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What support is available for foster carers?

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It’s important to know what tools you have at your disposal to take care of your foster child and give them the best opportunities in life you possibly can. This guide will explain all the support available to you as a foster carer.

Here at Capstone, it’s important that our carers know that they’re not alone, which is why we provide extensive support not just for you as a foster carer but your foster child and any birth children you might have.

Personal and professional support

When you join Capstone Foster Care as a foster parent, you’ll become part of the team providing care for your foster child, meaning you’ll never have to feel isolated in any decision you make in the care of your foster child. One of the main benefits of fostering with Capstone is the high level of personal and professional support that we provide our foster parents.

Dedicated social worker

When you become a foster parent with Capstone, you’ll have access to calls and visits from a dedicated social worker as often as you need. We also provide our foster carers with access to an out-of-hours service with access to support from a social worker 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Support groups

We also provide our carers with regular support groups where you and your family have the opportunity to talk to other carers and their families in your local area in a safe environment.  

Training and development

Training and development are one of the key ways we provide support for our foster parents. Once you have completed your mandatory training, you’ll be able to take part in further training courses arranged flexibly throughout the year. We listen to our foster carers within their support groups to provide specialist training in areas they might not feel confident tackling. Our courses are hands-on, practical and run by professionals.

Mandatory training

All our potential foster carers need to take part in a special training course called “Skills to Foster”. This course is taught by experienced foster carers and helps foster parents to understand what they need to do to take care of a child.

Bespoke MATTs support

We offer a unique support service which provides children and young people with access to mental health services. MATTs (Multi-disciplinary assessment treatment and therapy service) provides foster families with the tools they need to proactively support children who have experienced trauma. This support includes a bespoke plan with access to services such as;

  • Mental health nurses
  • Psychotherapists
  • Speech and language therapy
  • Play therapy

Together with MATTs, foster parents have access to support to help create long term stable homes for children in care.

Further training

Once you’ve been approved as a registered foster carer, we recommend that you attend monthly fostering training sessions to help improve and further develop your skills. Our training covers a wide range of topics that range from online safety to learning difficulty awareness. We also provide specialist training depending on what type of foster care you provide.

Financial support

As a foster carer, you’ll receive a Fostering Allowance which provides you with financial support to go towards the child’s cost of living. Part of your fostering allowance will be awarded to you as compensation for your time and the care you provide.

The government sets a national standard and minimum basic fostering allowance per child. Here at Capstone, we provide a much more competitive fostering allowance compared to the basic fostering allowance. However, the specific amount you’ll receive will depend on the type of foster care you provide, your geographic location and the age of the child.

As a standard, you’ll also benefit financially from special tax rules, plus you’ll still be able to claim benefits if you’d otherwise be entitled to them.

If you’re thinking about becoming a foster parent, you can find out more about fostering as a career or learn more about the foster care requirements needed to begin fostering today. So, get in touch with one of our helpful team members  today and learn more about the benefits of fostering with Capstone.

Thinking of fostering?

If you’ve got any questions or would like to find out more about fostering with Capstone, fill out the form below.
An experienced fostering advisor from your local area will then be in touch.

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Find out more about fostering with Capstone.

Download our helpful guide to becoming a foster carer

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Ways to
GET IN TOUCH

Start the conversation today. Our team of friendly advisors are on hand to answer any foster care questions you may have. We can offer you honest and practical advice that can help you decide if becoming a foster carer is the right path for you. 


Request a
call back

Contact us by completing our online form and one of our fostering advisors will respond to your enquiry within 24 hours.



Call us

Contact us by phone and one of our friendly fostering experts will be on hand for any foster care advice and support you require.



Download a Brochure

Download our helpful guide to becoming a foster carer with Capstone Foster Care.