Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some frequently asked questions about fostering which you might find useful. Any question not listed here, please contact us.

Q1 What does fostering involve?
Q2 What kind of people foster?
Q3 Do I have to be married to foster?
Q4 Do I have to own my own home?
Q5 What happens when I decide I want to become a foster carer?
Q6 What support will I receive as a foster carer?


What does fostering involve?

Different children have different needs. However, all foster children need to be looked after in a caring home and, for many, to be helped to stay in touch with families and supported in their relationships with their parents. Whether you look after one child or help to keep brothers and sisters together, there is a kind of fostering to match the type of help you can offer.

1. Short term placements can last a few days, a week, a month or longer, while the difficulties in the child’s family are resolved or another home is found.

2. Long term placements are for children who need families to care for them until they are 16-18 years old. Whenever possible we try to keep brothers and sisters together. Long term placements are different from adoption because Social Services are the child’s legal parents, rather than you, and many children keep in touch with members of their family.

3. Respite Care usually lasts a weekend or maybe a week during holidays. Children who need respite care usually still live with their parents but will need to spend some time in foster care with the same family on a regular basis.

4. Emergency Care requires foster carers to be ready to take a child in at very short notice, day or night.

5. Supported Lodgings is a scheme whereby young people over the age of 16 living in your home are encouraged to increase their independence as you help them develop skills like budgeting and cooking.


What kind of people foster?

Children aged 0 to 18 years may need foster care for many different reasons. One child may have parents with drug and alcohol problems; another child might have been neglected or hurt; another might just need a roof over their head while a parent is in hospital.

Similarly the people who foster vary in many ways. Some are 22, others are 62; some are married, others are single; some have been to university, others left school without qualifications.

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do I have space in my home?

2. Do I care about children and enjoy their company?

If the answers to these questions are all ‘Yes’ then there is a good chance you could foster. Issues like whether you rent your home, are on housing benefit or have disabilities will not prevent you being considered as a foster carer.

"Our fostered children are all unique and they need unique carers to look after them"


Do You need to be Married

Some carers are married, some are single, some are divorced, some are widowed and some live together. There is no need whatsoever for you to be married.


Do I have to own my own home

Some carers live in private rented accommodation, and some live in council properties.


What happens when I decide I want to become a foster carer?

After we hear from you, a social worker will contact you to help you decide whether fostering is right for you. We will then have to assess you to make sure you can provide a caring and happy home for a vulnerable child. This process will take about 6 months and will include training. While this may seem like a long time, it is important that we can ensure the safety of any children being fostered and to make sure you are fully prepared for the important role of fostering a child. A social worker from our team will guide you through every step of the assessment, which will include local authority checks, police checks, references, medicals and visits to your home.

During this time you will have plenty of opportunity to think about whether fostering is right for you, while we decide if you are right for fostering.


What support will I receive as a foster carer?

As a foster carer, you will be a vital part of our team so we will make sure you get all the support you need.

1. You will have your own Social Worker from our Fostering Team who will visit you and your family to help you as a foster carer.

2. Each child you foster will also have their own Social Worker.

3. Different courses will be available to help you learn about various aspects of caring for children, including an NVQ Level 3 Award in Caring for Children and Young People.

4. You will be able to attend a monthly support group run by foster carers for foster carers to share experience and advice.

5. You will be given money every week to cover the costs of looking after children as well as a being paid for the work you do with children. These payments will not affect any benefits you receive.

6. We will pay for you to be a member of 'The Fostering Network', a national organisation for foster carers who can offer you advice and information.

' When Mum and Dad started fostering, I was excited to get new brothers and sisters to play with.'

We need more foster carers in Caerphilly county borough to give a good start in life to children who, through no fault of their own, have not had one before . We offer full training, continuous support and financial assistance. If you too want to give children a chance, then contact us or browse this website to find out more about fostering.