foster family
foster family
Want to become a foster carer in Farnham?
Do you live in Farnham? And looking for a local fostering agency with whom you want to become a foster carer? Sunbeam Fostering Agency is one of the largest in the UK, we have offices in London, Coventry with resource centers in Nottingham, Walthamstow, Wembley, Croydon and a sister agency in Luton. We offer up to £700 per child per week with local staff at hand in Farnham.
We offer up to £700 per child per week with local staff at hand in Farnham.
About Sunbeam's fostering and training
At Sunbeam, we are proud of our standards and the support and training that we provide to our foster carers. We are driven by children’s needs.
also, we provide training for fostering care Click me
Are you passionate about making a difference for children and have time and energy to give to a child?
Every year, tens of thousands of children across the UK need foster carers while they can’t live with their own families. That means thousands of new foster carers are needed every year. Could you be one of them?
We have been operating in London and the Midlands for more than 20 years. We have experienced staff, have strong relationships with local authorities, and have offices/resource centers in many different areas
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.
Getting started with fostering
How to become a foster carer in Farnham
There are a number of things involved in the process. For example, local authority check, police check, and medical checks etc. Normally this can take from 3-6 months depending on how quickly we receive these checks and other related actions to become a foster parent.
You will receive full support at all stages and help with anything you are unsure of.
Become a Foster Carer
Take a first step towards fostering, get in touch with our Farnham fostering team
Who can foster?
Your age should 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.
Frequent Questions
We have answered a few common questions about fostering
01. Do I need to be married to become a foster parent?
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. I work, am I still able to become a foster parent?
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. I am renting, am I still able to foster?
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.
04. Will my race or religion be an issue?
No, diversity is very important as the foster children come from a variety of backgrounds. People of all races and faiths are needed to foster children.
05. Do I need any qualifications?
There are no special qualifications needed to become a foster carer, as any parent will tell you, children do not come with a manual. What you do need is a positive attitude, patience and understanding along with time and plenty of energy to devote to your foster children. This is a job like no other and the most important qualifications you can hold are people skills and empathy. A love of children is, of course, essential and the ability not to take things personally.
06. I’m old! I want to foster, how do I apply?
Once you have decided to become a foster parent, the first step would be to contact your local authority or the fostering agency you will have an initial chat with the application manager who will run through the process and answer any questions and address any concerns that you may have. The next stage would be for an assessor to visit you at home and get to know a little bit about you and find out more about your reasons for wanting to foster, they will also assess the suitability of your home. You will be given the opportunity to ask any questions and to address anything that you are unsure about. After this visit with you still wanting to go ahead and become a foster parent, you will be asked to fill in the official paperwork and this is where the serious application process begins.
07. Will I receive any training?
Yes, once you have been approved as a foster carer you will receive initial training and you will be given regular training sessions throughout the year. These will be a mix of new subjects and refresher courses. You will also be given the opportunity to gain an NVQ 2, 3 and 4
