At Fosterline, we work with fostering services to help support prospective and current foster carers. We provide advice and information on all aspects of the fostering journey, from recruitment to retirement, and are here to help foster carers navigate through challenging situations. However, Fosterline is not a replacement for the support a foster carer’s fostering service can offer.
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Supporting foster carers
Fosterline advisers can:
- Provide advice and information about any aspect of fostering in England.
- Listen and provide emotional support to foster carers in distress.
- Help clarify any relevant legislation or refer foster carers to specific policies and procedures to help identify possible next steps in situations causing them concern.
- Provide information and advice to people enquiring about becoming a foster carer to enable them to make informed choices.
- Provide information and advice to current foster carers to help them move a situation forward.
- Discuss all available options with foster carers to help them reach an informed decision.
- Provide detailed guidance around further support options for foster carers through their local authority or independent fostering service, other statutory or voluntary organisations or government bodies.
- Promote the recruitment and retention of foster carers by providing a responsive, impartial and accessible source of advice and support and championing fostering as a way to transform a child’s life.
Fosterline advisers cannot:
- Tell a prospective or current foster carer what to do or what not to do. Instead, we support foster carers to explore all available options and reach an informed decision.
- Offer their personal opinions on issues raised. Instead, we offer advice based on the presenting problem and best practice guidelines (i.e. statutory guidance and National Minimum Standards., etc.) to enable foster carers to make up their own mind about next steps.
- Take action on behalf of foster carers. Instead, we will offer clear guidance on actions that foster carers can take for themselves.
- Provide individual support to foster carers by writing letters, attending meetings or preparing for/attending fostering panels. Instead, we support foster carers to understand the process and best practice involved in all aspects of fostering and communicating with their fostering service.
- Provide legal, financial or medical advice, but will signpost foster carers to this when it is appropriate to do so.
