Become a foster carer with The Children’s Family Trust

Deciding to become a foster carer is a life-changing decision, and here at The Children’s Family Trust, we want our prospective foster carers to have all the information they need to make the best decision.

We are proud to be a not-for-profit fostering charity dedicated to providing the highest quality care and support for local foster families since 1945.

Foster carers within our organisation are given ongoing training, advice, and guidance from experienced social workers and other experts in the field.

Discover the rewarding benefits of long-term fostering in England today when you contact The CFT! 

Is becoming a foster carer the right role for you?

Anyone can apply to become a foster carer as long as they have what it takes to care for children separated from their birth families. Many types of fostering, ranging from short-term to long-term fostering placements, offer flexibility to foster families.

Short-term fostering may only last a few days or weeks until we can find a more permanent home for the foster child. Most short-term foster care is temporary, with the foster child returning to their birth family. Long-term foster care may involve caring for the child or young person until they reach adulthood and choose to live independently. Whether you want to be a short-term or long-term foster carer, we would love to have you join us! 

 

There’s no upper age limit in fostering. However, you must be at least 21 years old and have a spare bedroom available for a foster child. The children and young people in our care come from all different backgrounds and walks of life, so it makes sense that we need foster families from an equally wide range of cultures, lifestyles, and UK locations to join us. Find out here if fostering is right for you? 

We welcome applicants from all walks of life and backgrounds.

The fostering role can often be quite demanding, so we also need to ensure that our foster carers are reasonably fit, healthy, and emotionally available to respond to the needs of a child. We look for people who are warm, friendly, robust, resilient, and able to provide a stable, loving, and secure home. There are many misconceptions about fostering, and we frequently find that some people think their situation rules them out from applying to become foster parents. Please reach out to our team to discuss your specific situation and the legal responsibility you would have for the child or young person in your care should you decide to become a permanent foster carer. We work with you to prepare paperwork, as well as support with other nuances of providing care, especially those that include the competitive foster care finances packages. 

Support us through fostering, fundraising, or donations

Even if you are not currently in the position to foster children, there are many ways you can support The Children’s Family Trust and our vision, including: 

The CFT is always keen to hear from anyone who wants to fundraise for us. Be it a 5km fun run or something more unusual (skydive, anyone?), we will support you to make it happen. In previous years, people have completed various fundraising activities, including hosting charity dinners and fashion shows. One of our Trustees climbed the three highest peaks in the UK, cycling between them, all in one week! 

You can donate to The Children’s Family Trust in several ways, including visiting our JustGiving page or one of our other donation platforms. You can also donate to us by contacting our Finance Team directly at 01527 919452. We are proud of our charitable status and believe in investing in the lives of the children and young people under our wing. This can be challenging, but with your support, we can continue to do more of the same.

Leaving a gift to The Children’s Family Trust in your will is another way you can support us. Remembering The CFT in your will is simple. However, it’s best to ensure your wishes are carried out as you intended. If you would like to discuss leaving a legacy for The Children’s Family Trust in your will, please contact our Finance Manager on 01527 919452 for further information. 

If you would like to discuss leaving a legacy for The Children’s Family Trust in your will, please contact our Finance Manager on 01527 574446 for further information.

Charitable Travel is a social enterprise that helps people book holidays at fantastic prices while also raising money for charities. When you book your holiday, whether at home or abroad, you can donate 5% of the holiday price to The Children’s Family Trust at no extra cost to you! Once the donation is made, Charitable Travel discounts the cost of your holiday by the same 5%, sacrificing the commission that travel agencies make. Charitable Travel sells ATOLprotected holidays worldwide from 200 suppliers and is a member of the Travel Trust Association to ensure their customers are financially protected. Find out more by visiting their website, visiting our donation page, or calling their team of agents on 020 3092 1288. 

No matter how big or small your contribution is, it will leave a lasting impact and make a huge difference in the lives of the children and young people we support. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind: 

  • A minimum of 85p in every £1 goes directly to improving our services to our children and foster carers. 
  • Some of our charitable reserves are spent supporting children and young people after they have left our care. 

Become a foster carer - Read our carer's experiences

The Foster carer blog

The Foster carer blog

Sarah & Levi* reached a HUGE 10 years of fostering with The Children's Family Trust. In order to celebrate the milestone and their incredible longevity, we gave them the keys to the website and a...
Foster Carer stories – Fighting for change

Foster Carer stories – Fighting for change

Societal prejudice that exasperates trauma As a population we often forget that children are in care through no fault of their own, and we brand them with societally held prejudices that exasperat...
When fostering becomes your transferrable skill

When fostering becomes your transferrable skill

Our series continues, but this time we’re flipping transferrable skills on its head. Fostering young people fundamentally relies on a carer’s ability to be flexible. Being able to harness practica...

Contact us to start your fostering journey with The CFT  

Airplane+trail

No matter if you’re just considering foster care or are ready to start your journey with our local authority, contact our dedicated team.

We would be happy to guide you towards starting your fostering career with The CFT. We welcome any enquiries you may have about being a foster carer! 

Airplane+trail
Fostering-Network
Your interview - What you need to know.
If you’ve been invited to an interview, it’s your chance to meet us, tell us about yourself, and take a step towards building your incredible career.
Your interview is your opportunity to learn more about us.
So come prepared with your questions. Plus its our opportunity to get to know you, understand your motivation to work in this sector and get a good understanding of your experience and background.
The first step.
Is either a face to face interview carried out in person or via TEAMS. If you’re successful, the next stage is a more formal interview with at least two members of our team. At least one of the interview panel will have been trained in the NSPCC safer recruitment standards.
You might be invited for a second interview.
Or we might ask you to prepare a presentation or other sample of work. Think about what the role requires and prepare to show you’re a great fit.
We’ll carry out a criminal record check.
Bring the necessary identity documents to your formal interview. The address on the documents should match the address on your application form. You’ll need proof of your right to work in the UK, you will be provided with a list of approved identification documents in line with The Disclosure and Barring Service and proof of your address.
Certificates!
Remember to bring any qualification certificates that are required for the role.
Previous slide
Next slide
Be a successful candidate!
Read through our hints and tips and give yourself the best chance at a career with The CFT.
Do your research!
Look at our website and check that you match our outlook and culture.
Apply via our application form.
We require a fully completed application form, we’ll ask for your full employment history from age 16, include all job titles, employment dates and your reason for leaving – and if there are any gaps, please tell us why.
We’ll need contact details of referees.
Referee's should be people you’ve worked with during the last three years. One should be your most recent employer. We’ll also need a reference from any employer where you’ve worked directly with children and young people and a personal referee.
We’ll carry out a criminal record check.
If you’ve lived abroad within the last ten years, you might also be asked to complete an overseas criminal record check.
If your application is successful.
There may be some more pre-employment checks specific to the role, but a member of our HR Team will be in touch to talk you through what’s needed.
Previous slide
Next slide