Steps to become a foster carer
It takes around 6-9 months to become a foster carer and it all starts with a call or email to our Rutland Foster Care team.
We’ll take some very basic details to begin with and send out an information pack. You can read this information and think about whether you want to pursue your interest.
If you decide to pursue this we'll arrange to visit you at home at a time that you choose, to meet you and give you further information or invite you to an invitation evening if there are other interested applicants.
We'll then give you an application form to complete and return.
If you’re still interested at this stage, we'll ask you to attend an introductory training course, prior to assessment. The course takes place over three days and is based on the Fostering Networks 'Skills to Foster' programme. This is followed by an assessment to make sure you can care for a vulnerable child.
All Foster Carers have had Criminal Records Bureau checks, medicals and further checks with the NSPCC and Probation and personal references will be requested. Employers are contacted where applicants work with children and agencies such as Education and health will be contacted where the applicant has children.
The steps to fostering
These are the steps you'll go through if you want to become a foster carer:
- Your initial enquiry where you tell us you’d like to foster
- A home visit from a member of our team
- Application form completed.
- Invitation to attend preparation training
- Application and consent to conduct background checks and get references - just like any job
- Fostering assessment
- Approval at a fostering panel
Contact us
There’s no obligation or commitment when you first contact us so please get in touch if you’re thinking about fostering and want to know more.
Foster care standards
All foster carers are expected to work within some national minimum standards, which include:
- complete training within the first year and complete a Portfolio
- the foster carer is expected to help any fostered child in contact with their friends and family
- they are expected to promote their Education and health
- they are expected to make day to day decisions about the child's routine care
- they are expected to share information with Social Care
- work in partnership with other Professionals involved with the child
- maintain records and give these to the fostering supervising social worker