Fostering

What is fostering?
Fostering is simply a way of providing a home for a child or young person who, for any number of reasons, cannot live with their family. This is intended to be temporary, with a view to returning them to their family, but is not always the case.

Fostering in Bracknell Forest
We are looking for a variety of types of foster carer, who can provide a stable home for a child or young person, on a temporary basis. We need people to take on a broad range of placements, including sibling groups, babies, teenagers and children with disabilities.

Anyone over the age of 21 can apply to be a foster carer, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, religion or marital status. You can have children, or no children of your own.

But what we do ask is that you have a spare room in your home; time in your life to give i.e. availability for school pick up and drop off etc…; flexibility; the willingness to work with a range of professionals to get the best outcomes for the child you are looking after and an interest in helping children and young people.

In return, we offer very comprehensive training and development opportunities, generous allowances while you have a child in placement; one to one support from a social worker; free and discounted leisure activities throughout the Borough; the support and social activities of a Foster Carers’ Association, and out of hours support should you need it.

What should I do next?
Take a look at our comprehensive information leaflet; then get in touch with us – why not just give us a call and see if fostering might be for you? Or fill in our Expression of Interest form, and we will get back to you. You can also attend one of our information evenings or coffee mornings, where you can chat informally to social workers from the team and hear from foster carers themselves.

If fostering might not be for you, you could consider short break care, or offering a home to a young person aged 16-18, as a Supported Lodgings carer.