Outstanding Provider

Ofsted Outstanding
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Becoming a Foster Carer

It’s straightforward to become a Foster Carer but it is a big decision; it’s a vocation, not just a job. Rest assured, we will be there to help you every step of the way. Our dedicated and widely-experienced team will guide you through the process and make sure you are ready to proceed with confidence.

At Caldecott Fostering we welcome applicants of any race, gender, or sexuality. Whilst it is fairly straightforward to become a foster carer, there are some minimum requirements that you will need to meet.

What you need

  • You must have a suitable spare room at home.
  • You need to be able to provide close supervision and care to a child 24/7, as you would your own child.
  • Be willing to work as part of a team of professionals, including social workers, teachers, and therapists, in the best interests of the child.
  • Be 25 years old or over (we don’t have an upper age limit).
  • Be able to drive / have access to a car.
  • Be healthy enough to manage the care of a child.
  • Have no serious convictions or cautions.
  • Be flexible, patient, and determined not to give up.

You Can Be

  • Single or in a relationship (with no restriction on gender or sexual orientation).
  • A parent or childless. We do ask that you have experience of working/interacting/having contact with children in some way.
  • Committed to supporting children build a future

A Valued Professional

Fostering is a professional role, although we believe that it’s more than just a job. You will be a very important part of the team around the foster child and will be expected to be flexible and adaptable in order to attend various meetings with the Local Authority, schools etc.

We invest heavily in our carers’ professional development. We will give you all the opportunities you need to train, through face-to-face and online courses, to become highly-skilled members of a professional team.

We offer an exciting timetable of courses, delivered by in-house and external specialists, through formal courses, informal workshops, bite-size learning, guest speakers and a mix of mandatory and extra-curricular courses.

We also run a monthly support group for our carers, where you can meet your fellow carers over lunch, share experiences and support each other.

Young people who need your care

Once approved, and depending on your approval terms, you could foster a child of any age between 0 and 18 years.

Young people who are referred to Caldecott will have had a difficult time in their lives; they will need to be safe and feel safe and well-cared for. With our support, your care will help them go on to lead happy and fulfilling lives.

Foster placements take on different forms; some children might need to take a break with a foster family during a difficult time in their lives, then return to their birth families. Other children might need a home until they turn 18 and become adults. Some young people may benefit from ‘staying put’ arrangements with their foster carers, staying with them up to the age of 21 to help prepare them for being independent adults in the community.