Find out if you could be a foster carer
In a few simple questions, you’ll know if you’re suitable to apply to become a foster carer.
Many children need fostering in Bristol and the South West of England. We have opportunities for new applicants and experienced foster carers who want to transfer. We offer specialist training, 24/7 support and peer support.
If you’re considering becoming a foster parent, choose a fostering agency with local teams who will be with you every step.
National Fostering Group is the largest independent fostering agency in the UK with superb agency coverage across all regions – meaning you have the support of a team close to you.
One of the most established fostering agencies in Bristol, we work with local authorities to place children and young people in homes where they can thrive.
As a foster carer with us, you’ll have unparalleled access to professional support and excellent free training in and around Bristol. We want you to thrive too, being the best you can be in your role as foster carer.
On top of this, carers who are fostering in Bristol have a large and active peer network that includes more than a dozen local support groups.
NFA South West extends its care across a vast region, supporting 150+ foster families in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire, Dorset, Bristol, Gloucester, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, and Southampton. The agency organizes regular support groups for foster carers throughout the area and hosts diverse days out and enjoyable events for both children and foster carers, fostering a strong and supportive community for everyone involved.
Our average foster carer pay is around £24,500 a year (£2,040 on average per month), which is far higher than the government’s recommended weekly allowance. For most foster carers in Bristol, this will be tax free! Some types of fostering placement pay more than £35,000 a year. Foster carer pay doesn’t affect state benefits you’re currently receiving.
The application process took about 5 months and though the assessment sounds really daunting, my assessor was great. She led me through each step and made it very straightforward. I am now ready to foster and looking forward to my first placement.
Our foster carers come from all walks of life. With training, support and a generous fostering allowance, they provide homes where children can thrive and experience the childhood they deserve. More than 8,000 new foster carers are needed UK-wide to provide homes for children in need of a foster family. If you’re thinking of becoming a foster carer, now’s the time.
Source: The Fostering Network
If you think you’d like to become a foster carer in Bristol, your next step is to have a chat. You can book a call by using our enquiry form. After this, if you decide to go ahead with an application, this usually takes around 16 weeks and we’ll help you every step of the way. We’ll help you decide what types of fostering you want to do and we’ll even get you started with foster carer training.
We are looking for foster carers in Bristol. We welcome people from ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds, physical abilities and the LGBT+ community. You can be single, married, a homeowner or a tenant. Your ability to care for and nurture a child is what really matters. If you’ve worked in sectors like education, the emergency services, care or healthcare, you’ll be especially suited to this role.
Becoming a foster carer is the best thing I have ever done in my life. I put it off for years thinking I would be turned down, but looking back I wish I had done it a lot sooner.
Around 4,420 children live with a foster family in the South West. There are approximately 45,370 fostering households and 76,640 foster carers in England.
Sources: Department for Education, Ofsted
Dozens of children and young people are awaiting foster parents in Bristol and hundreds across the South West. National Fostering Group has local offices across the South West to support foster carers, including in Cornwall, Devon, Torbay, Wiltshire, Hampshire and Plymouth.
