Overview: An introduction to the support available for foster carers in Durham, Newcastle and the wider north east for those new to fostering, changing agency or moving to the area. Plus, answering the question: how much do you get paid for fostering in Newcastle?
In the North East, there are children and young people who need stable, safe and nurturing homes. Fostering and adoption in Newcastle, Durham and the wider northeast regions are two ways you can give children the experience of a happy family life. But the roles of foster parents and adoptive parents are distinctly different.
At the Fostering Company, we’ve been helping fostering families and young people in our region for more than two decades. And, while some of our foster parents have gone on to adopt their foster children, our focus is putting children at the heart of everything we do, through foster care. The different types of fostering offer ways for families and individuals with different circumstances to make an impact and improve the life experiences of children in our region.
Are fostering and adoption the same?
Whether you offer regular short break care for a child or become their long-term carer; there are opportunities to build bonds and make special memories. Our team of foster carers provide respite, short-term and long-term fostering. Long-term fostering can also sometimes be called permanent fostering. We value all types of foster carers as part of The Fostering Company team, each type of fostering has an impact on children’s everyday lives and their future. With long-term fostering, your foster child may even stay with you into adulthood.
The main differences between foster care and adoption relate to legal responsibilities and support. As an adoptive parent, you take on the full legal and financial responsibility for the baby, child or teen joining your family. Whereas as a foster parent, you will care for children every day and receive a fostering allowance and ongoing support and training to meet their needs. At the Fostering Company, we’ve built up lots of specialist knowledge about the region and the life experiences of children and their families. We use this to shape the learning opportunities and support we give our foster carers. It’s a remarkable and rewarding job and one we can help you with every step of the way.
What support is available for foster carers in Durham, Newcastle and the North East?
We know that fostering isn’t the same as a standard 9 to 5 job, there are challenges and rewards and we’ll be on hand for both, helping you to build a meaningful fostering career. When you join The Fostering Company as a foster carer, we want your fostering journey to be as smooth as possible. This starts with pre-approval training so that you know what to expect and develop the vital skills needed to meet the needs of the children you’ll welcome into your home. We’re an independent fostering agency that offers a family feel but we’re also part of the Five Rivers family, which means we’re able to offer support that goes beyond and above that of many other smaller agencies. This includes:
- Pre and post approval training and a review each year to identify your training needs and goals and help you understand the life experiences of the children you’ll look after. Our learning opportunities calendar has a vast range of training and workshops available.
- 24/7 support from our dedicated team means there’s always someone available to talk to and offer advice. And whenever you speak to someone they will know you and your foster family.
- Social events and support groups run throughout the year and offer opportunities to connect with other foster families for support, advice and socialising in fun and friendly settings.
How much do you get paid for fostering in Newcastle?
As an independent fostering agency, we set our own rates, which may differ from Newcastle, Northumberland and Durham County Council fostering allowances. We offer a competitive fostering allowance to allow you to focus on meeting the needs of the children in your care. As a foster carer with The Fostering Company, you can expect to receive upwards of £382 per child per week, with factors such as the age and needs of the child taken into account. Fostering allowance is also tax-free in most cases. If you have specific queries about pay and allowance, check our payment and benefits page, or talk to our carer enquiries team who can provide further guidance.
Support for foster carers transferring to the North East
“The trainers make the training fun and keep you focused all the time and the main thing which is offered to carers is the therapeutic support which was never offered by my last company. I think it’s something very beneficial and would recommend The Fostering Company to anyone who is either thinking about becoming foster carers or if, like myself, thinking about a change of agency.”
Lydia, Foster Carer.
Our ambition is to make every fostering story a happy one. Over two decades, many foster carers have joined us and benefited from our local area knowledge and support. If you’re an existing foster carer moving into the area or considering a change of fostering agency, we can offer you dedicated support to make the transition as smooth as possible. The foster carer transition process starts with an initial assessment of your current circumstances. We also offer a bonus scheme for foster carers transferring into The Fostering Company team.
Want to find out more about support for foster carers in Newcastle, Durham and surrounding areas?
Watching and reading stories from our foster families is a fantastic way to find out about the role of foster carers and the support available. We’d also encourage you to come along to chat to our friendly team at one of our fostering awareness events across the region. You can also speak to our team today.