Who can foster

Who can Foster?

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.

We aim to ensure that each child’s needs are met and matched as closely as possible, we use the following selection criteria:

• Previous employment or experience in children’s services – paid or unpaid.
• Applicants with particular skills and experience in specific areas as learning difficulties, medical problems etc.
• Applicants who show a willingness to work towards meeting care standards for fostering.
• Applicants with experience of the previous fostering and/or close involvement with someone who has already fostered.
• An ability to reflect on life experiences and to mature through them.
• An ability to see beyond children’s behaviour, and to link it to past trauma, where applicable
• An empathy for and natural ability to nurture children traumatised by separation from their birth families.
• Applicants able to accept teenagers
• Applicants comfortable with parents visiting their home.
• If living with a partner/ spouse, the relationship should be established and secure.

In addition, Sunbeam will expect the applicants to have:

• A spare bedroom.
• Plenty of physical and emotional stamina.
• A commitment to attend training events and support groups.
• A willingness to support a child’s/young person’s attendance for therapy, hospital appointment etc – including the provision of transport where necessary.

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

Fostering children is a great service to brighten their future. Fostering is defined as taking temporary parental responsibility for a child outside of your own family. This is usually a child that has been placed into the care of the local authority who will then seek to settle the child into a family home environment. Becoming a foster carer with Sunbeam will be a life changing and pleasant journey for you and the children you are going to foster.