Foster a child

Contact Families for Children

Phone 0345 276 5555

What is fostering?

Fostering is a way of offering a home to a child or children of all ages who can no longer remain in the care of their own families for a variety of reasons. Children will stay in foster care until they can return to their own parents, if possible. Foster carers play a vital role in giving children who can't always live with their families the best possible start in life and will be required to provide the child / children with a secure, stable and nurturing home environment in which both their physical and emotional needs are met.

Over the past few years the number of children looked after in foster homes has risen dramatically and we urgently need people to come forward to offer these children a home and happy memories.

Are there different types of fostering?

Yes, there are numerous different ways to foster:

Short-term fostering - children may stay in short-term foster care for only a few days but some may remain for as long as two years, depending on their individual circumstance
Permanent fostering -sometimes we make a decision that the children will not be returning to the care of their families. Permanent carers will look after these children throughout their lives until the point where they move onto independence. There is a careful matching process between children and permanent carers as it is anticipated that this will be the child's permanent family
Shared care and shared care plus - is a family based respite scheme for children with learning disabilities or who are physically disabled and usually live with their own families. Shared carers will offer care in their own home for around one weekend a month and possibly a longer holiday during the year
Weekend care - this is for children and young people who live in residential homes or schools. Weekend carers look after these children for regular, short periods, usually at weekend and holidays. This offers the children a break from residential life and gives them a chance to have a different experience
Caring for disabled children - carers can provide short term or permanent care for disabled children. Although caring for disabled children requires an extra commitment, many of the tasks are the same as required for carers of all children and young people
Family-based respite - this provides respite for families at difficult times. The carer offers children and young people a short stay in their home - this may be a one-off or for regular short periods. This resource is greatly needed as it is often the last resort before children are taken into care

Can I foster?

We need foster carers from all walks of life and backgrounds including people who have children and those who don't. Anyone can be a foster carer as long as they have the qualities, skills and experience required to look after children in care

We ask that all applicants, single or couples (couples do not need to be married or in a civil partnership but they must have lived together for a minimum of 2 years) must:

be over 21 years old
have a spare room

Applicants do not have:

to be employed
to own your own home

All applicants will be subject to Local Authority, health, employment and Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) checks

We require carers who are committed to caring for Glasgow's most vulnerable children. A good carer will offer a secure and stable home to a child as well as a safe and nurturing environment. It is a requirement that our carers work as part of a team in partnership with other agencies and parents to obtain the best possible outcomes for children.