Fostering Support

Question 1

Who can foster?

Answer

To foster with us you definitely need a sense of humour and a positive mental attitude! Providing you meet the legal requirements* and are open to learning about therapeutic parenting, we would love to hear from you. Sometimes people worry that they need to be living in a couple relationship, or be a home owner, but this is not the case. We welcome enquiries from couples, single people, same sex couples, people with disability, or other health issues, and of course all different cultures and ethnic backgrounds. Children from trauma come in all shapes and sizes, so we need our Therapeutic Foster Parents to be different too!

Question 2

What is the process?

Answer

We’ve made the process as simple and supportive as possible:

Get in Touch for an Informal Chat
Start by contacting us for a no-obligation, informal conversation. You’ll also be offered the chance to speak with one of our experienced Therapeutic Foster Parents, so you can hear first-hand what it’s really like to foster with us.

Decide to Go Ahead? Let’s Begin Your Assessment
If you choose to move forward, we’ll begin your Therapeutic Fostering Assessment.
This includes:

Flexible online training to fit around your schedule
Regular visits from a social worker — usually once a week for about 8 weeks, though this can be adjusted to suit your availability

Join Our Community Early On
As soon as your assessment begins, you’ll be invited to:

Join a local support group to meet other Safer Fostering families
Take part in online group sessions with our team and other foster parents

Legal Checks and References as part of the process

DBS checks for every adult in your household
References from people who know you well
A reference from your most recent employer

Fostering Panel
Once your assessment is complete, you’ll attend a Fostering Panel — an online meeting where a group of professionals will have reviewed your assessment. They’ll chat with you and then make a formal recommendation about your approval.

The full process typically takes around 4 months from start to finish.

Question 3

Do fostering agencies only receive referrals for children with more complex needs?

Answer

No—this is a common misconception. Local authorities refer children to fostering agencies for a range of reasons, including a shortage of suitable foster homes.

Children entering foster care may have experienced loss, disruption and trauma, whichever service supports them. Our therapeutic training, regular consultations and 24/7 support help foster parents understand each child’s needs and feel supported in caring for them

Question 4

I am already fostering, can I transfer?

Answer

Absolutely, yes! The vast majority of our foster parents transferred from other agencies or a local authority. They do so because we offer unparalleled levels of support.

Please be assured that you can transfer with the child or children currently living with you. Unless it is already part of the child’s agreed plan to move on, the local authority will not move a child just because you decide to change fostering agencies.

This is clearly set out in the Fostering Network’s Transfer Protocol, which all fostering services and local authorities follow. It exists to make sure that children experience stability and that foster parents are treated fairly.

Sadly, some agencies may suggest that a child would have to move as a way of discouraging you from transferring. This is not true, and such behaviour is considered unethical.

At Safer Fostering CIC, we are committed to supporting foster parents through every step of the transfer process — always with honesty, integrity, and the child’s best interests at heart.

Your fostering allowance will be at least your current rate and will usually be higher, so you will never be disadvantaged by transferring. The transfer process usually takes around 4 months and will involve our Therapeutic Fostering Assessment alongside our training. To help our busy foster parents, training is online and completed in your own time. Once completed you will be qualified in Level 2 Therapeutic Fostering!

Question 5

How much will I get paid as a foster parent?

Answer

At Safer Fostering CIC, we understand that fostering is a full-time role carried out in your home. That’s why we ensure you receive a decent allowance that reflects both the responsibility of the role and the costs involved in caring for a child.

What is the weekly fostering allowance?
Foster parents with Safer Fostering CIC receive at least £520 per week per child. This allowance covers:

All aspects of a child’s care and daily needs (e.g. food, clothing, activities)
A professional fee for you as a therapeutic foster parent

Please note: Rates are subject to review, so we recommend contacting us for the latest allowance details.

What if I’m transferring from another fostering agency?
If you’re transferring to Safer Fostering CIC, you will start on either your current agency’s allowance or ours — whichever is higher.

When will I be paid?
We pay our foster parents fortnightly, directly into your bank account.

Am I entitled to paid breaks?
Yes. Foster parents are entitled to 3 weeks of paid break per year, during which you’ll receive at least the professional element of your allowance (i.e. the full weekly allowance minus the portion that covers the child’s maintenance).

If you do not take a break, this amount will be paid to you as a bonus at the end of the year (or a portion of it if you take partial time off).

Do I need to register for tax?
Yes. Foster parents are self-employed and must:

Register with HMRC
Take responsibility for their own tax arrangements and compliance

We’re happy to point you in the direction of support and guidance if you need help with this process.

Question 6

Are children who come into foster care different from any other child?

Answer

Have a look at this video, ‘Understanding your traumatised child’. The video was made to explain to foster parents and adopters about why children who have experienced trauma behave the way they do.

Get in Touch

Question 7

What else is amazing about Safer Fostering?

Answer

At Safer Fostering CIC, we reinvest any surplus funds directly into benefits for our fostering families.

Free Holidays!
We have bought a caravan at a Haven park which is free to use for foster families. We know that children who have experienced trauma benefit from the routine and familiarity of returning to the same holiday location. It is also dog friendly, so the family pooch can come too!

Free private health care
We understand the challenges these days in getting a GP appointment, both for you and the children. This is why we pay for private health care for ALL of the family. This includes foster parents, foster children and birth children under 18.

Bonuses for foster parents
We are proud to offer an annual bonus to foster parents where possible. Whilst this is not guaranteed it has become a regular payment over the past couple of years and it is another way we reward your dedication and hard work.

Regular events for foster parents, children and families.

Celebration events at Christmas, children’s events, outings and much more throughout the year!

These events help us build a strong community and create fun, memorable experiences for everyone involved in the Safer Fostering Family.

Question 8

What’s the difference between a standard fostering and therapeutic fostering?

Answer

These days, many agencies describe themselves as therapeutic — but few truly embody it in everything they do. At Safer Fostering, our approach is therapeutic through and through.
Founded by individuals with first-hand experience of what truly helps children who have experienced trauma, we’ve built our agency from the ground up to support genuine therapeutic care.

Our policies, training, support, and procedures are all grounded in Therapeutic Parenting and Trauma-informed practice.

We only look to recruit foster parents who want to embrace this way of working and wish to benefit from our wraparound support.

Want to learn more?
Listen to the Centre of Excellence in Child Trauma podcast, where the key differences in approach are discussed in more detail.

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Working alongside YOU for CHANGE