Now is a good time to start fostering!

Now is a good time to start fostering

In becoming a foster carer, you will be part of a network of more than 50,000 members of the Fostering Network, with many sources of peer support available to you such as local foster care associations, online communities and many training and conference events across the UK.

But most importantly, there are more than 50,000 children and young people in care who need you! A wider pool of foster carers right across the UK is needed to keep looked after children within their local area wherever possible, so we urgently need more people to come forward and apply to become foster carers.

This means now is a great time to get into fostering, and Foster Care Fortnight is the ideal time for you to find out more. Many fostering services hold local events to give information about fostering in your area - contact your local fostering service (takes you to the Fostering Network's main website) to find out more.

Find out more about fostering in the What is fostering? section, or go straight to Applying to foster and find out how to become a foster carer!

Foster care is changing

The Fostering Network has long been campaigning for better support for foster carers and as a result things are improving:

• The Government has released minimum allowances for foster carers in England and Northern Ireland, which are being met by all fostering services. Allowances are exclusively for the needs of children and young people.
• Many fostering services are also recognising the need for appropriate financial rewards on top of allowances.
• Many other important issues for foster carers such as adequate support and helping young people in the transition to adulthood have also been recognised in the Government's agenda.