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Fostering in Bishop Stortford

Foster Carer in Bishop Stortford Touch a life, Foster a child Foster Carer in Bishop Stortford Touch a life, Foster a child

Fostering in Bishop Stortford

Sunbeam Pride Fostering Agency

Sunbeam Pride Fostering Service (part of Sunbeam Fostering Group) is an Independent Fostering Agency registered with Ofsted providing high quality and well supported fostering placements for a diverse range of looked after children and young people across Bishop Stortford. We offer up to £700 per child per week with local staff at hand in Bishop Stortford.

Become a foster carer in Bishop Stortford with Sunbeam Pride Fostering Service.

Sunbeam provides local support for carers in Bishop’s Stratford and surrounding areas through our resource centre in Wembley. This means you will have a supervising social worker local to you and available to support you if you need them. Also, we have other support staff on a 24/7/365 basis who will help you with any help and support you need while fostering with Sunbeam.

Sunbeam Fostering Agency is one of the largest fostering agencies in the UK, we have offices all around England, please visit our contact us page to locate the nearest Sunbeam office to Bishop Stortford.

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Fostering in Bishop Stortford

Sunbeam was established in 2000 in the London area. The company has grown in all major parts of the UK with dedicated staff members for each area and especially in Aylesbury to fulfill the needs of looked after children in those areas.

We currently provide services to over 75 Local Authorities in London, South East, South Central, Midlands, and North regions and are geographically expanding into further areas to recruit more foster carers for the benefit of children in care. We are accredited by the relevant professional bodies such as London Care Placements, South Central Framework Authorities, East and West Midlands Childcare Consortia, White Rose Framework, and Eastern Regions Consortium. Sunbeam is a member of the Fostering Network and CoramBAAF. All our foster carers are individual members of the Fostering Network.

Can I Become a Foster Carer?

We need foster carers from a wide range of backgrounds, races and religion. This is because all children have their own unique and individual background and heritage. You do not need to be married, own a house or have children of your own.

Please contact us if you have any questions and would like to explore fostering.

To begin fostering in Bishop Stortford, fill our call back request form and a member of our local staff will be in touch with you soon.

Sunbeam Pride works closely with Bishop Stortford council and currently holds a framework contract with them. We are one of the small numbers of agencies that work with Bishop Stortford. We have a number of foster carers and looked after children in Bishop Stortford. We are committed to building the availability of foster carers within Bishop Stortford, to meet the needs of the children and young people living in the local community.

We are recruiting across Bishop Stortford including:

  • Watford
  • Hemel Hempstead
  • St Albans
  • Stevenage
  • Welwyn Garden City
  • Bishop Stortford
  • Bishops Stortford
  • Hatfield
  • Borehamwood
  • Hitchin

Become a Foster Carer

Take the first step towards fostering, get in touch with our fostering team






    Who can foster?

    Your age should be be at least 21 years-old (although by law you can apply to foster from 18) and to have a spare bedroom big enough for a young person to live in.

    Fostering Allowance

    As a foster carer, you will receive fostering allowance which normally covers things like food, clothing, transportation, pocket money, outings etc.
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    Every agency is different, so choosing the right one means making sure you can look after your choice of foster children, get the best foster carer’s support, and the financial benefits that are right for you.

    Are you passionate about making a difference for children and have time and energy to give to a child?

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    All About Fostering Allowance

    Sunbeam offers up to £700 fostering allowance per child per week depending on children’s needs. Additionally, we pay other allowances and our foster carers receive many other benefits while fostering with us. We welcome foster carers from a diverse range of backgrounds and all ages. We would welcome you to take the opportunity to speak to one of our existing foster carers to hear this first hand.

    Fostering in Bishop Stortford

    FAQ – FOSTERING

    We have answered a few common questions about fostering

    01. I'm not married – does this matter?
    No. You can be married, single, divorced or living together. The main thing that you need is to be able to provide a safe and supportive environment for your foster child.
    02. Can I still go out to work and be a foster carer?
    Yes, you would be able to work part-time if you are a single foster parent to ensure that you are able to fulfil your commitments, you would need to make sure that your working arrangement is flexible so that you can tend to any emergencies that would arise with a foster child if needed. If you are a couple who have decided to become foster parents you would need to make sure that one of you is available at all times. This could be making sure that working hours don’t clash or maybe that one parent works while the other is home based to care for the foster child or children.
    03. Do I have to own my home?
    Yes, it does not matter if you are renting or own your home, this will not affect your application to become a foster carer. As long as you have a spare room in your home dedicated to accommodating foster children owner status is not a problem.
    01. My partner doesn't live with me should I include them on the application form?
    Yes please, include any individuals who is a significant person in your life and will frequently visit the house.
    02. Do I have a choice in the type of child I care for?
    Children who require care must have foster carers who can meet their needs. Throughout the fostering assessment process, we work with you to identify your strengths and skills to assist you in identifying the children and young people you could care for. We will also identify specific training with Sunbeam to assist you in expanding your skills as a foster carer. Before you are approved by the Agency Decision Maker, we will have agreed on the type of child who will fit in with your family. This includes the age, gender, ethnicity and religion of potential foster children.
    01. How much is the Fostering Allowance?
    At the Sunbeam Fostering Agency we believe that our carers and foster children should have a good standard of living and a quality of life. Sunbeam offers up to £700 fostering allowance per child per week depending on children’s needs. Additionally, we pay other allowances and our foster carers receive many other benefits while fostering with us. This allowance is paid when children are in care and is not paid when carers do not have placements. Please ask for a copy of our Foster Carer Payment Guide which is updated and reviewed annually.
    02. What does the weekly allowance cover?
    The weekly allowance is intended to cover all the needs of each foster child, including food, clothing, travel, activities, savings and so on. We provide guidance on how money should be spent on each child, to ensure that the child has a healthy and balanced life.
    01. Will I be taxed on the allowance?
    In April 2003, the Government introduced an income tax exemption for foster carers with an income below a set level. Allowances for looking after foster children placed with the Sunbeam are not generally taxable. However, foster carers who have multiple placements and who also work may be liable to pay some tax if their income is above the set level. For the purposes of calculating tax, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) treat foster carers as self-employed. HMRC produce helpful guidance for Foster Carers which you can request direct from HMRC (ask for guidance IR 236).
    02. Do I qualify to claim any benefits?
    Eligibility to benefits is assessed on an individual basis by the relevant central or local government department, and the Sunbeam Fostering Agency cannot offer advice specific to benefit eligibility. The government department responsible for benefit entitlement is called the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Any queries about fostering allowances and benefit eligibility needs to be assessed by the DWP. Find information by calling 0800 882200 or visit www.dwp.gov.uk Jobcentre Plus delivers benefits to many people of working age, so contact your local office for advice. Housing Benefit, Council Tax benefits and tax credits are calculated and administered by your own Local Authority. Alternatively, seek specialist advice from an advisory agency such as the Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) or a welfare rights service.
    03. Do I qualify for tax credits?
    Fostering counts as self-employment, so you may be entitled to Working Tax Credit (and also Child Tax Credit if you have children of your own). You need to get advice about Tax Credits, which takes into consideration your own individual circumstances. Eligibility and assessments for tax credits can be made by contacting 0845 300 3900.
    04. Will I have to pay National Insurance?
    All foster carers must register as self-employed, so must register to pay National Insurance contributions. You can obtain get information by calling the Newly Self-Employed Helpline on 0845 915 4515.