Informal support
The support you receive through your immediate and extended family, your neighbours and your friends is very important. Other forms of informal support may be sought through faith organisations, local clubs, your own GP, or other foster carers living in your area.
To foster successfully it is important that you have a strong support network within your community.
Formal support
The main source of support will be the social worker from the fostering team, known as your supervising social worker. The role of the supervising social worker is to supervise and support you when children/young people are in your care. You will have regular contact with them via telephone and visits to your home. When necessary, they will accompany you to meetings or attend meetings on your behalf.
You will also receive support from the child/young person’s social worker, health visitor and other professionals involved. Taking part in training will also be an important source of support throughout your fostering experience.
Outside normal office hours, there is an out of hours service. This service provides advice and support to carers who are concerned about the foster child / young person in their care.
There are independent agencies in England who provide support to foster carers. Here are two examples;
- The Fostering Network www.fostering.net
- British Association of Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) www.baaf.org.uk