How do I become a foster carer?
The first step is you getting in touch with us! This will allow you to ask us any questions you may have about fostering, and we can talk you through everything you need to know at this stage. You can make contact through our website, by contacting us over the phone (01493 751953) or messaging us through our Facebook site (Beams Foster Care and Family Services Ltd) and we will always aim to get back to you within 24 hours.
We will complete a screening over the phone to check some basic information and criteria.
After your initial enquiry one of our Assessing Social Workers will make contact to arrange to come and visit you at home. This will be to provide you with more information about Beams and the fostering process, to answer any further questions you may have and to find out a little more about you and why you are thinking of becoming a foster carer. We will always aim to come and see you within a week of your initial enquiry.
You will be invited to our office to attend our skills to foster training course which will enable you to be equipped with the skills and knowledge to always provide exceptional care for our children. This will be led by one of our Senior Supervising Social Workers, as well as one of our existing foster carers. Unlike other independent fostering agencies, we feel that it is important to complete this part of your fostering journey before the formal assessment begins as this allows you the opportunity to learn about what fostering will look like for you and ensure you have all of the insight and understanding you need to make an informed decision about whether fostering is right for you.
After attending the Skills to Foster Training programme you will be invited to make an application to be formally assessed to become a foster carer. One of our Senior Assessing Social Workers will work closely with you to complete the Form F Assessment which is the longest part of the application process. This will involve a number of visits by your Assessing Social Worker, as well all of the necessary checks being undertaken including references, Health and Safety Checks and other important checks that we need to complete. At this stage you will also be buddied up with one of our experienced foster carers who will mentor and support throughout the assessment process. They will be available to visit with you and support you over the phone to help and give you insight into what Fostering looks like.
The final step in the assessment process is the Fostering Panel. Your Assessing Social Worker will support you in attending this in-depth interview, also attended by a number of independent and non-independent professionals with a range of skills and experience in caring for children. They will have had time to read the Form F assessment prior to panel and will ask you questions about this and your reasons for wanting to Foster. After the panel, the professionals will form a view as to whether you have the suitability and capacity to become a Foster Carer, which will then be considered by our Agency Decision Maker who’s job it is to approve prospective foster carers.
If your panel is successful, you will become part of the Beams Fostering family as newly approved Foster Carers! You will be allocated a Senior Supervising Social Worker who will support you in preparing for your first match with a child/young person!