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.
We have opportunities for fostering in Sheffield, with a variety of different types of foster child placements available to experienced foster parents and also those who are new to fostering.
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, 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 Sheffield. 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 Sheffield have a large and active peer network that includes several local support groups.
National Fostering Group is brilliant. My supervising social worker is only ever a text or an email away and I have ongoing training which helps me develop the skills and knowledge I need.
And then there is the support from the other carers, too. As a single person, you don’t have someone at home saying well done so it’s great when you meet up with other foster carers and realise you’re doing really well.
NFA North is part of the largest independent fostering group in the UK, covering all of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Despite its size, the agency prides itself on offering a personal touch to each of its careers, ensuring that they are listened to and their needs are met. NFA North’s recruitment officers, Jamie and Megan, have a wealth of experience and use that to offer support from the very beginning to ensure new carer’s are communicated with through every step of the application process and beyond.
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 Sheffield, 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.
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 Sheffield, 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 Sheffield. 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.
I deal with some very complex cases, but we have an excellent support network to help us deal with them and I know I can always call on the therapeutic team and our experienced managers.
No one comes into social work for an easy or quiet life. My role is exciting and challenging and I have the tools and support I need to be able to deal with these challenges effectively.
Around 5,720 children live with a foster family in Yorkshire & the Humber. There are approximately 45,370 fostering households and 76,640 foster carers in England.
Sources: Department for Education, Ofsted
Hundreds of children and young people are awaiting foster parents in Yorkshire and The Humber.
National Fostering Group has local offices that support foster carers across the area including Doncaster, Scunthorpe, Huddersfield, Halifax, Bradford, Harrogate and York.
