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England

Action for Children Fostering England is based across the country and has a wealth of experience in caring for vulnerable young people and supporting the foster carers who look after them.

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Action for Children Fostering England - Find out more about the fostering services that we offer in England.

Free Guide to fostering

Fostering Guide 3

Why not request our completely free, information packed, Guide to fostering?

Covering topics such as types of foster care, who can foster, the fostering process, our fees and allowances and much more.

Supporting you

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Supporting you

As a foster carer for Action for Children Fostering England, you'll receive tailored support all year round to care for a child or young person.

Supporting you

Our fostering agency in England offers all our foster carers and their families access to a team of clinical psychologists should they need this support.

We also provide a 24-hour, year round phone line that gives our foster carers direct contact with a professional social worker. We want our foster carers to know that they can rely on us for support. We hold monthly supervisions and put our foster carers in touch with a buddy local to them so that they always have support, someone to talk to, and can ask for advice when needed.

Training you

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Training you

As a foster carer for Action for Children Fostering England you’ll receive professional support, training, and guidance throughout your fostering journey with us. We take care of you so that you can take care of your young person.

Training you

Our agency aims to provide the highest level of training to our foster carers to effectively manage any challenging situation that may arise.

An annual training plan will be developed by our dedicated social workers alongside their foster carers ensuring everyone is listened to and all training needs are met.

All our foster carers in England are trained in attachment and developmental trauma and therapeutic parenting approaches following our unique therapeutic framework (HOMES).

Therapeutic training

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Therapeutic training: HOMES

The Action for Children Fostering England "HOMES" framework aims to build supportive homes for children and young people who have experienced trauma and loss by providing therapeutic training to our foster carers.

Therapeutic training: HOMES

Our fostering HOMES framework in England aims to build supportive homes for children who have experienced trauma and loss.

The HOMES framework is unique to Action for Children Fostering England and was developed in conjunction with a team of clinical psychologists at Changing Minds. Our overarching emphasis is to make sure that we are there for each other. We aim to develop trusting, compassionate relationships and provide a high level of attuned, sensitive recommendations to support the HOMES process. One of the core principles of the framework is that foster carers, alongside the young person, are at the centre of everything we do.

Who can foster?

Older man giving a teenage boy a plastic water bottle during the walk in nature
Who can foster?

Almost anyone can foster. Find out more about who can foster with Action for Children Fostering England.

Who can foster a child?

Action for Children foster carers come from all walks of life.

A wide range of foster carers will give us more choice to better match with the diverse range of children and young people who need a safe and loving home.

We’re looking for caring people who can give a child in need their time, attention, affection and a safe, nurturing place to call home.

Fostering with a family

Family happily talkng and smiling as they walk outdoors in the woods
Fostering families

Action for Children Fostering England understand the vital role that children in the household of foster carers can play in the success of fostering.

Fostering families

Fostering can be a wonderful and rewarding experience for the whole family.

At Action for Children Fostering England we recognise that fostering not only affects the foster carers we approve but also has a significant impact on all household members and the wider family and friends network. We’re available to all family members for support and advice whenever you need us, 24/7 year-round.

Fees and allowances

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Fees and allowances

Read more about our fostering fees and allowances.

Fees and allowances

Action for Children foster carers in England receive, on average, £555 per week in fees and allowances.

This depends on the type of foster care you provide, your location and the age and needs of the young person in your care.

As a foster carer in England you may be able to take on additional work outside of fostering, providing you can be available when your young person needs you.

Fees and allowances only apply for the times when you have a young person in your care. The fee part is for you, in recognition of the time, training and commitment that you put in to caring for a young person.

The allowances you receive are to cover your young person's toiletries, mobile phone, activities, travel, clothes and pocket money. In addition to this, Action for Children Fostering in England can provide extra support for holidays, birthdays and other special circumstances.

The process and timescales

Happy mother hugging her small son at home, while boy is looking at camera
The process and timescales

From your initial contact with Action for Children Fostering England, the process to become a foster carer can take 6-9 months depending on your individual circumstances.

Our aim is to assess everyone within a 4-6 month time frame.

The process and timescales

Step 1- The initial visit

This is either a virtual meeting or a social worker will come to visit your home and lasts approximately two hours. It’s basically a chance to get to know each other better.

Step 2 - Application form

Once everyone is happy to continue onto the next step, we’ll send you an application form to complete and send back to us. It will ask you to provide personal information and further information about your circumstances.

Step 3 - The assessment

The assessment involves standard checks including a police DBS in England (Disclosure and Barring Service) and you will also need to have a medical.

Action for Children Fostering England will pay for the cost of your medical which you will arrange through your own GP.

Frequently asked questions

Father and children
Frequently Asked Questions

Becoming a foster carer is a big decision and we're sure that you'll have lots of questions.

Fostering FAQs

Answering the most important frequently asked fostering questions that you ask us.

We cover subjects like:

  • Tax and National Insurance
  • Pensions and benefits
  • Working and fees
  • About the children

Plus general answers to your most frequently asked questions.

If you cant find an answer to your specific question then "Let's Chat".

We recruit foster carers across four main locations and offer short break services

Social Worker

London and South East England

Service Name:

Fostering South East - London, Kent

Fostering Wessex - Hampshire, West Sussex, Dorset

Service Type: Fostering

Phone: 0845 200 5162 *

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: @actionforchildrenfosteringengland

Instagram: @actionforchildren_fostering

*During busy periods we may not be able to answer your call immediately. Please do leave us a message, providing your email and telephone number, and one of our fostering team will get back to you as soon as possible. Alternatively request a call back via our Let's Chat facility.

Yorkshire and the North East of England

Service Name: Fostering North East

Service Type: Fostering

Phone: 0845 200 5162 *

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: @actionforchildrenfosteringengland

Instagram: @actionforchildren_fostering

*During busy periods we may not be able to answer your call immediately. Please do leave us a message, providing your email and telephone number, and one of our fostering team will get back to you as soon as possible. Alternatively request a call back via our Let's Chat facility.

North West of England

Service Name: North West Fostering

Service Type: Fostering

Phone: 0845 200 5162 *

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: @actionforchildrenfosteringengland

Instagram: @actionforchildren_fostering

*During busy periods we may not be able to answer your call immediately. Please do leave us a message, providing your email and telephone number, and one of our fostering team will get back to you as soon as possible. Alternatively request a call back via our Let's Chat facility.

South West of England and the Peninsula

Service Name:

Fostering South West

Fostering South West Peninsula and Short Breaks

Service Type: Fostering

Phone: 0845 200 5162 *

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: @actionforchildrenfosteringengland

Instagram: @actionforchildren_fostering

*During busy periods we may not be able to answer your call immediately. Please do leave us a message, providing your email and telephone number, and one of our fostering team will get back to you as soon as possible. Alternatively request a call back via our Let's Chat facility.

Short Breaks service

Service Name: Family Breaks Devon

Service Type: Disability, Fostering, Early Years and Family Support

Phone: 01392 360865

Address: 8 Powderham House, Park 5, Harrier Way, Sowton, Exeter, Devon, EX2 7HU

Facebook: @actionforchildrenfosteringengland

Instagram: @actionforchildren_fostering

Let's Chat

Want to ask a question, need more information, or are you ready to begin your fostering journey?

Let's Chat England