Refer a Friend scheme
This benefit is available for all current Bracknell Forest Council foster carers and staff members, as well as pre-approved community organisations.
All staff are eligible to receive £2,000 if they successfully refer a friend to become a foster carer.
If you know someone with a spare room, time, and childcare experience, have a chat with them and see if it’s something they might be interested in. They don’t need to live in the borough, they just need to be within a commutable distance of about 10 to 15 miles.
To make a referral, simply email your friend or family member’s full name, address and contact details to fostering@bracknell-forest.gov.uk.
Following a successful assessment, you’ll be rewarded with £2,000 when your friend starts fostering with us.
Refer a Friend terms and conditions
The Refer a Friend scheme is available to all current Bracknell Forest Council foster carers and staff members, as well as pre-approved community organisations.
The referrer should make the referral by emailing details of the prospective foster carer to fostering@bracknell-forest.gov.uk.
There are no limits to the number of people a foster carer can refer.
The referral reimbursement of £2,000 is paid in installments:
- £500 paid following the prospective foster carers’ assessment and approval by the agency decision maker
- £1,500 paid 8 weeks after the referred foster carer has taken their first placement - or following 2 respite placements for respite carers
Payments will be made into the referrers bank once bank details have been provided.
The referred candidate must be eligible to work and live in the UK.
The Refer a Friend scheme does not apply to candidates interested in private or connected persons fostering or special guardianship.
The referral will not qualify if the referred candidate is already on our database and we have been in contact with that person in the last 6 months.
The decision of Bracknell Forest Council regarding any aspect of any referral is final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into about it.
Bracknell Forest Council reserves the right to hold, suspend, amend, modify, cancel or withdraw the Refer a Friend scheme at any time and for any reason and without notice.
Bracknell Forest Council accepts no responsibility and shall not be liable for any losses or damages that may result from entering the Refer a Friend scheme.
Participants in the Refer a Friend scheme are deemed to have accepted and agreed to be bound by these terms and conditions upon entry of the Refer a Friend scheme.
Bracknell Forest Council reserves the right to refuse entry, or refuse to award any monies to anyone in breach of these terms and conditions.
Fostering friendly employer
This benefit is for eligible employees of Bracknell Forest Council.
Bracknell Forest Council is a fostering friendly employer.
Employees who are fostering or those who are in the process of becoming foster carers, are entitled to extra paid annual leave. This excludes schools based staff.
The extra annual leave includes up to:
- 5 days during the application and assessment process
- 5 days during their time as foster carers to attend events such as meetings, training, panels and hearings
This is calculated pro-rata for part-time staff.
Alongside this, fostering provides generous allowances and a huge amount of training and support.
To be able to foster, you must be a caring, empathetic, and patient person who has time to devote to one or more children.
In addition, you must:
- have a spare bedroom
- be at least 21 years of age
- have some experience of caring for or working with children
- be in good general health
Find out more on our fostering pages.