Fact! ‘Fostering’ is a family of people who provide ongoing and professional support 24/7- you are never alone and are part of that family.

[Note: Content Updated October 2018]

We understand that fostering is a challenging and demanding occupation. That’s why we do all we can to make sure our foster carers get the support they need, whenever they need it.

When you become a foster carer with the NFA, you’re not just joining a fostering agency. You’re joining a growing family of people who are passionate about giving supportive homes to children in care – so you know we’ll always have your back.

From your very first placement, you can access help and support in a variety of ways, ensuring total flexibility for you and your family. Every day of your fostering journey, you’ll feel a part of a wider community, and that can be hugely beneficial and reassuring as a new foster carer.

You will have your own supervising social worker who will guide you through the fostering process, and assist you with any subsequent placements you may have. Our dedicated team will also provide you with 24-hour support, 365 days of the year.

Our training team programme is comprehensive and delivered locally by our team of specialist trainers, and you will also have access to our network of carer support groups – a great peer support service.

With the NFA, you are never alone. You will be part of the wider team of professionals who work together to improve the life chances of vulnerable foster children. We understand that many looked after children have complex needs which can be challenging for our foster carers to deal with, which is why we invest a great deal in ensuring you have the right support and training.

Listed below is the support you will receive as a foster carer with the NFA:

• Supervising Social Worker: You will be allocated an SSW who is there to provide support whenever you need it, you will have regular visits and phone calls and they are available 24/7 for you to contact.
• Regional Management Team: Our Regional Managers and Team Managers are here to support your SSW and our foster carers in providing quality care for our children and young people.
• Carer Mentors: Experienced foster carers responsible for mentoring and supporting our current foster carers.
• Support Groups: Peer to peer support held locally for you to discuss issues with local social workers and also other foster carers within your area.
• Support Service: For some fostering specialisms we can provide additional professional support services to assist you, this can include the use of local support workers.
• Foster Talk: All our foster carers are members of Foster Talk, an independent organisation providing quality professional support to foster carers.
• Regional Trainers: Responsible for providing you with appropriate training to help you acquire the specific skills required to look after local children and young people.
• NFA Senior Management Team: Our senior managers travel around the country attending carer consultations which allows them to discuss local and national issues with our foster carers.

For more information on what support, training and learning packages are available to you as an NFA foster carer, visit our training and support pages.

Ready to take your first step into fostering? We can’t wait to hear from you. Visit the homepage to get more help and insight on life as an NFA foster carer or call our team now on 0330 022 9135.