Why foster with us?

“Being a foster carer means that you’re able to provide stability and a home environment to children in care. The child in my care had previously been out of education for three years, since coming to stay with me they’ve been more settled and are now happily attending full time education. As a foster carer it's a privilege to offer a place where my foster child can call home, they now know where they’re going, they know they’re here with me and that I’ll support them with everything they need”. 

- Warwickshire foster carer, Gareth

• You will change lives. You will change your own life as well as that of a child.
• It doesn’t take long. After application, you could be welcoming your first child home in as soon as four months.
• We’ll be there with you. All foster carers have access to a social worker to provide advice, guidance and support. This includes out of hours and peer support.
• We’re flexible. There is a type of foster care that will suit you, whatever you can offer. Find out more about the Types of Fostering available.
• We pay above the national recommended allowances. Our foster carers will receive financial support for them and the child and we offer additional payments based on expereince.
• You can learn so much. A foster child will bring their own experiences and interests with them and introduce you to new things, challenge you and give opportunities to explore their world.
• You can take things further. We offer a vast amount of training including accredited qualifications, face to face and Children and young people's workforce training.
• You will become part of our fostering community. We run a range of events and training to build connections and support between our local carers, giving you the support you need to succeed.

“I find fostering really fulfilling, giving warm care to children and young people. There is no better feeling than being together as a family and making a positive change to a young person’s life. Through foster care you can also help parents who are struggling so they have that time to rebuild themselves and you can be a part of helping to put families back together.” 

- Warwickshire foster carer, Andrea. 

Why Warwickshire?

Here at Warwickshire County Council, we work incredibly hard to recruit, train and support the best carers to look after our children and young people. We put relationships first and work with our foster carers to build long lasting, supportive connections that often last a lifetime. We have a well established fostering team who provide consistency to our carers to ensure that they are listened to and able to thrive. In our most recent OFSTED, Warwickshire County Council was rated as 'good'. The Fostering and Alternatives to Care Team has excellent links with other departments within the council meaning a cohesive approach to supporting you and the children in your care.

We always aim to place Warwickshire children with Warwickshire foster carers, meaning you are our first choice. The connection between the children’s social work teams and fostering means there is less room for error and foster carers feel supported by Warwickshire as a whole. Coffee mornings, celebration events and shared learning opportunities give our carers a sense of togetherness and enable them to feel supported. We are phenomenally proud of our community of foster carers who go on to make a difference for the children in our care.

Read some of our fostering stories

The Sapling Scheme

Becoming a foster carer can be a very daunting experience and we know that there are lots of different things to learn. It can feel overwhelming, and we know that sometimes new carers can feel unsure about reaching out to their social workers with what might feel like a silly question. The ‘Sapling Scheme’ is designed to provide new applicants with a chance to connect with experienced foster carers who can offer informal help and support. We have a huge wealth of skills and knowledge amongst our community of foster carers and are lucky that many of them are willing to share their experiences and support others.

The Sapling Scheme seeks to pair newer foster carers with experienced carers from a similar area of fostering to support them on their journey for as long as they need, to overcome challenges and provide a listening ear. We provide training and support for experienced foster carers to extend opportunities for professional development and to build on their own fostering community.

Read our Sapling Scheme Handbook (PDF, 1.4 MB)

Support pledge

Read our Support Pledge for Foster Carers