BECOMING A FOSTER CARER
Stages to becoming a foster carer
DECIDE WHAT TYPE OF FOSTERING YOU WANT TO DO
There are several different types of foster care such as short-term, long-term, emergency, respite care. Some individuals and families will have the skills and qualities to provide parent and child foster placements. You can foster children from newborn to 18 years old (and now some young people stay living with their former foster carers until they are 25). You should consider what age group that you would feel most comfortable looking after, and discuss this during the assessment process.
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TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT
Once you apply to Subari there are various stages in the assessment process.
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Stage One
An initial phone screening interview will take place, this is to ensure you meet the basic requirements e.g. do you have a spare room, do you have sufficient time available etc.
Stage Two
An initial home visit by one of the Subari team. This will enable us to see the home environment and to discuss in more detail the requirements of fostering, and to see if fostering is right for you and your family.
Stage Three
If the initial home visit indicates the assessment should continue then we will need to gather additional information on you such as undertaking as enhanced police check to ensure that you are suitable to work with children (DBS) and other statutory checks. Your GP will also need to complete a medical health questionnaire about you.
Stage Four
If no major concerns are raised from Stage three your assessment will be allocated to a qualified social worker and you will be invited to attend our pre-approval training. This essential training covers key areas such as the role of a foster carer, understanding safeguarding, child development, managing challenging behaviour, developing trust and relationships, safer caring and what this means.
The longest part of becoming a foster carer is the assessment by the social worker as to the suitability of your skills, experience and home environment for fostering, as well as an assessment of others in your household, including any children. It is also really important that together we explore where and from who you will receive support as experience has shown this is vital. This in-depth assessment will allow plenty of opportunity for reflection. This stage can take anything up to four months, after which your assessor will submit a full report, including input from you, to the fostering panel.
PANEL AND AGENCY DECISION MAKER
Subari like all fostering agencies must have a fostering panel. This panel is made up of a range of people bringing different skills and experiences. Some panel members have a professional background in children social care, health, education and others have direct experience with the fostering process, either through being a foster carer themselves or through being fostered in the past.
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Your report will be presented to the fostering panel who's responsibility it is to read it carefully and to consider your suitability to foster. You and your assessing social worker will attend the panel where there will be an opportunity for a full and frank discussion. The panel will then deliberate and make a recommendation about your approval to become a foster carer.
This recommendation will be considered by The Agency Decision Maker who will be a person with significant experience and knowledge about meeting the needs of children in substitute care. The Agency Decision Maker will make the final decision as to whether or not you are approved as a foster carer. You will be informed of that decision verbally and in writing.
POST APPROVAL
On approval as a foster carer you will be allocated a supervising social worker who will explain in more detail the roles and responsibilities of a foster carer in order to prepare you for the arrival of your first child in placement. A child may be placed with you shortly after you are approved or it may take a while. It is important that we make sure you and your family are matched with a child appropriate for your family. Making a good match is essential for a successful fostering placement.