The Fostering Network
Home
0800 0407675
  • About us
  • Thinking of fostering?
  • Already fostering?
  • Resources
  • Fostering Services

About us

Want to learn more about Fosterline? 

Learn more
  • What we stand for
  • Contact us
  • FAQs about Fosterline
  • Job vacancies

Thinking of fostering?

If you are thinking of fostering, we have a range of information for you to explore. 

Learn more
  • What is fostering?
  • Why foster?
  • Who can foster?
  • How do I become a foster carer?
  • Fostering quiz
  • Preparing to foster guide
  • Find a Fostering Service
  • Events

Already fostering?

We have a range of information to support you throughout your fostering journey. 

Discover more
  • Preparing to welcome a child into your home
  • Safeguarding
  • Facing an allegation
  • Celebrating and supporting diversity
  • Caring for a child with a disability
  • Caring for an autistic child
  • Attachment and fostering
  • Fostering legislation
  • Fostering and education
  • Fostering and finances
  • Special Guardianship Order (SGO)
  • Training for foster carers
  • Advocacy for children and young people
  • Contact (family time)
  • Facing challenges
  • Complaints to fostering services
  • Transferring fostering services
  • Terms, reviews, and resignation
  • Fostering with pets
  • Fostering and insurance
  • Leaving care

Resources

We have a range of further resources for both current and prospective foster carers. 

See more
  • FAQs
  • Blog
  • Preparing to foster guide
  • Counselling
  • Other useful organisations

Fostering Services

Learn more about how we can support fostering services.

Learn more
  • Supporting foster carers
  • Recruitment and retention of foster carers

Our locations

  • England
  • Wales
  • Scotland
  • Northern Ireland

Connect with us

Facebook X Instagram LinkedIn
Please enter a search term

Useful pages

Find a fostering service Types of fostering Fostering and finances Contact us
E4094fdf 32Ff 4E44 Ae82 E2f29801b37f

Other useful organisations

  • FAQs
  • Blog
  • Preparing to foster guide
  • Counselling
  • Other useful organisations

At Fosterline, we’re here to support you on your fostering journey, every step of the way. But there may be times where you, or a child or young person in your care, need more advice and support from a specialist organisation. The following organisations may be helpful. 

Adoption and fostering organisations

First 4 Adoption 
https://www.first4adoption.org.uk/   

The Fostering Network 
https://www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/   

FosterTalk 
https://fostertalk.org/ 

New Family Social (UK Network for LGBTQ+ adoptive and foster families) https://www.newfamilysocial.org.uk/ 
0203 880 2683 

Advice and support for birth families

FFLAG (supporting families and LGBTQ+ loved ones) 
https://www.fflag.org.uk/ 
0300 688 0368 
 
Family Rights Group  
https://frg.org.uk/ 
0808 801 0366 

Kinship  
https://kinship.org.uk/ 

Children's rights and advocacy services

The Children’s Commissioner for England
May take up issues on behalf of children and young people in care
0800 528 0731 Home - Help at Hand (childrenscommissioner.gov.uk) 

Coram Children’s Legal Centre
provides legal advice for looked after children
https://lawstuff.org.uk/
 
https://lawstuff.org.uk/contact-us/  

Become  
https://becomecharity.org.uk/ 
0800 023 2033 

National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS) 
https://www.nyas.net/ 
0808 808 1001 

Children's Rights Alliance For England (CRAE) (currently only taking on cases for children living in London)
Aims to protect children's rights in the UK and merged into organisation ‘Just for Kids Law’ in 2015 being a UK charity that works with and for children and young people to hold those with power to account and fight for wider reform by providing legal representation and advice, direct advocacy and support, and campaigning to ensure children and young people in the UK have their legal rights and entitlements respected and promoted and their voices heard and valued
020 3174 2279
[email protected]  

Child law advice on Education for Education for looked after children 
Education for looked after children - childlawadvice.org.uk  

Advocacy Child law advice
Advocacy - childlawadvice.org.uk 

Article 39 is a small, independent charity which fights for the rights of children living in state and privately-run institutions (boarding and residential schools, children’s homes, immigration detention, mental health inpatient units, prisons and supported accommodation) in England. Rights4Children to advocacy 
Rights to advocacy – Article 39 

If the Local Authority refused to allow your Advocate to attend any child protection meeting, you should raise these concerns with your Local Safeguarding Children Board or the Local Government Ombudsman

The government has issued guidance and regulations on advocacy:

  • Children Act 1989 (legislation.gov.uk) gives the right to looked after children to make representations and complaints to the Local Authority regarding their care arrangements. 

  • Adoption and Children Act 2002 (legislation.gov.uk) which places a duty on Local Authorities to assist looked after children who want to make a complaint.  

  • The Children Act 1989 guidance and regulations Volume 2: care planning, placement and case review July 2021The Children Act 1989 guidance and regulations (publishing.service.gov.uk) 

  • The Advocacy Services and Representations Procedure (Children) (Amendment) Regulations 2004The Advocacy Services and Representations Procedure (Children) (Amendment) Regulations 2004 (legislation.gov.uk) to mean that the Local Authority must provide advocacy services to looked after children who wish to make a complaint about their care. 

  •  Effective Advocacy for Looked-After Children, Children in Need and Care Leavers (education.gov.uk) Sept 2023 

  • IRO Handbook Statutory guidance for independent reviewing officers and local authorities on their functions in relation to case management and review for looked after children iro_statutory_guidance_iros_and_las_march_2010_tagged.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk) 

  • Providing Effective Advocacy Services for Children and Young People Making a Complaint under the Children Act 1989 The Advocacy Services and Representations Procedure (Children) (Amendment) Regulations 2004 5414-DfES-AdvocacyServices txt (publishing.service.gov.uk) came into effect on 1st April 2004 

  • Government guidance Education advocacy see page 11 and documents on LAC Education https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a9015d4e5274a5e67567fbe/Promoting_the_education_of_looked-after_children_and_previously_looked-after_children.pdf  

 

Financial and legal advice

Citizen’s Advice  

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ 
0800 144 8848 
 

Turn to Us  
https://www.turn2us.org.uk/

 

Government departments

 
Department for Education  
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education 
 

Department for Work and Pensions  
https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits 
 
HM Revenue & Customs 
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs 
Self-Assessment: 0300 200 3310 
Tax Credits: 0345 300 3900 
Child Benefits: 0300 200 3100 
Self-Employed Income Tax: 0300 200 3300 
National Insurance Enquiries (Class 1,2, and 3):  0300 200 3500 
National Insurance Enquiries (Class 4): 0300 200 3300 
 
Ofsted  
https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/

National organisations offering advice and support

 
British Dyslexia Association  
https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/  
0333 405 4555 
 

The National Autistic Society  
https://www.autism.org.uk/

National Centre for Eating Disorders  
https://eating-disorders.org.uk/
0845 838 2040 
 
The Information Commissioners Office  
https://ico.org.uk/ 

Food in Care  
https://foodactive.org.uk/what-we-do/resources-and-training/food-in-care/

NSPCC  
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/
0808 800 5000 
 
LGBTQ+ Youth in Care  
https://www.lgbtyouthincare.com/

 

Support for young people

 
Anti-Bullying Campaign  
https://www.familylives.org.uk/advice/bullying 
 
Childline  
https://www.childline.org.uk/
0800 1111 
 
Missing People’s Helpline  
https://www.missingpeople.org.uk/
116 000 
 
National Drugs Helpline  
https://www.talktofrank.com/
0300 1236600 
 

Samaritans  
https://www.samaritans.org/
116123 or email [email protected] 
 
Young Minds  
https://www.youngminds.org.uk/
Parent’s Helpline: 0808 802 5544 
 
Speech and Language UK  
https://speechandlanguage.org.uk/

Care Advice Line  
https://www.thecareadviceline.org/

Stone Wall Young Futures  
https://www.stonewall.org.uk/young-futures

 

The Independent Review Mechanism (England)

IRM 
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/independent-review-mechanism 
0113 202 2080 

Support for children and young people with a disability

Resources National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS)
0808 808 1001 
https://www.nyas.net/

Coram Voice advocacy service
0808 800 5792
https://coramvoice.org.uk/

Cerebra – Our Vision is that every family that includes a child with a brain condition will have the chance to discover a better life together.
https://cerebra.org.uk/

Council for Disabled Children UK
https:// councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/

Children’s Commissioner for England – https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/
0800 528 0731 for Children in care 08088 020 008

Children’s rights Children and young people’s Legal Centre England
https://www.childrenslegalcentre.com/

Contact a family (for families with disabled children) 
0808 808 3555
www.contact.org.uk

Disabled Facilities Grants
https://www.gov.uk/help-fordisabled-child/home-adaptations
https://www.gov.uk/ disabled-facilities-grants

Disability Law Service
020 7791 9800

Disability Rights
https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/

Equality Act 2010: Information and guidance on the Equality Act 2010, including age discrimination and public sector
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance

Information Advice and support services for special educational needs
www.kids.org.uk/sendiass

Shared Lives Shared Lives
https://sharedlivesplus.org.uk

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child www.unicef.org.uk/what-we-do/unconvention-child-rights/ 

 

Support for autistic children and young people

There are lots of resources available online offering advice on how to provide help and support to children and young people with autism.

National Autistic Society
www.autism.org.uk

Resources for Autism
 www.resourcesforautism.org.uk
020 8458 3259

Child Autism UK
www.childautism.org.unhs

NHS autism support groups hub
www.nhs.uk/service-search/other-services/ Autism-support-groups/LocationSearch/310

Ambitious about Autism
For autistic children and young people, their parents and carers. 020 8815 5444
Website: www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk
 

Further support and guidance for SEND students

Children and Families Act 2014 (including definition of SEN) https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/6/part/3/enacted ) 
 
Equality Act 2014 (including definition of disability): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/6 


Information on Disability Discrimination in Education from Child Law Advice
https://childlawadvice.org.uk/information-pages/disability-discrimination-in-education/ 
 
A SEND Guide for Parents and Carers from the Department for Education:  
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-guide-for-parents-and-carers 
 
SEND Code of Practice from the Department for Education:  
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7dcb85ed915d2ac884d995/SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf 
 
A guide for young people aged 16 to 25 raising a SEND complaint from the Department for Education:  
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-complaints-guide-for-young-people-aged-16-to-25-in-education 
 
Law Stuff is run by Coram’s Legal Centre and can provide advice: 
https://lawstuff.org.uk/ 

The Special Needs Jungle:  
https://specialneedsjungle.com/ 

Additional legislation links

The Human Rights Act - 
https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/human-rights/human-rights-act
 

The Equality Act - 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance 

 

Children Act 1989  - 
www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/41/contents. 
 
Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (2010) -  www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/DCSF 
 
Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations Volume 3: Planning Transition to Adulthood for Care Leavers (2010) - 
http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/p/volume%203%20planning%20transition%20to%20adulthood%20for%20care%20leavers.pdf 

Care Standards Act 2000 
Sets the regulatory and inspectoral regime and establishes National Minimum Standards. 
 www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/14/contents 

Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 
The primary legislation governing services for care leavers.  www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/35/contents 

Children Act 2004 
Requires local authorities to promote educational achievement of looked after children.  
www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/31/contents 
 

Children and Young Persons Act 2008  
Amends the Children Act 1989 regarding placement of looked after children, and strengthens visiting requirements and the role of the independent reviewing officer 
www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2008/23/contents 

Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011  
Regulate all fostering services, replacing the Fostering Services Regulations 2002.  www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/581/contents/made 

Independent Review of Determinations (Adoption and Fostering) Regulations 2009 - extends the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) to fostering.  www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2009/395/contents/made 

Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010, amended in 2021 
Specify requirements for care plans and placement plans, placement decisions, monitoring and review of looked after children, amended in 2021 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2021/161/made 

Care Planning, Placement and Case Review and Fostering Services (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2015 
These Regulations amend the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations 2010 and also amend the Fostering Services Regulations 2011. 
Care Planning and Case Review 

Care Leavers (England) Regulations 2010  
Designed to ensure that young people leaving care receive the same support that would be expected of any reasonable parent. 
www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/2571/made 
 
Sufficiency: Statutory Guidance on Securing Sufficient Accommodation for Looked After Children (2010) – explains the duty of local authorities to secure sufficient accommodation within their area to meet the needs of looked after children. 
www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/Lookedafterchildren/Page1/DCS 

A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children is available in the Working Together to Safeguard Children 

Short Breaks: Statutory Guidance on how to Safeguard and promote the Welfare of Disabled Children using Short Breaks (2010) – seeks to improve outcomes for disabled children through short breaks provision. Available online at www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/DCSF 

Promoting the Educational Achievement of Looked After Children: Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities – statutory guidance which came into force in 2010  https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/Childrensworkforce/Pa 

Statutory Guidance on Promoting the Health and Well-being of Looked After Children – statutory guidance which came into force in 2009 and updated https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-the-health-and-wellbeing-of-looked-after-children--2 

Statutory Guidance on Children Who Run Away or go Missing From Home or Care. – statutory guidance which was updated January 2014  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children-who-run-away-or-go-missing-from-home-or-care 

Designated teacher
The designated teacher for looked after and previously looked-after children: statutory guidance on their roles and responsibilities (PDF) 

Stable Homes Built on Love https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/650966a322a783001343e844/Children_s_Social_Care_Stable_Homes__Built_on_Love_consultation_response.pdf 

National Kinship Care Strategy 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/championing-kinship-care-national-kinship-care-strategy 


Special Guardianship
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/special-guardianship-guidance 

Delegation of Authority: Amendments to the Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review(2015). This Guidance places requirements on local authorities with regard to delegating authority to foster carers in respect of the children in their care. Available at: Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review 

Volume 4: Fostering Services – updated to reflect the inclusion of `Delegation of authority to foster carers` in Volume 2}

IRO Handbook: Statutory Guidance for Independent Reviewing Officers and Local Authorities on their Functions in Relation to Case Management and Review for Looked After Children (2010) – guides independent reviewing officers in the discharge of their responsibilities towards looked after children, with the aim that they receive the support and services required to meet their full potential - www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/Lookedafterchildren/Page1/DCS 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/junior-individual-saving-accounts-for-looked-after-children 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-of-unaccompanied-and-trafficked-children 

Implementation of Children and Social Work Act 2017 Sections 1-7 
The Department for Education has published statutory guidance aimed at local authorities and other agencies to help these organisations to implement the changes to the legislative framework for looked-after and previously-looked after children, and care leavers introduced by sections 1 to 7 of the Children and Social Work Act 2017. 

  • Applying corporate parenting principles to looked-after children and care leavers: To help local authorities implement the corporate parenting principles 

  • Local offer for care leavers guidance: To guide local authorities on consulting on, and publishing in one place, the statutory entitlements and other discretionary support available to care leavers 

  • Extending Personal Adviser support to all care leavers to age 25: To help local authorities implement the extended duty for Personal Adviser support to be made available to all care leavers up to age 25, if they want such support

  • Applying corporate parenting principles to looked-after children and care leavers: To help local authorities implement the corporate parenting principles 

  • Local offer for care leavers guidance: To guide local authorities on consulting on, and publishing in one place, the statutory entitlements and other discretionary support available to care leavers 

  • Extending Personal Adviser support to all care leavers to age 25: To help local authorities implement the extended duty for Personal Adviser support to be made available to all care leavers up to age 25, if they want such support

The revised statutory guidance relating to sections 4 to 7 of the Act is aimed at local authorities, schools and school governing bodies: 

  • Promoting Education of Looked after Children: To help local authorities and VSHs to promote the educational achievement of the children they look after 

  • Roles and Responsibilities of the Designated Teacher for looked-after and previously looked-after children:Applies to local authority maintained schools 

  • The Government response to consultation on draft statutory guidance on Promoting Education of Looked after Children and Roles and Responsibilities the Designated Teacher 

 

Extending personal adviser support to all care leavers to age 25: statutory guidance for local authorities (PDF) 

Extending personal adviser support to age 25: new burdens assessment (PDF) 

Local offer for care leavers: statutory guidance - 
Local offer guidance: guidance for local authorities (PDF) 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6514400088281e000db4e965/Guide_to_the_supported_accommodation_regulations_including_quality_standards.pdf 

Promoting the education of children in care and care leavers- 
Further information: Promoting the education of looked-after children and previously looked-after children (PDF)

 

Previous Counselling
The Fostering Network
The Fostering Network
Department for Education

About us

What we stand for

Job vacancies

Contact us

Facebook X Instagram LinkedIn