families are maintained, too.
Preserving friendships, familiar places and everything that matters to the child is central to what we do. That’s why we will always prioritise placing children in their local community, if it’s the right thing for them.
As a local foster carer you have an important role: to make sure the child feels safe, supported and happy. Our role is to support you, in every way we can.
the typical foster family… doesn’t exist
We celebrate the diversity and uniqueness of our foster families. There’s no typical foster family – the truth is, fostering is about meeting the individual needs of each child in our care. Each child needs something different. That’s why, if you decide to become a foster carer your circumstances can’t be compared to anyone else’s. Your story is what matters most.
find out more about the different kinds of fostering.