Enquiries about fostering
How to become a foster carer
Contact the Fostering Recruitment and Assessment Team:
Freephone
(+44) 0800 195 1183
Or complete the form below and a member of the team will get in touch:
We're outstanding!
Out of Hours Help
Advice Line
for current foster carers
Freephone
(+44) 0800 040 7998
18.00 to 23.00
Monday to Friday
08.00 to 23.00
Weekends & Bank Holidays
Emergency Duty Team
Fostering
Becoming a foster carer is so rewarding
Every day foster carers are doing little things that make a big difference to the lives of children across Lancashire.
There's no ‘typical’ foster carer. Your personal qualities are what matters to us and what you can offer to a child or young person.
We're looking for people who are patient, flexible, understanding, determined and keen to learn. Whatever your race, gender, sexuality, living arrangements, age and employment status we want to hear from you.
Why foster?
Becoming a foster carer is one of the most emotionally rewarding things you can do- helping a vulnerable child or young person by nurturing them and building their self-esteem. Being there for them to help them to try and make sense of their situation is an enormous reward in itself.
Interested in fostering with us?
Call us on 0800 195 1183
Fill in our fostering enquiry form
Go along to one of our fostering events
Find out about our assessment process and what happens after you make an initial enquiry
Different types of fostering
Fostering means looking after a child or young person when they can’t live with their own families; this can be for a number of reasons. It can be a very difficult time for them, when they’ll need lots of support and care.
Children of all ages, from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds need fostering for many different reasons and for different lengths of time. There are different types of fostering ranging from:
- Looking after a child or young person until they move to a permanent home, or they’re ready to be independent
- Being a Family and Friends foster carer (Connected Persons) and looking after a child you know well or are related to.
- Best for baby - concurrent placements - looking after a baby or young child under two years old as a concurrent carer. These are prospective adopters who are also approved as foster carers.
- Looking after children with disabilities or brothers and sisters who need to live together
During the application and assessment process a social worker will discuss with you and your family what type of fostering would work for you.
Support you'll receive
We recognise and appreciate just how important the role of being a foster carer is. So, if you foster with us we will provide you with a range of practical benefits and support packages to assist you.
Here's just some of the things we offer you:
- A generous allowance system and foster carer paid insurance cover
- Your own mentor for the first 12 months
- Regular contact with a qualified supervising social worker (at least once a month)
- A range of learning, development and training opportunities
- Access to a nurse for your foster child and any specialist equipment they might need
- Advice from our Education of Looked After Children Team
- Regular newsletters and foster carers’ meetings and organised social events for you, your own children and your foster child
Got any questions?
Check out our frequently asked questions which might help you to work out if fostering is right for you at the moment. If you still have questions or are ready to make an initial enquiry, please get in touch with our friendly fostering recruitment team
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We're outstanding. Awarded by Ofsted to the fostering team in November 2011