You do not have to be a British Citizen but you do have to have the right to reside in the UK. Can you foster? Can you change lives? Take our quick survey.
If you are in the UK for a limited time, this would be taken into consideration due to the time and cost implications of approving people to foster. Children from a wide range of backgrounds, including those seeking asylum in the UK need foster families who can reflect their cultural or ethnic background.
The assessment process to become a foster carer is the same for all people wishing to foster. It can be a very intrusive process and can stir and evoke emotions and memories which you may not have considered
Rehana and Peter both felt that there was a need for more Muslim foster carers and so their journey began. Rehana shares her story…..
“My husband and I wished to foster for a long time and we waited for our children to be older and committed to our decision. We also felt there was a need for Muslim foster carers although we have fostered children from different ethnicities and beliefs. Our current placement is a young person who is a practising Muslim. Fostering involves the whole family and our own children play a core part in the fostering process. We are extremely proud of our birth children who have embraced this role positively and who are continuous role models for the children we foster.
The approval to foster process was necessary and intrusive but a smooth process. We understood why the process has to be so in-depth, as this was explained to us at the time.
Throughout the assessment process, the support we had from our assessing Supervising Social Worker was outstanding. They also supported us in dealing with the anxieties of our birth children, which was been a great help.
The ‘Skills to Foster’ training was very informative and beneficial. It equipped us with the right tools to become confident, effective foster carers. This training was an eye opener but at the same time it was engaging and fun!
Our final step was going to Panel where our eldest daughter accompanied us by choice. We felt this was imperative as the panel could speak to her directly and hear her views.
The fostering experience to date has been extremely rewarding and challenging at the same time, seeing a child smile, stable and safe outweighs the challenges we can face as foster carers.
Your supervising social worker will recognise the different skills and abilities of you as foster carers. They will identify and support you with ongoing training and supervision. Within our first year of fostering, I was encouraged to become a Carer Ambassador and Recruitment Ambassador which I thoroughly enjoy and I can promote the views of other local carers at the regional carer forums. My latest role as carer support enables me to encourage others to become foster carers and support new recruits on their fostering journey to minimise any anxieties they may have with the assessment process.”
We would urge anyone who has a spare room, patience, resilience and love for children to step forward and become part of our amazing fostering family.
Quote from our foster child:
“I am happy in my placement. I’m surrounded by people who really care about me and I feel very safe and part of a family where I no longer feel like a looked after child”.
“I would like more people like Rehana to come forward and foster to put a smile on a child’s face today”.
“I have not felt this safe before and I don’t want another child to go through the things I have been through. Please help other children like me to feel safe, happy, loved and welcomed to a home again”.
We are not saying fostering is easy but nothing in life that is worthwhile comes easy.
We had to face some difficult and challenging reactions as we found a stigma attached to becoming a foster carer in the Asian community, as prying is frowned upon. There’s no denying, the approval to foster can be intrusive but it is a necessary process.
My parents at first were not convinced about us fostering and were worried about our safety, the possibility of having an allegation and whether our own children would be affected. At times, our placements have had more time than our own children especially when they first arrive in our home, but it’s all about trying to balance the well-being of everyone, including your own well-being. Now, my family as well as members of the Asian community have changed their minds and have treated our foster children the same as my children.
Generally the assessment process takes 6 to 8 months, so what are you waiting for?”
Can you foster? Can you change lives?
There is a constant need for foster carers with a shortfall of around 9,000 in this year alone.
Don’t delay; start the process today.
Find out if you fit the criteria to foster by completing our quick online survey. (only 11 tick box questions)
Call Fosterline in confidence to find out more about becoming a foster carer on 0800 040 7675. Qualified Fosterline Advisers are available 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.