Fostering in Hillingdon

Could you give a child a loving home?

Caring for children and young people who live in Hillingdon

Choosing to foster for Hillingdon Council offers an unparalleled experience supported by a team of experienced professional staff who are committed to helping foster carers succeed. With access to holistic services, including psychotherapists, and 24/7 social work support, Hillingdon ensures that carers have the tools they need to provide a nurturing environment for children.

Additionally, Hillingdon offers the most competitive fostering allowance on the market, ranging from £500 to £1500 per child per week, reflecting their commitment to valuing carers' dedication and efforts. Rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted, Hillingdon stands out as a trusted and supportive agency where carers can truly make a difference in children's lives.

Fostering with your local council keeps children and young people who need foster care in the local community, in familiar surroundings which we know can provide a better outcome for them as they grow up.

There are many ways to foster

Hillingdon Council provides various fostering placements to meet different needs, including long-term placements where children stay until they turn 18 and become part of your family, short-term placements lasting from a few weeks to a year, and emergency care for children in unforeseen situations.

They also offer parent and child placements to help parents learn to care for their baby, respite care ranging from a few days to a few weeks, placements for children with disabilities, and support for refugee children.

These options offer flexibility and invaluable support to children and families in need.
 

Can I foster?

To foster, you must be over 21 and have suitable living accommodations, including a spare bedroom for the child, if you're not fostering infants.

It's essential to have no criminal convictions related to children and some level of experience in childcare, although this can be flexible. Additionally, you should have leave to remain or be in the final stages of approval for your status.

Each of these criteria helps ensure a safe and supportive environment for children who need foster care.

Financial support from Hillingdon Council

Hillingdon Council provides the most competitive fostering allowance for each foster child, which covers their day-to-day care. In addition to this allowance, foster carers receive a professional fee, serving as an income payment for their efforts.

Together, the allowance and fee is a minimum total payment of £500 per child, per week, up to £1,500 per week. £1,500 is automatically applied for children stepping down from residential for the first 12 weeks of their placement to help you settle them into your home.

Foster carers in Hillingdon also enjoy additional benefits, including: a 25% council tax reduction, a utilities allowance of £1,000 per year (to help with gas and electricity payments and checks), a Merlin Platinum Pass which gives unlimited access to a range of UK attractions and theme parks, and a Blue Light Card membership with more than 15,000 discounts from national and local retailers.

Emotional and professional support

Foster carers with Hillingdon Council receive comprehensive training and unwavering support to ensure they are fully equipped for their vital role. Carers benefit from the most competitive fostering allowance, along with reward benefits that recognize their dedication. Each carer is allocated a supervised social worker and has access to 24/7 social work support, ensuring guidance is always available.

Training begins before fostering approval and continues throughout a carer's fostering career, including specialised PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, and Empathy) training to support children effectively. Membership with The Fostering Network provides independent support and guidance, while monthly support groups offer a chance to connect with other carers.

Hillingdon also celebrates its carers with annual recognition ceremonies and hosts numerous social events throughout the year, fostering a strong, supportive community.

What are the steps to becoming a foster carer in Hillingdon?

Step 1 - Make contact

Call Foster with West London on 020 8753 1075 or join us to hear more at one of our information sessions. During this initial call we will provide you with advice and support you to make a decision as to whether it is the right time for you to foster.

If you are ready to progress with your journey to becoming a foster carer, an initial enquiry will be completed over the phone to learn more about you and your family. If you meet the initial screening criteria, you will be passed to the local authority you want to foster for who will book an initial home visit and a member of the team will visit you.

Step 2 - Training

Attend our Skills-to-Foster 3-day course which will equip you with essential skills required to care for a vulnerable child or young person. Attendance at the course forms part of the assessment process and all applicants are required to attend. 

Depending on when the training course starts, you may be invited to attend the course before the assessment begins or during the assessment.

Step 3 - Assessment (Stage 1 and 2)

Once we have completed your initial enquiry and an initial home visit has been carried out, a decision will be made to progress to Stage 1.

Both you and your allocated worker will sign an Assessment Stage 1 agreement outlining the process involved. During the Assessment Stage 1 a number of checks, required by the government under the fostering regulations, will be undertaken which includes:

  • your local authority
  • probation
  • finance
  • employment
  • education

In addition to the above, we will complete personal references and education checks for your children. You will be expected to undertake a health assessment with your doctor. We will need to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check on you, your partner and any members of your household who are over 18 years old.

We will also agree on a timeframe for this work to be undertaken. You will be offered the opportunity to undertake Skills-to-Foster training at this stage.

Upon completion of Assessment Stage 1, you will be allocated a social worker to carry out an assessment of your background, life experiences and the qualities you would bring to fostering.

This is called Assessment Stage 2 of the fostering process. This will be reviewed halfway through by the principal social worker within the team to check any plans that need to be put into place.

Step 4 - Approval

You will be invited to a Fostering Panel that will assess your application alongside the government fostering regulations and make a recommendation for your approval as a foster carer and the final decision will be made by the agency decision maker shortly after.

Step 5 - Post-approval

You will be enrolled on our payment system and allocated a supervising social worker who will help you prepare yourself and your home for a child or young person coming into your care, and your life as a foster  carer begins!

After one year, you will go back to a Fostering Panel which will review your first year as a foster carer.

Start today

If you would like further information, with no-obligation, please send us your details and one of our fostering team will get in touch with you.

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