The process to become a foster carer generally takes around 4-6 months. Here are the steps you’ll take to become a Genesis foster carer: Take your first step – simply complete our online enquiry form. Initial call – we’ll give you a call, so you can learn more about fostering, the children we work with and the wrap around support we provide to our foster parents, plus answer any of your questions. If you’re ready to move forward, we’ll ask you a few questions and arrange a home visit. Home visit – one of our team will visit you at home, where we’ll spend more time getting to know you and vice versa. The visits tend to last between 1-2 hours and are a fantastic opportunity for you to find out everything you need to know to decide whether fostering is right for you. These can also be completed virtually via a video call. Apply to foster – you’ll need to complete an application form to be considered to become a foster carer. If successful, you’ll be allocated an independent assessing social worker, who start your fostering assessment. Assessment and training – your fostering assessment will include a series of social work visits with an independent assessor and various background checks, including a full DBS and local authority checks. You’ll also attend our preparatory foster carer training course. Panel – once your fostering assessment report is complete, you’ll be invited to a fostering panel. This is where an independent group of individuals from various backgrounds, including social work, education and care experienced young people, will make a recommendation on your suitability to foster.

When a child is in foster care, the local authority and birth parents are legally responsible for them. This is often a temporary arrangement but can also be on a long-term basis. Foster carers receive a weekly allowance to cover the cost of the child in their care, while also providing them with a professional fee for their hard work and dedication. Foster parents may need to seek permission for various decisions, such as haircuts and holidays, and often, will need to coordinate contact with birth family. Adoption is permanent and the adoptive parent has full legal responsibility for the child.

Regular supervision – all of our foster parents and children have a regular monthly meeting with their dedicated social worker. Professional support – a large team of professionals on-hand to support you, including therapists, social workers, counsellors and educational expertise. You won’t always need it but it’s there for you to access, whenever you do. Training and development - we support your development as a person and a foster parent with an on-going programme of training throughout the year. 24/7 support - our helpline is open 24/7 all year round, including weekends and bank holidays. Events and activities, all year around - we work hard to bring everyone together for regular events at local centres, and we hold family activities all year round.

We welcome individuals from all walks of life to join our team of foster parents. You’ll need to meet the initial criteria to foster, which are that you’re over 21 years old, have the legal right to work in the UK and have a spare bedroom that’s always available for a child in care.

While experience with children is beneficial, it’s not essential as our training courses will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to care for a child/young person. Plus, with our professional circle of support - including social workers, therapists, fostering advisors, advisory teachers and other foster carers.

There are many different children who are living in foster care, including babies, toddlers, children and teenagers up to 18 years old, from a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds, requiring different types of foster care placements. And while every child’s history is unique, the most common reasons that a child will come into foster care are due to neglect and abuse.

Sadly, most of the children who are placed with our foster families have suffered early emotional deprivation, neglect and abuse. As a result of these past traumatic experiences, we find that children are not always able to regulate their emotions and may express their feelings through the way in which they behave, which can sometimes be challenging. The kinds of behaviour we often see from children in care, include: Withdrawing Pushing boundaries Demanding total attention Pushing away intimacy Becoming

Absolutely – even though we gain an in-depth understanding of your experience, qualities and preferences from the moment you join Genesis, we’ll never put you forward to care for a child or young person without your permission and we’ll always respect your decision for turning down a referral. We want children and young people to experience stable, secure family home environments and for our foster families to have a positive fostering experience, and this starts with quality matching.

Yes, foster carers receive a weekly fostering allowance for every child in their care, which is generally completely tax-free. Fostering allowances vary from agency to agency, and even local authority. However, allowances are generally around £400 - £450 per week, per child. The fostering allowance is split into two parts: An allowance to cover the cost of a child in care, including food, drink, clothing, utilities, activities and more. A professional fee awarded to the foster carer for their hard work, skills and dedication to a vulnerable child in care.

Yes, foster parents are classed as self-employed, so make sure you register yourself as self-employed as soon as you start caring for your first foster child. Once registered, you’ll then be required to complete a tax return every year.