Fostering in Bedfordshire
We’ve been carefully matching children with foster families and achieving extraordinary things for over 25 years.
Fostering in Bedfordshire
Foster Care Agency
We’re always looking to find loving caring homes for children and young people in Bedfordshire. While we have a dedicated team of passionate foster parents, we’d like to have more to help us make an even bigger difference to children in the region.
We’ve been providing fostering services in Bedfordshire for many years, during which we’ve built strong and long-term relationships with the local authorities who need our support. We’ve also established an experienced and stable team that’s fully committed to positive futures for children. Together, we offer an enduring sense of continuity to foster parents and to children and young people, helping them step forward with confidence – so if you're interested in fostering in Bedfordshire, why not join our team today?
You might already have fostering experience and be looking for the support of a highly professional organisation. Or you might just be thinking it’s something you’d like to do. Either way, as a leading fostering organisation with over 25 years’ experience across England and Scotland, we know what it takes to train, support, develop and reward great foster parents, so you’ll be in safe hands.
You’re just one call away from our team of friendly advisers - and from taking a big step into a rewarding new career and way of life.
By phone
Call us at:
0800 369 8512
Enquire online
You can get in touch by filling out our online enquiry form with any queries that you may have.
Your local team
Wavendon Tower
Wavendon Business Park
Ortensia Drive
Milton Keynes
MK17 8LX
We're rated 'Outstanding'
by Ofsted.
Statement of Purpose
What is fostering?
Fostering means offering your home to provide a safe, loving family environment for a vulnerable child. Foster homes are needed because there are times when it’s not possible or safe for children to stay with their birth families.
We provide many different types of fostering, including short-term (up to 2 years), long-term (until the child turns 18), emergency and respite placements. We also provide staying put placements for young people aged 18-21, and more specialist foster care placements, such as parent and child fostering and caring for children with disabilities or those seeking asylum.
Your role as a foster carer will involve caring for a child and carrying out typical parenting tasks. You will help support them to heal from difficult past experiences, as well as facilitating contact with birth parents and siblings. You will also attend training and meetings, and keep records of your foster child’s progress.
Generous payments
We offer a fostering allowance of up to £1,904 (tax free) per month, per child, plus holiday and birthday payments, paid respite, and many other benefits.
Full support package
You'll be connected to the support you need 24/7, ranging from a dedicated social worker, regular support groups and social events, and an out of hours service.
Specialist training
We offer full, personalised training - online and in-person - from teaching the basics to advanced courses, to help you develop your skills as a foster parent.
Excellent outcomes
With all offices rated 'Outstanding' or 'Good' by Ofsted, we pride ourselves on quality and being a fostering agency families and children can rely on.
Jane's fostering story
As a single woman in her 60s, and with her own children all grown up, Jane had the time and focus to care for a foster child and so began her inspiring journey into fostering.
“I just kept thinking that I’m good at caring for people and I’d love to have the opportunity to give a child a kind and loving home. A safe home. And so that’s where it started and I got approved.”
Who can become a
foster carer?
The main requirements to foster a child are:
- Aged over 21 years (no upper age limit)
- Have a spare bedroom
- Have the legal right to work in the UK
You do not need any experience or qualifications, as full training is given – but it’s important to be passionate about wanting to make a difference to children’s lives.
There are also no requirements regarding background or family circumstances. Foster parents can be single, gay, married or straight and we encourage applicants from all ethnic backgrounds to join our fostering team.
Speak to us today if you have any questions.
The fostering process
Step 1 - Enquire
To find out more about fostering, you just need to complete our enquiry form (or call us on 0800 369 8512) and we’ll chat through everything. Whether you’re just looking for more information or you’re ready to apply, our team are here to help.
Step 2 - Home visit
If you're happy to proceed, we'll arrange to visit you to share more information and answer any of your questions.
Step 3 - Application & Assessment
Once you’re ready to apply, you'll complete an application and we'll carry out our checks and complete our Form F assessment. The whole process generally takes between 4-6 months.
Step 4 - Approval
Once your assessment is complete, you'll attend a panel meeting. We'll discuss your application and you’ll then be officially approved as a foster carer.
Already fostering?
We try to make things as simple as possible to transfer to us if you’re looking to change from your current foster care agency or local authority.
The first things to do is to speak to our fostering advisers and we’ll arrange to visit you at home to have a chat about what’s involved.
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