What is Fostering?

A question so commonly asked, but too often misunderstood.

Fostering is a commonly used term but many people interpret this differently. Many people might have heard of fostering or may even know children and young people who are living in foster care, but many people still have the same question: What is fostering?

Children who are in foster care are special because they are not living with their own families. They come with a history of experiences, some of which may not be known which means they are best suited in foster care. The objective for fostering comes down to foster carers and social workers making life as ‘normal’ as possible for the foster child, bearing in mind that knowledge about his or her history may not be full or complete.

Sometimes, when foster carers and foster children ask, ‘What is fostering?’, this can mean different things to different people.

Fostering is concerned with shared caring. It is taking into a foster carers’ home someone else’s child. What foster carers have to offer is unique to each foster carer and their family.

This is often a temporary arrangement. Many foster children can return back to their birth families at some point or become of age where they are able to look after themselves.

Whether you’re just looking for information on fostering or you are considering fostering in Nottingham, or need some more information regarding what fostering is, get in contact today.

Initial Enquiry – Believe it or not you have done the hardest bit.
Home Visit- A Social worker will come out to discuss your interest in fostering
Stage One– Suitability checks will be undertaken
Stage Two– Your fostering assessment will begin
Panel– All evidence will go before a fostering panel for approval

The assessment process takes on average 4-6 months to complete, during this period you will have to attend a two day Skills to Foster training course. Many foster carers have shared that they enjoyed the process after their initial anxieties and share how insightful and informative they found the process.

Here at Fostering Dimensions we cater for children and young people from various cultures and backgrounds. Whereby, possible we aim to place children with foster carers who are from similar cultures and backgrounds.

There are different types of fostering placements available and the length in which a child is placed with you can vary from a couple of days or until a child reaches 18years.

We are able to offer the following types of placements:
Short Term
Long Term
Bridging to adoption or independence
Emergency
Parent and Child

During the assessment process your Supervising social worker will explore all the options to help you decide what types of fostering are best suited to you.