What is fostering?

Fostering is providing a temporary home for someone else's children when they are unable to live with their own parents.

Children and young people are fostered for lots of different reasons. Sometimes their parents may be unwell, there has been a breakdown in relationships at home or sometimes a child has suffered from abuse or neglect.

Adoption

Monmouthshire is part of the South East Wales Adoption Service jointly with Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen.

For more information about adoption and adoption support services visit BAAF or you can contact the adoption service on the details below:

• Telephone: 01495 355766
• Email: adoption@blaenau-gwent.gov.uk

Types of foster care

Short-term

This can be for a few days or up to a few months.

Long-term/permanency

This is where both you and the child make a commitment that you want to be their family for the long-term or "permanently".

Respite

This is usually where a child or young person's full time foster carers need a break for a weekend or holiday.

Short breaks

This is for children with a disability where families need a break. Short breaks can be for a few hours, overnight or a regular few days each month.

Support care

This is where families are finding it difficult to cope and need a regular or one-off break from each other overnight or for a weekend. This can provide the support that families need to stay together during difficult times.

Supported lodgings

This is for young people who are aged 16 or over who have usually grown up in foster care and now need support to prepare for living independently.

Private fostering

This is a private arrangement between a child's parents and another person who is not a relative of the child. The Children Act 1989 requires that local authorities are notified of these arrangements so that the arrangement can be assessed to make sure that the child is safe and that the placement meets the needs of the child. If you are involved with or know about a private fostering arrangement please contact the duty worker at the children's referral and assessment team, phone: 01291 635669.

Who can foster?

All you need is a spare room, commitment and lots of patience!

We are looking for foster carers who might be single, married, co-habiting, homosexual or heterosexual. Carers can range in age from their 20s to their 60s and it doesn't matter if you have your own children or not. We don't mind if you own your own home or rent it.

We are looking for people who are committed to supporting children and young people and who can offer them the stability and support that they need.

What are the children like?

The children can be aged between 0-18, all of the children come from different backgrounds and have different personalities. The only thing they have in common is that they all need a family to live with who can offer them support and stability that enables them to thrive.

We'd love to hear from anyone who is interested in fostering but we particularly need more foster carers who are able to offer placements to:

• Teenagers
• Sibling groups
• Children with disabilities
• Young mothers with their baby

The first step to becoming a foster carer is to contact our children's placement team or by completing our online enquiry form:

Phone: 01873 735945
Email: familyplacement@monmouthshire.gov.uk

We can send you more information or visit you at home to discuss becoming a foster carer in more detail. We will be able to answer all of your queries and complete some initial checks which will include a Criminal Records Bureau check and medical questionnaire. We aim to complete assessments within 6 months from the date of your initial enquiry to approval at fostering panel.

We know that although being a foster carer is very rewarding it can be a challenging job too. That's why we offer you lots of support:

• A named supervising social worker
• Core training programme
• Out of hours telephone advice
• Financial allowances
• Quarterly support group meetings
• Informal support groups
• Social events

Allowances for foster carers 2011-2012

The table above details the fostering allowances paid to approved foster carers by Monmouthshire County Council. In addition to the weekly allowance foster carers receive:

• A £50 placement fee for each child per week who is placed with a generic foster carer
• Birthday allowance
• Holiday allowance
• Christmas allowance
• Uniform allowance
• Mileage allowance

For further information about becoming a foster carer you can contact the children's placement team via the details below:

Children's Placement Team
Hanbury House
Welsh Street
Chepstow

Phone: 01873 735945 
Email: familyplacement@monmouthshire.gov.uk

Do I have to own my home?

No. It doesn’t matter if you rent or own your home as long as you’re up to date with any mortgage or rent payments. It is important that your home is well maintained and clean so that it is suitable and safe for a child to live in. We want to make sure that you and your family are settled in your home.

Do I have to have a spare room?

Yes. We have to assess the space you have in your home to make sure that you are able to offer a child the space and privacy that any child would need.

Can I work and foster?

It depends on what sort of work that you do and the ages and needs of the children that you foster. If you are currently working it is something that you could talk through with the team as part of an initial visit.

How long will it take to become a foster carer?

We aim to complete assessments within 6 months of receiving an initial enquiry. However it may be possible to complete the assessment quicker than this or it may take longer if there are any delays during the process.