Could fostering be right for you?

[MaddyMumsnet]

Fostering is needed more than ever in the UK. Due to a shortage of local council foster carers, 1 in 5 children are moved more than 20 miles away from home, often meaning time away from their school, friends and wider family. Yet many people still assume fostering is only for certain types of families, or that you need a very specific lifestyle. The truth is, fostering looks different for different households, and you might be more suitable than you realise.

We've invited Linda Zieba, who fosters for her local council which is part of Fostering South West, to answer your questions about what fostering involves, who can foster, and how the process works. You might be wondering
– Who can foster, and what really matters when councils assess suitability?
– Can I foster if I work full-time, have children, or have other commitments?
– What types of fostering placements are there, and how much choice do carers have?
– What support is available, both financially and emotionally?
– How do I explore fostering without feeling pressured?
Ask your question below and Linda will answer. No question is too small – if it’s on your mind, it’s probably on someone else’s too.

About the Expert:
Linda Zieba has over 45 years of experience working with children. She began her teaching career in London in 1980 and moved to Gloucester in 2000. In 2008, following her divorce, Linda became a foster carer for teenagers while continuing to teach full-time and raising her daughter as a single parent. For the past 15 years, she has been fostering with her local council, providing short breaks, short-term placements, and emergency care.

💬 Post your question here and get expert advice on whether fostering could be right for you.
Everyone who posts on this thread with a question for Linda by the 17th of Jan, will be entered into a prize draw to win a £100 voucher. T&Cs apply.

Hi @Ohdannyboy . Personally I am against private agencies as I do not like the thought of anyone profitting from the trauma of children. I know that in Wales, they have removed private agencies so it may only be a matter of time before that comes in in England.

Hi @Isekaied . Good question. It would depend on what age you were thinking of having. I was a full time teacher and a single parent and it worked for me as I chose teenagers who were more independent. You would have to ask your local authority how old your own children would have to be before you could foster because it may vary but many foster carers have young children of their own.

Hi @bleakmidwintering . I do not know where you get the figure of £100 per week from. No one would do it for that. Contact your local authority and ask for a breakdown of the fees as each authority is slightly different.

My authority pays £100 a week to new carers as the fee per child. So if you only have 1 child placed with you then each week you receive £100 fee plus the child’s allowance. It increases after a year as long as you have completed all necessary training. That is a lot more than it was when I started over a decade ago and back then the fee was one amount no matter how many children you looked after.

My LA pays £90 per week for the first year.

Hi @littlecottonbud . I have always worked for the local authority because I did not like the thought of someone profitting from a young person's trauma. Agencies vary, and in my experience and the difference in fees is not that great. Agencies can only take children that the local authority cannot place so they often the more challenging young people.

Hi @Redlocks30 . The reason I think younger carers are rarer is because they are bringing up their own families and do not have the capacity/space for more children. Many who have been thinking of fostering for some time, do not do it until their own children leave home and there is a spare room. You do not have to be financially independent to foster.

Hi @CraftyNavySeal . You do not need to have experience of caring for children to become a foster carer. You will be given a lot of training before you start and you will have access to a mentor as well as your own social worker to guide you. There are also support groups that you can attend with people who have a wealth of experience to call on so you are never alone.

Hi @KrillBrill . Before you start fostering there is a lot of training. Once you are approved, the training is on going. You will have your own social worker who is not attached to the child. There are support groups available with a wealth of experience who can help you. You will not be alone on this journey.

Hi @Tulcan. Sorry to hear of your experience. It does sound like you have an awful lot of relevant experience which would be invaluable in fostering. It does not matter your age, ethnicity or gender when fostering. I would contact your local authority and attend an information evening to start your fostering journey.

Hi @LittleDeeAndME . I do not know if all local authorities do it. You would have to check, but my local authority has a scheme to pay for extension work to accommodate sibling groups in a property as this is a need.

I think being a successful foster carer comes down to a mix of preparation, practical skills, and personal qualities. Having a stable home environment, patience, empathy, and good communication with the fostering team all make a huge difference. Training like paediatric first aid, child development, and trauma‑informed care really helps you understand what children might be going through, however I have found there is a lot of training available before and during the process.

I don't, but I am sure there are government stats. Councils are always recruiting because there’s a constant need - especially for teenagers, sibling groups, and children with additional needs. Some carers do leave each year, often because of changes in their own family circumstances, retirement, or the emotional demands of the role. Many of us stay because of the support we receive and because the difference we can make is huge. But there’s definitely a national picture of demand growing faster than recruitment and there are current government reforms that are looking at the whole fostering process including retention of existing foster carers.

I am very surprised to read @ExpertLinda comment that after being approved you will be given several profiles to choose from!!! I have NEVER heard of this.

During 11 years of fostering almost every placement started with a phone call at tea time on a Friday afternoon as an emergency as the weekend was about to start and they needed to quickly find somewhere. Very sparse information indeed given over phone - pretty much just name/age/school currently attending.

I also agree that agencies should be outlawed.

Hi there,

We wanted to let those of you who posted on this thread know that later this week we’ll be sitting down with Josh MacAlister, Minister for Children and Families, who’ll be answering questions about fostering in England - from foster carer recruitment and retention, to support for foster families, the wider care system, and the government’s plans for reform.

If there’s something you’d like to ask, please do head over to the thread and post your question there:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/mumsnet_live_events/5526653-qa-on-fostering-with-josh-macalister-minister-for-children-and-families

Thanks,
MNHQ