Do I need any special qualifications to foster?
No, but we will discuss with you at the start of the process what skills and experience you have to offer and what you will need to provide. We prepare and assist our prospective foster carers with what will be involved in a fostering commitment and offer a comprehensive range of support and advice when you become an approved carer. You will certainly need to genuinely enjoy the challenges of child care and it helps to have qualities such as patience, resourcefulness, flexibility and, many say, a sense of humour! There is no such thing as a typical foster carer – everybody has something to bring in terms of experience and knowledge. We work closely during your preparation at finding out what you have to offer, what your skills and strengths are and what may need developing. We have introduced a 'payment for skills' model (see below) that will help identify what skills and competencies are needed to start your fostering and at what level.
Do I need to have a particular type of accommodation?
You will need available separate bedroom space for a fostered child. You may own your own home, rent from the local authority, rent privately – what is more important is that you are able to realistically offer space for a fostered child appropriate to its needs. We are unable to take applications from people with one bedroom accommodation.
What checks are needed if I apply to foster?
If we agree to receive an application from you, then we will ask for your consent to enable us to take up Criminal Record Bureau and other required checks. If a conviction is disclosed, we would need to discuss this with you. Certain convictions – offences against children and offences of violence for example, will prevent us proceeding with an application. Please refer to our fostering policy page for more detail.
We will also need to check applicants' health and ask you via your GP to undertake a routine medical. We only do this once we have agreed to start your assessment. If there are any health issues that could affect an ability to foster, then we would discuss this with you.
What is involved in assessment and preparation?
If we agree to take up an application with you, we need to work together at finding out what you have to offer, build on your existing skills and knowledge and prepare you for the fostering task. Fostering staff will visit you at home on a regular basis (this is often called a ‘home study’) and together we need to provide a report and portfolio for a fostering panel to consider your approval. If you have older children, they will be included during the preparation process too.
You will have an opportunity to attend a preparation course called ‘The Skills To Foster’ which is run by staff and experienced foster carers. Meeting with foster carers during the preparation process can be an invaluable way of finding out more about fostering and the issues involved. You will be offered a link to an experienced foster carer and can receive 'mentoring' support following your approval.
How long does assessment and preparation take?
We need time to get to know you and you need to be sure that fostering is right for you. From start to finish, the whole assessment and preparation process is likely to take about eight months. At the end of this process, you will be approved by a Fostering Panel for a level of fostering on our Payment for Skills model. You are then ready to start your fostering commitments.
If I find that fostering is not for me, what do I do?
If you feel that at any stage you do not wish to continue, then we would hope you could discuss this with us. Similarly, we also sometimes have to advise applicants that it may not be appropriate to continue an assessment. It is important that you feel you are making the right decision to foster for the right reasons – if you need to discuss any issue, then you can expect our help and advice.
What support can I expect as a foster carer?
All our approved foster carers receive a comprehensive range of support, including training, skills recognition (including NVQ and CWDC standards training) and regular inclusion in city wide foster carer Support Groups. All carers receive support for their fostering commitments via a ‘link’ supervising fostering worker, very often the same worker who has built up a relationship with you via preparation and assessment. We work closely with other social work staff to help ensure a ‘team’ approach to assist carers with the demands presented by the children they care for.
What is 'Payment for Skills' ?
We have introduced a new payments and support model for the Leeds Fostering Service which rewards our foster carer's skills and experience. Known as 'Payment for Skills', the model has four levels, with allowances and fees for each level (Level 1 lowest , Level 4 highest). Applicants are able to enter at a particular level if meeting the tasks and skills requirements at that level (Level 4 for example is the highest tasks and competencies level requiring considerable child care experience and other skills). If you go on to Register an Interest and apply to foster with us, staff will discuss payment for skills with you in detail at the Initial Home Visit stage and advise on how your interest, skills and experience can be best matched to a a particular skills level.
Can I apply if I live outside of Leeds?
We need our foster carers to be based in the Leeds area to provide fostering services for Leeds looked after children, particularly those that need short -term or temporary support. However, we can take interest from enquirers who live geographically within a 20 mile radius of Leeds centre. For more advice, please contact us on: 0113 2477443
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