Who Can Foster?
Cornerways is looking for Foster Carers from all backgrounds – single people and couples, regardless of religion, sexuality, gender or race. We ask that our carers are aged 25 years plus, but there is no upper age limit. You must be fit enough to care for the age range of children you are approved for and be a non-smoking household if you wish to care for young children/babies.
Foster Carers must have a spare bedroom available and their home should be warm and comfortable. To foster with Cornerways, Foster Carers will not have any birth children at home aged under 18 months.
Fostering is a full time role and it is very difficult to have employment outside the home and to be a Foster Carer; therefore one adult in the foster home should be at home full time (any other adults are usually employed).
Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau checks are made on all adult members of our foster homes. There are some serious criminal offences that are incompatible with fostering. If you have a criminal record and wish to apply to foster, please discuss this with us when you first contact us.
The Support Cornerways Provides
Our Foster Carers are well supported by a team of qualified and experienced Social Workers. Support includes:
- Regular visits and phone contact from a Fostering Social Worker
- Out-of-hours emergency telephone support – 365 days/nights a year
- Monthly Carer Groups
- Training to NVQ3/Diploma in Social Care
- Membership of Foster Talk – see www.fostertalk.org
- Contact with other Foster Carers
- Respite and day support
- Support for carers’ own children (groups and 1:1)
- Two weeks paid holiday respite per year
- Fostering allowances that recognise skills and professionalism
- Quarterly Newsletter
- Wilful damage to your home insurance
- Support at meetings or in Court
- Mileage costs to attend Foster Carer training.
Foster Carer Training and Development
Our Foster Carer training programme includes regular training in aspects of childcare, safeguarding and fostering. All our carers must complete the CWDC (Childrens Workforce Development Council) Fostering Standards induction Handbook in their first year of fostering and we will assist them with this. Our training programme includes trainers from Cornerways as well as external training organisations; often our Foster Carers and Social Workers attend training together.
Some of our Foster Carers have completed their NVQ3 in Health and Social Care. This, or the Diploma in Social Care, is available for Foster Carers wishing to achieve this.
Where our carers achieve NVQ3, or equivalent, in Social Care, an additonal weekly payment is made to them when they are actively fostering.
Each of our Foster Carers has a development plan for the year ahead to focus on their interests, skills and areas they need to develop to progress as Foster Carers.
How to Apply
If you are interested in being considered as a Foster Carer, contact us by phone or e-mail. We will send you an information pack and arrange to visit you. After this visit you may be invited to attend a 3-day preparation course ‘the Skills To Foster’. Following the course you may wish to confirm you application to become a Foster Carer.
What Happens Next?
Once Cornerways begins your assessment you will need to provide details of personal referees and agree to various statutory checks. A Social Worker will spend at least 5 visits with you and your family to find out about your lifestyle, skills and experiences; you will need to show how you will be able to fulfill the role and expectations of a Foster Carer.
The assessment report will be presented to the Cornerways Fostering Panel, which the applicants attend. The Fostering Panel is made up of independent lay members and of Social Workers; their recommendation is passed to Cornerways for the final decision regarding whether the applicant is approved as a Foster Carer.
