Who can foster?
Foster carers can come from a variety of backgrounds.
- you can be any gender; any sexual orientation; any relationship status.
- You must be over 21 years of age
- You must be in reasonable health
- You will be eligible for membership of the PVG Scheme (New Disclosure Scotland Requirement for Foster Carers)
- You must have appropriate accommodation
- You must be able to promote the needs of children requiring placement
The most important thing is that young people are matched with people who will give them love and stability.
What accommodation do you need to foster?
You need to have a spare bedroom for fostering and if you are taking more than one child, you need a room for each of them.
You can be living in housing association accommodation, privately owned or rented with your landlord’s agreement.
Fostering should not affect or exceed the household capacity. There needs to be adequate room for your family plus fostering.
What if I have a health problem?
It is helpful if you tell us from the outset if you have a health issue. All applicants are required to have a medical and the medical report is sent to our medical advisor. If the medical advisor has any concerns about the report they will discuss this with the GP or consultant involved.
What if I smoke?
We expect carers not to smoke in the house or the car. A child under the age of five cannot be placed with foster carers who smoke. Children need to be protected from secondary smoke inhalation. Carers will be encouraged to give up smoking.
What if I have a police record?
All offences should be declared at the outset of the application and discussed with the Family Placement Social Worker.
What support do carers receive?
Once approved, you will get an allocated family placement social worker. This is often the same person who completes the assessment. They maintain close contact with you to monitor your progress and deal with any issues. There are local support groups in each of the areas and they meet regularly to discuss topics and generally support each other.
You are invited to attend training events often to keep developing your skills as a carer.
Carers are reviewed every year and this is chaired by an Independent Chair who will record your views and discuss your experience as a carer.
Do foster carers get paid?
We pay our foster carers a Foster Carers Allowance of £273.19pw for a child aged 1-10 years and £327.82pw for 11+ years. The allowance is essentially for the child’s care, although a small proportion is for the carer. The breakdown of the allowance is given in the Carer’s Handbook. You can find out more here.
Am I committing myself if I enquire?
No. You have every opportunity along the way to say this is not for you, even after you have completed the application form.