Thinking about fostering if you already have children
Families are made up in many different ways, and adoption is one way to extend your family. Considering adoption if you already have a child or children needs careful planning. The motivation to adopt may be for a number of reasons; you may be facing fertility or medical issues, or simply making a conscious choice […]
Your health and fostering
Fostering can be rewarding, meaningful and sometimes demanding. Foster carers help provide safe, stable and nurturing care for children and young people who may have experienced loss, uncertainty, separation, trauma or other challenges in their lives. Looking after your own physical and emotional wellbeing is an important part of being able to meet a child’s […]
Education support
Children and young people in foster care should have the same opportunities to learn, achieve and enjoy education as their peers. Many will receive additional educational support to help them thrive at nursery, school, college or other education settings. As a foster carer, you play an important role in encouraging learning, supporting attendance, celebrating achievements […]
Financial support
Foster carers receive a fostering allowance to help cover the cost of caring for a child or young person. This allowance is intended to contribute towards day-to-day expenses such as food, clothing, household costs, travel, activities and other items needed to support a child’s wellbeing. The government publishes National Minimum Allowances for foster carers in […]
Housing support
Approved adopters may be entitled to priority access to council housing – this will depend on the individual Local Authorities housing policy. You would need to make enquiries with the Housing Department in your local authority to establish what the policy is. You can however refer to the guidance below when making a case for […]
Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund: Q&A for local authorities
Applications How does a local authority make an application to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund? Applications can be made via the online portal on the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund website at www.gov.uk/guidance/adoption-support-fund-asf. The site includes guidance notes as well as completed anonymised examples. I have some questions, who should I contact? Local […]
Early Years Pupil Premium: Pre-school support funding
Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) is additional funding for early years pre-school settings to improve the education they provide for disadvantaged 3- and 4 year-olds including, but not restricted to, those adopted from care. The funding goes directly to registered early years providers (including pre-schools, nurseries and childminders) that offer children the free early education […]
Thinking of fostering again?
Many adopters who have experienced the joys of helping a child to settle into their family wish to adopt again. There are many reasons for wanting to welcome another child into the family and adoptive parents will want to consider how this will affect them and the children already in their family. There is also […]
Adoption leave and pay
Employed adopters are usually entitled to adoption leave and may be entitled to adoption pay, which is a legal right. Some employers may offer a more generous scheme than the statutory one, but they cannot offer less than the statutory amounts. Statutory Adoption Leave Adopters who are employed (or one of a couple) may be […]
Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund: Q&A for service providers
What do I need to do to deliver adoption support services funded by the ASGSF? If you are an independent provider of services you must be registered with Ofsted to access funding from the ASGSF or you can be employed to provide adoption support services (which are paid for through the ASGSF) under the Ofsted […]