Supervision
Advice by phone
Emergency Duty Team
Handbook and other guidance
Recording sheets and expenses forms
Other support
Your supervising social worker and the child's social worker will provide you with advice and support. You may also be paired up with an experienced local foster carer, who you can phone for a more informal source of support.
Monday to Friday 8.45am to 5pm
Monday to Friday 6pm to 11pm
Weekends and bank holidays 8am to 11pm
The advice line does not replace the Emergency Duty Team who provide a service to cover all the periods when the office is closed, rather it is complementary to it.
You can ring the advice line to discuss any concerns you have and a Fostering Team worker will suggest appropriate actions. The social worker will not visit but may advise you to contact the Emergency Duty Team if the matter is sufficiently serious and further action is necessary outside normal office hours.
You should contact the Emergency Duty Team when you have any concerns or emergencies relating to a child in your care, or if a child is missing. The service is available outside of normal office hours.
Frequently used fostering forms are available below for you to download and print for ease of use. Alternatively contact your supervising social worker to request additional forms you may need or for printed versions.
Most local fostering associations have regular support groups where you can meet local carers and there are support groups and social events for children.
SCAYT+ is part of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service and provides a service promoting positive mental health and emotional well-being for children and young-people who are looked after and adopted.
Schools are asked to give all children from care priority access to schools, which means that a child placed with you should be able to attend whichever school you think best meets their needs. You can find out more about how to apply for a school place in the schools section.
If a child placed with you is two years old you can take up the offer of a free early education place. You will need to be referred by a professional like a Children and Family Wellbeing Service (previously children's centres) worker.
From September 2018, some children in foster care will be entitled to 30 hours funded childcare if the foster family meet the eligibility criteria. To find out more read our guidance for foster carers.
The youth zone has information for young people on a range of issues like jobs, further education, training, health and relationships.
It also has information about being in care like leaving care, Junior ISA and LINX, Lancashire's children in care council.
If you think a child may have special educational needs we can help. Visit the special educational needs and disabilities - local offer to find out who you can speak to and what support is available.
Please note that we are not responsible for the content of external websites.
The Fostering Network is the UK‘s leading charity for everyone involved in fostering. Their website provides advice and information for anyone with an interest in fostering. Members of the Fostering Network can access additional information and services through the members' area on the website.
Fosterline is funded by the Department for Education and provides confidential, impartial, advice and information to foster carers and those interested in fostering. Fosterline advisors respond to enquiries by telephone, email and on the Fosterline Interactive Forum.
For emergencies which cannot be safely left until the following working day. Call us on 0300 123 6722
Find out about services available to looked after children and how to notify us of looked after children from another local authority living in Lancashire.
