Become a foster parent

We need more foster parents to provide safe and loving homes to children, particularly sibling groups, teenagers and parents and their children in special parent and child fostering arrangements.

We care passionately about matching young people with the right foster parent and need a diverse range of families. No matter what your age, gender, relationship status, sexual orientation, race or religion, as long as you care about offering a nurturing and happy home and want to make a real difference to young people’s lives and prospects, we would love to hear from you.

What is fostering?

Fostering is a term used to describe looking after someone else’s child in a family home when they cannot live with their birth family – that may be for a few days, weeks, months or until they are 18 or beyond. Fostering is a way of providing a stable family life and making children and young people feel loved, included and valued. 

Foster parents play an important role in the team of professionals, including social workers, working with the child to make sure that they get the care and support which they need. From attending school and health appointments to taking part in extracurricular activities, foster parents look after the children in their care on a daily basis.

Fostering is different from adoption because the Local Authority remains responsible for fostered children. In many cases, it is important for the child to to maintain links with their birth family. Xcel have a contact suite at our Sittingbourne office where birth family time can take place for those living locally.

What are the types of fostering?

Foster parents can provide care in emergencies, perhaps a child who has been removed form an unsafe situation, until a more permanent home can be found for them, either with relatives, back with a parent or with another foster family.

Foster parents can provide “respite” care, caring for children for a weekend, week or two. This often fits well for teachers and other professionals who wish to continue working but have spare time in the holidays to foster children.

More often, foster care is needed for longer periods, perhaps until birth families have been able to resolve the issue which bought the child into care. Often, despite best efforts, that is not possible and children become long term or permanently placed with their foster families, remaining with them until they leave education or beyond.

Parent and child fostering is a specific type of fostering where specially trained foster parents support mum, dad, or both, who may not be coping well, teaching them how to safely and positively care for their baby within a family home environment. This would usually only be for a few months rather than long term.

Will I receive support?

We pride ourselves on providing initial and ongoing training for our foster parents,  as well as support available 24 hours a day, every single day of the year. You will never be expected to face a challenging situation alone.

Generous weekly allowances are provided to foster parents to make sure that they are able to live comfortably, pay their bills and provide the children in their care with a life full of opportunities and fun.

Visit www.xcel2000.com or call 0845 094 5651 for more information.