What is Fostering
Fostering involves caring for a child or young person who cannot live with their birth family for various reasons, such as parental alcohol/substance misuse, neglect, or abuse. These children need a nurturing home until they become adults or for a shorter period.
Our foster children are aged six and over. As a foster carer, you will support their education,emotional and physcial well-being, help them maintain realtionships with their families, and theach them essential life skills.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO BE A
FOSTER CARER?
At Stepdown, we provide compassionate care and support through our foster, supported, and respite carers. We are committed to offering nurturing environments where children and young people can feel safe, valued, and empowered to thrive.
- Be over 21 years old
- Have a spare bedroom
- Be committed to providing care and support to a child
- Have the ability to provide a nurturing safe, and loving home
why FOSTER Care?
Fostering can make a significant difference in a child’s life and yours. It is an incredibly rewarding role where your care, love, and support can help a child lead a better quality of life. By becoming a foster carer, you will be providing essential support to a vulnerable child during a crucial time in their life.
ASSESSMENT PROCESS
Types of Care
Short term: Providing care for a child for a fixed period, ranging from a few years, until they can safety return to their birth family or a long-term is made.
Long term: Offer a safe, nurturing, and loving home for a child to grow and flourish into adulthood when they cannot return to their birth family.
- Support Care
- Short Break Care
- Parent and child
FOSTER CARER ALLOWANCES
At Stepdown, we provide compassionate care and support through our foster, supported, and respite carers. We are committed to offering nurturing environments where children and young people can feel safe, valued, and empowered to thrive.
YOU CAN CLAIM:
- A tax excemption of up to £18,140 per household
- Tax relief for every week you foster child
Age of Child
Tax Relief
Under 11
£375 per child
11 or over
£450 per child
TRAINING FOR FOSTER CARERS
- Child Protection
- Adult Protection
- Trauma and Attachment
- First Aid
Support we provide for FOSTER CARERS
When you work with Stepdown as a a foster carer, we will always be on hand to support you.
- Allocation of a supervising social worker
- 24/7 Support
- Regular training (in person and online)
- Generous allowances
- Quarterly carer support group
- Regular Supervision