Bristol Live has teamed up with Bristol City Council to launch the ‘Looking after Bristol’ appeal which aims to find Bristol’s next 70 foster carers.
This week we are providing you with a step-by-step guide on the process of how to become a foster carer.
Making the decision to change a child’s life by becoming a foster carer is an amazing thing to do.
By becoming a foster carer you are giving a young person a safe environment to live, learn and grow - an experience which can be life-changing for both carer and child.
However the process of becoming a foster carer can sometimes seem a little daunting, but actually in Bristol it’s easier than you might think.
It takes around eight months from when you first get in touch with the council to let them know you’re interested.
The fostering team at Bristol City Council has come up with a guide that explains the process step-by-step from the first phone call to finally joining Bristol's fostering family.
Get in touch
If you think fostering might be for you, the first step will be to get in touch with the council. You can do this online or calling 0117 3534200.
The team will answer any questions you may have at this stage, and they might ask you for some information too.
If necessary they may also arrange for a member of the team to visit you in your home so they can start getting to know you.
This step takes about two weeks.
Come to an information evening
This is a great way for you to find out a bit more about what it’d be like to foster.
The evenings are usually monthly, and if you can’t make the evening you are invited to then you can come to the next one.
Information evenings usually have other foster carers and social workers in attendance who are happy to talk about their own experiences of fostering.
The evening takes about an hour and a half.
This step takes about two weeks.
Home visit and preparing an application portfolio
The home visit is nothing to worry about. It’s an opportunity to get to know you better and start putting the necessary paperwork together.
During the home visit, if you decide to proceed and the fostering team agree this would be the right thing for you, you’ll be asked to provide some basic details about yourself as well as agree to the council carrying out some checks, including criminal record checks.
This process will help the fostering team get a sense of whether fostering is the right choice for you. All your details will be kept confidential.
Skills to foster course
The course is run by foster carers and social workers and will help you prepare for looking after a foster child.
It usually runs over two Saturdays and one evening session.
If you’re interested in being a Short Break carer for disabled children, there are separate courses for this.
More home visits
The visits are nothing to worry about. They help the team to get to know you and your family and better understand the skills you have.
It’s also a chance for the foster team to answer any questions you might have about fostering, and make sure you have all the information you need.
Once they have visited you a few times, a family placement social worker will write a report and make a recommendation to the fostering panel.
Fostering panel
You and your social carer will meet with the fostering panel, so they can get to know you and ask you a few questions.
The panel will then meet to talk about your application. They can then make a recommendation to the fostering team senior manager about whether or not fostering is right for you.
Congratulations, you’re now part of the fostering family!
You will receive a welcome pack with everything you need to know.
You and the fostering team can then start looking together to find the right children for you to welcome into your home.
If you are interested in becoming a foster carer or just finding out more about the process by calling 0117 3534200 or on the council’s website.
