Category: Articles

28 April 2020

Family Fostering Partners recognise fostering as a professional career and all of our carers are paid a competitive fostering allowance. Payments are calculated per child per week and are based on the complexity of the child’s needs. In addition to the allowance, foster parents benefit from certain tax relief schemes. Choosing to foster is a wonderful thing to…

26 February 2020

Leap into Fostering….. Once every 4 years we are given an additional day in the year. Why not make it really count this year and using it to  start an exciting journey to becoming a foster parent?   We know from experience that reaching the decision to apply to become a foster parent takes time and sometimes you…

28 January 2020

Many people ask us some variation of the question "Can I foster if....". Therefore, we've collated and answered some of the most commonly asked questions to help alleviate any concerns that you may have regarding whether you can foster. Can I Foster if.... I’m gay? A person’s sexual orientation has no bearing on their ability to foster. If…

22 August 2019

If you already have birth children or grandchildren, you might be wondering; can I choose the age of my foster child to ensure a good fit within my family dynamics? You may be interested to know that “can you choose age range when fostering” and “can you choose what age to foster” are some of our most commonly…

21 August 2019

Most of our foster parents tell us that they have thought about it for years before making the decision to take a first step towards fostering, and we can truly understand the reasons why families wait so long before deciding they are ready to learn more. There are probably a million reasons why you might think you can’t,…

26 March 2019

If you are thinking of becoming a foster carer, you may be wondering how to go about explaining foster care to family and friends. To start, it might be helpful if you have an outline of the roles and responsibilities that foster parents undertake to help you describe what you would like to do. In reality of course…

28 September 2018

Did you know that there is a condition that often affects parents and carers called “Empty Nest Syndrome”? It occurs when children have grown up to the point of becoming adults and “leave the nest” to begin their own independent lives. Sometimes this will be when they leave home to go off to college or university, and sometimes…

4 September 2018

As adults, we know that our school days have a huge impact on the rest of our lives, and children in care are no different. In fact, for fostered children and young people, experiences at school are likely to have an even greater impact on their sense of identity and self-esteem. School is so much more than an…

16 July 2018

Being a foster carer is so much more than simply offering a child a safe and stable home. It’s important for children and young people to have good role models to learn vital life skills from. Setting a good example when it comes to healthy eating and cooking can help ensure that children and young people develop into…

4 July 2018

Over the years, many fostering organisations have called individuals who look after children "Foster Carers" believing that this reflects the level of complexity and responsibility families take on when they look after children on behalf of the state. After all, foster carers are trained, assessed and supported to take on the challenge of trying to piece together some…