To mark National Careers Week (6th – 12th March 2023), our latest blog explores what a career in fostering can be like.
Hull Fostering is the largest fostering service in the local area and we are responsible for all children in Hull.
Today there are currently 797 children looked after from Hull who are in the care of Hull City Council, needing foster homes.
When a child cannot live with their family, it is our responsibility to find a loving home for our children to live.
It is important we keep our children as local as possible, so they can remain at the same school, keep in touch with their friends and family and because we know they feel safer and settle quicker, the closer they are to what they know.
Nationally there are fewer foster carers today than there have ever been, yet the national trend is seeing more children coming into care than ever before.
Fostering is often described as one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do – giving children and young people, who haven’t been given the best start in life, the opportunity to thrive.
As a foster carer, you are a professional, and rewarded for your ongoing training, development, and commitment to our children.
Deciding whether to become a foster carer is a very important decision and one we encourage you to make with your whole family and support network.
If you have ever considered fostering a child or young person, here is a whistle-stop-tour of what the process is like and what it could be like for you as a carer for Hull Fostering.
The Process
If you are considering fostering, we will ask to meet you, as this helps us get to know you a bit better and gives you a chance to ask us any questions.
Once we’ve met and you have decided you would like to apply to become a foster carer, a dedicated assessing social worker will begin your fostering assessment.
As part of the application process and to give you an insight into fostering, we will ask you to attend 16-hours’ worth of training (8 courses) that will give you the ‘building blocks’ for fostering and allows you the opportunity to meet and speak to other prospective and approved carers. You can choose from a combination of in person and online courses which are also held on evenings and weekends to fit around your family routines.
It is Hull Fostering’s aim to complete a full assessment with prospective mainstream carers within 6 months of your initial contact. Once you are approved, we will work hard to match you with a child who we believe will suit you best.
We know our children and will start making introductions as soon as you are ready to accept your first child.
As a foster carer you will never be alone, you will be allocated a qualified social worker as your key contact with Hull Fostering.
You will have frequent contact with your social worker to support you, offer advice, carry out supervisions and discuss potential training you can access.
So what is the role of a foster carer?
We offer six different types of fostering to suit your home, your family dynamics and life commitments, for details on the six different types of fostering, please visit this page.
Despite the different type of care options available, like any parent, you will be a role model to the child in your care, providing them with a safe and happy home.
As well as providing day-to-day, as a foster carer you will be expected to advocate on behalf of the child, support their educational, health and social wellbeing, manage sometimes challenging behaviour, keep records, attend meetings and work with the wider team, as well as developing your own skills.
You will be paid a competitive rate for each child in your care, an additional weekly skills payment given based on your experience and continuous learning development, a £500 annual bonus, mileage, babysitting and setting up costs. You will also be given additional allowances for providing experiences for the children in your care to go on holiday, cover Birthday and Christmas presents.
For more information on our financial allowances, please visit this page.
As a new carer you will be partnered up with an experienced mentor foster carer who will also support you in your first year of fostering.
At the very heart of everything we do, both Hull Fostering and our foster carers aim to provide the safest care possible. It can be a challenging role, but our foster carers tell us it is also hugely rewarding.
Who Can Apply to become a Foster Carer?
Almost anybody can apply to become a foster carer, as long as you meet the following basic criteria.
To foster you will need:
- To have a spare bedroom (unless you specifically wish to foster babies up to 18 months old and then they can remain in the same bedroom as the carer).
- Must be over 21 years old – there is no upper age limit.
- Live within a 30-mile radius of Hull
If you would like to speak to one of our friendly team about joining our family of foster carers, please call 01482 612 800 or email fostering@hullcc.gov.uk, we would love to discuss what support you could offer children in Hull.
