Foster Care FAQ's

FCA is an Independent Fostering Agency (IFA) - a private company working in partnership with Local Authorities and Health Trusts to provide fostering placements.

As the UK's leading IFA, FCA delivers an extended network of support to the foster carer and the looked after child or young person. 

FCA has its own foster carers, Social Workers, therapists and education staff who work hard to ensure that the needs of the carers and children are met to high standards and without delay.

It must be remembered that Local Authorities or Health Trusts are ultimately responsible for the wellbeing of all children in public care. They need to find the best way of looking after these children to make sure that they receive the best possible standard of care.

Anyone can apply to become a foster carer. FCA has foster carers who are single, married, co-habiting, divorced, gay, lesbian and heterosexual. FCA also has carers from many different religions and a variety of ethnic groups.

However, you will need to satisfy certain requirements:

• you must have a spare bedroom
• you must be over the age of 21
• you must be able to commit to fostering on a full time basis. (Exclusions may apply. Contact FCA for further information.)

A previous criminal conviction would not necessarily disqualify you from fostering, it would depend upon the nature of the conviction and when it occurred. It is standard for us to check police records at an early stage in the application process so we would need you to discuss any convictions with us as soon as possible so that we could decide whether or how it might affect your application. This information would remain confidential at all times.

As part of the assessment process we carry out a criminal records check, as well as checks with the Local Authority or Health Trust Social Work Service, the Health Service, the Education Department and a register which lists those prevented from working with children. We would also need to carry out a standard safety check on your home.

FCA will also request references from previous employers and personal references from two people who have known you for 5 years or more.

We regard all couples living together as partners in the fostering process, so we would require that you both have the necessary checks and training and that both take part in the assessment process. Even if you are the main carer, anyone sharing your home will have some involvement in and influence on the fostering task.

We will also need to carry out checks on all adult members of the household.

FCA will only place a child in a home where he or she will have their own bedroom (unless they are a young sibling group).

At FCA, we believe that the highest quality care, which we consider every one of our children and young people need, can only be achieved by having one carer at home full time.

However, in some circumstances you may be able to continue to work, depending upon your specific situation. For example, a home run business. We will make every effort to be flexible to your circumstances whilst ensuring that the delivery of the highest quality foster care remains our primary concern.

FCA foster carers are part of a professional and dedicated team and we offer them a foster carer remuneration package and support package, including respite, that reflects their commitment.

Please Call Us on 0800 023 4561 and speak to one of our fostering advisors for further information.

As part of the assessment process, Social Workers will discuss the different types of fostering placements with you, and help you to decide which types of placement would suit you best. However, you do need to be aware that it isn’t always possible to know at the beginning of a placement exactly when a child will move on.

Yes, you can. However, you need to bear in mind that the majority of children referred to FCA are in the 11+ age group and we tend to have more boys than girls. If you are relying on income from fostering, you are far more likely to have continuous placements if you are willing to take teenagers as well as younger children.

Children and young people taken into care can be anything from 0-18 years old.

We discuss every placement with our carers and it is your decision as to whether to take a young person. We will provide you with as much information about the young person and their background as possible, including any difficult behaviour and how to manage it.

You do need to be aware that sometimes we have very little information, especially in an emergency. We would always, however, seek to find out quickly as much as possible.

We would normally expect carers to undertake these tasks. Occasionally, if you have a particular problem, your Social Worker would endeavour to make alternative arrangements.

FCA does not permit smacking or any other form of corporal punishment. FCA provides training to all of our carers on alternative and effective ways to cope with any difficult behaviour.

The regulations that governing fostering state that no form of corporal punishment is permitted. This would include any form of smacking, slapping or shaking.

If a child has ongoing medical needs, this will be explained to you before the placement is made and you will receive all the assistance necessary. Our role is to support our foster and this may include providing specialist equipment or training.

The majority of FCA foster carers currently receive £390.25 per child, per week. However, there are circumstances where this may be less – for example placements of younger children. Where a child or young person has particularly challenging behaviour or special needs then this fostering fee/allowance may be more. Your FCA Supervising Social Worker will discuss this with you before each fostering placement is made.

Your weekly allowance for each child fostered is intended to cover living costs such as food, clothes, basic travel and household bills. There is also a reward element for the foster carer in recognition of the demands of the fostering task.

Our carers work on a ‘self employed’ basis. Foster carers receive very favourable tax treatment on income derived solely from fostering.

Under a tax relief, introduced in 2003, foster carers whose gross receipts from foster care do not exceed an individual limit will be exempt from tax on their income from foster care.

Individual and more general advice on foster carer tax relief is available from a number of sources including HMRC.

The length of the assessment process is usually around 4 months. However, this may rise to 6 months, depending upon the complexity of your personal circumstances and the speed with which checks and references are received. Once your approval/appointment has been recommended by the Fostering Panel and confirmed by the Agency Decision Maker, you can begin taking placements.

Each FCA region/country has their own dedicated Placements Team, who will act as the contact point for Local Authorities or Health Trusts needing fostering placements and liaise with your FCA Supervising Social Worker.

For further information on the application and assessment process, please speak to one of our fostering advisors by calling 0800 023 4561.