Being a foster carer

Foster carers offer children and young people a safe, loving and nurturing home when they can't live with their birth families.

This means they have a unique chance to make a positive difference to a child's life.  

As well as providing day-to-day care for children and young people, foster carers are part of a wider team made up of social workers, teachers, health care professionals and many others. They will attend meetings and advocate for the child as part of that team. They also keep records, manage sometimes challenging behaviour, and develop their own skills through training provided by their fostering service, The Fostering Network and others. 

Foster carers also play an important part in children and young people in foster care keeping in touch with their birth family.