How to Become a Foster Carer

Becoming a Foster Carer

If you would like to find out more about becoming a foster carer for the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead here is what to do:

1. Express Your Interest
Phone, e-mail or write to the Fostering, Adoption & Respite Service and express your interest. The duty worker will be able to answer any questions you have and will ask a little about yourself. The duty worker will then send out an information pack to you.

• To contact the team by phone ring 01628-683201
• send your enquiry by email to adoption-fostering@rbwm.gov.uk.
• The address to write to is: Fostering, Adoption & Respite Service, Town Hall, St Ives Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 1RF
  

2. Receive an Information pack
The information pack will give you more detailed information for you to read in your own time about the different kinds of fostering available.

3. Come along to a Fostering Information Evening
You will be invited to one of our fostering Information Evenings which are held every two months at the Town Hall of Maidenhead. You will be able to meet professionals from the fostering team and chat to local foster carers who are available to answer all your questions about the fantastic work they do for children in care.

4. Home Visit
If you are still interested, a social worker will visit your home to discuss things further with you. They may bring with them an experienced foster carer who will be able to answer your questions from a different perspective.

5. Preparation Group
If both you and the social worker feel fostering is for you, the next stage is the Fostering Preparation Group.

This is normally a 3 day course which takes place on Saturdays or in the evening. You will find out about the needs of the children, the legalities involved in being a foster carer and how fostering might affect your life. It will also give you a chance to meet other prospective carers.

6. Make an Application
You may now wish to make an applicaion to become a foster carer.

7. Assessment
You will be allocated a social worker from the team and they will visit you at home in order to complete the assessment. The process normally lasts between 3 and 6 months. It will look at your own background and your attitudes to children. It will also allow you and your social worker to decide what you want to offer. You may feel better able to care for certain ages, behaviours or disabilities. During this process health, criminal records and reference checks will be made on applicants with their full permission.

8. Social Worker Report
The social worker will produce a report as a result of the assessment. You will be able to see this report and contribute to it.

9. Panel
The report will then be submitted to a panel who will decide if you should be approved as a foster carer. The panel is made up of professionals from social work and health, as well as local councillors and independant members.

10. Approval
If there are no problems then you will be approved as a foster carer.

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