Will the fostering information event explain support after becoming a foster carer?

It should explain what support continues after approval, how that support is accessed and which professionals are involved when a child is placed with you. The event should give you a realistic picture of fostering beyond the assessment stage, rather than focusing only on how to apply.

Useful areas to cover include:

• Training after approval: Ask whether training continues once you are approved, which subjects are covered and how learning is kept up to date. This may include safeguarding, managing behaviour, trauma, safer caring, recording information and supporting a child’s education and health needs.
• Supervision and reviews: Find out how regularly you will speak with your supervising social worker, what supervision meetings involve and how your progress and development are reviewed. You can also ask who to contact if you need advice about a placement or a change in your circumstances.
• Placement guidance: The event should explain the practical help available before and during a placement. This can include information about the child’s needs, planning introductions, agreeing household routines, working with the child’s social worker and understanding your responsibilities as a foster carer.
• Financial support: Ask what fostering allowances and other financial help are available, what they are intended to cover, how payments are arranged and whether additional expenses can apply in particular circumstances. It is sensible to ask how changes in a placement could affect payments and where to obtain current tax or benefits guidance.
• Support for the wider household: If you live with a partner or children, ask how the fostering service involves and supports everyone in the household. The event should also explain how you can raise concerns if fostering begins to affect family relationships or daily routines.
• Working with other professionals: Foster carers usually work as part of a wider team around the child. Ask how information is shared with social workers, schools, health professionals and birth family members, and what your role will be in meetings, plans and reviews.

It is also important to ask how support is provided when a situation becomes difficult. You should understand the process for reporting concerns, recording incidents, seeking advice about behaviour and discussing whether a placement remains suitable. The provider should explain its procedures clearly, including who has responsibility for different decisions.

Support is not limited to the first placement. A good information event should explain how guidance develops as your experience grows, how further training is identified and how your fostering assessment or approval can be reviewed if your household circumstances change. Ask whether support is available between placements as well as while a child is living with you.

Before applying, make a note of any points that remain unclear. Useful questions include: who will be your main point of contact, what happens if you disagree with a decision, how are concerns escalated, what help is available for meetings and paperwork, and where can you find the provider’s policies? Clear answers will help you compare the practical support offered and decide whether fostering is right for your household.