Fostering is very rewarding, but does have its challenges.
We understand that at times you may need additional support, which is why we ensure that our team are always available for our foster carers.
Support and supervision
As a Medway foster carer, you're an important member of the team, working together to provide the very best care for vulnerable children.
We're here to support you to reach your full potential and to grow in confidence as a professional.
To achieve this, we offer:
- respite services - every foster carer and every foster child is different, so we recognise the need to be flexible with the respite services that we offer
- therapeutic approach to parenting
- generous fostering allowances, concessions and rewards
- comprehensive training plans tailored to your individual needs
- a duty support line
- out of hours service
- monthly one-to-one supervision with your allocated social worker
- monthly focus group sessions with other foster carers and social workers
- specialist training specific to enhance skills that you may need to develop
- online training programme
- a library of helpful resources, including guides and handbooks.
Other on-going support includes:
- guidance and training for your birth children
- Medway Council hosted events
- on-going support throughout your application and assessment process
- supervision, as well as tailored training throughout your career with us.
What we offer our foster carers
We offer a comprehensive support package to all of our approved foster carers. This includes:
- a new payment structure effective as of September 2021
- Council Tax contribution
- a refer a friend scheme
- a tiered system for determining level of need (tier 1 - expected, and tier 2 - exceptional)
- a reward and maintenance fee determined by age band and child’s needs
- a festival allowance - £200 per year, per child
- a birthday allowance - £300 per year, per child
- respite payments - 14 nights paid respite
- 48 hours ‘fostering family focus respite’ periods of up to 4 hours each to attend personal appointments
- children’s champions: for both birth children and children in care offering direct work and support
- therapeutic support workers, offering direct support to the fostering household
- placements officer.
Our comprehensive support package also includes:
- fostering champions: foster carers offering real-life insights into fostering, supporting with the recruitment of prospective foster carers
- dedicated primary hub and dedicated adolescent hub offering enhanced placement therapeutic support
- peer mentoring scheme available during your assessment and your fostering journey
- newly approved foster carer reviews offered at 3 and 6 months following approval
- senior social worker allocation to newly approved foster carers
- discount on adult education courses for each member of the fostering household
- extensive training programme
- efficient and effective matching process.
Our fostering team are dedicated to delivering professional support and supervision to all our foster carers. They're there to ensure that the child’s care plan is adhered to and that the needs of the fostering family are met.
We'll work alongside and support each of our carers on a one-to-one basis to ensure that their specific needs are catered for. Personal Development Plans are created to ensure you get the information, training, support and supervision you require.