Fostering a child is one of the most powerful and rewarding ways to make a real difference in the world. It gives children in need a safe, nurturing place to call home during challenging times. But fostering isn’t a decision to take lightly—it’s a life-changing commitment that demands careful thought. If you’re considering whether fostering is right for you, this guide will help you explore the key factors involved in making this important choice.
Before you dive into fostering, take a moment to reflect on why you want to do it. Is it driven by a genuine desire to help children in need? Do you have the emotional strength to support a child who may have a troubled past? Fostering isn’t about adopting or "saving" a child; it’s about providing them with temporary or long-term support and stability when they need it most. The ultimate goal is to offer a stable, loving environment that meets their physical, emotional, and educational needs and most importantly, enable them to thrive in the future independently. This will involve working closely with social workers, attending court hearings, and managing behaviours that may stem from the child’s past trauma. Through this, you will undoubtedly gain a sense of personal fulfilment and satisfaction that comes from helping a child grow and thrive. You will have the opportunity to make a positive impact on a child's life by having life-changing influence in shaping their future.
At Step by Step, we help you take the next step with our 8-week training process at the end of which you will have acquired all the skills and knowledge to empower you and guide you so that we ensure that you understand and take full advantage of the fostering process with the help of our dedicated support workers and representatives. So, rest assured, you can become a complete superhero with dealing with the whatever obstacle comes your way in your specific fostering journey.
Read some success stories here
To learn more about the different types of fostering, click here
Fostering can be emotionally challenging. Many foster children carry deep emotional scars from their past experiences. You’ll need patience, empathy, and resilience to help them heal and grow. Be prepared for the emotional rollercoaster, especially when it’s time for the child to reunite with their birth family or move to another placement. This can be tough and heartbreaking, but it’s part of the fostering journey. Also, consider how fostering might impact your own family. However, fostering can offer companionship for biological children, enriching the family dynamic. If you have other children, they’ll need to adjust to the changes and challenges that fostering brings. Despite these adjustments, the gift of fostering reaps many emotional rewards. Fostering will evoke a sense of purpose, knowing you are providing a safe, nurturing environment for a child in need, especially with the urgent shortage of foster homes today. With your foster children you build integral relationships and form mutually beneficial and meaningful connections with children and other foster families.
Again at Step by Step, not only do you have a supportive and accessible social worker that will strengthen you along the way, you will be welcomed into a community of like-minded people who deeply care about children’s wellbeing and allow you to build life-long relationships with your foster children long after they leave you.
Do you meet Ofsted’s fostering requirements to register?
Here are some great places to start your reading on fostering: "Fostering Now: Messages from Research" by Ian Sinclair, Claire Baker, Kate Wilson, and Ian Gibbs, Welcome to Fostering: A Guide to Becoming and Being a Foster Carer" by Andy Elvin and Martin Barrow, No Matter What: An Adoptive Family's Story of Hope, Love and Healing" by Sally Donovan
Reserve your place to attend our online webinar to learn more!
Foster carers can be regarded as self-employed as you can receive a maintenance allowance and pay. The allowance is meant to cover essentials like food, clothing, and education. It’s important to assess whether your financial situation can comfortably support an additional child and if you have the time and resources to meet their needs. Think about the practical side too—do you have enough space in your home? Is your work schedule flexible enough to attend meetings, court dates, and medical appointments? Some foster children might need specialised care, which could require extra time and resources. Bearing this in mind, it is worth remembering the immense financial and practical support provided by the government such as tax relief, flexible working hours and reduced council tax. Understand that contributing to the community by fostering redeems equal, if not more, advantages.
At Step by Step fostering, we want to make sure that you have enough money to support the young people that you are caring for. This means that we arrange a generous allowance which is dependent on the level of need for the young person. We can also help out with things like school uniform, gifts etc.
Head to the government website on tax relief and flexible working for fostering
Having a strong support system is crucial for foster parents. This includes not just your immediate family, but also friends, community resources, and professional support from Step by Step, social workers and counsellors. Joining a foster parent support group can provide valuable insights, advice, and emotional support from others who’ve been through similar experiences. Be prepared for mixed reactions from others—some people might not understand your decision to foster, and you could face judgment or lack of support. Surround yourself with those who respect your choice and are ready to support you through the ups and downs. The uniqueness of working with our agency is that we are part of the charity Step by Step which allows us to have wider access to wellbeing help and advice, drug and alcohol support, trained counsellors on-hand and Move-On support for the next chapter in a young person’s life.
Listen to our very own podcast for specialist insight into fostering
Step by Step specialises in older children (11+) in transforming their lives today for a better tomorrow. By reflecting on your motivations, emotional readiness, financial situation, and support network, you can better determine if fostering is the right path for you. Fostering isn’t just about providing a home—it’s about offering love, stability, and hope to a child in need. For those ready and able to embrace this noble and transformative responsibility, head over to our Fostering section.
Spare Room & Time? - Fostering Hero
Alisha’s world fell apart when her nan died from COVID-19. Not only did she lose someone she loved dearly, but she lost her stability, her mentor and her home. Living with her nan was all Alisha knew. She found herself lost, confused and homeless.
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