Are you interested in learning about long term fostering? At DMR Fostering Services, we have a number of approved long term foster carers throughout Central England; including Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton; but we’re always looking for more caring individuals and couples to join our team. If you think long term fostering or any other type of fostering is for you, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about long term fostering, keep scrolling.
Long term fostering placements are for children who will not be returning to live with their birth family. You can find out more about long term fostering in the West Midlands by flipping this box; or by calling our fostering team on 0121 352 1844.
What is long term fostering? Long term fostering placements are for children who will not be returning to live with their birth family. There are many reasons why some children require a long term fostering placement. In some cases, the birth parents may pose a risk of causing significant harm to the child; and therefore the child is unable to return to their care.
Long term foster carers commit to the child or children in their care; providing them with a safe and loving home for as long as it is needed. This may be up to the age of 18, but with the Governments 'Staying Put' arrangement, it may be longer. Long term fostering placements differ to adoption due to the child's legal care status. In cases of long term fostering, the child remains in the care of the Local Authority where the fostering regulations apply. As a long term foster carer, you would not be granted parental responsibility for the child you care for.
Sometimes long term fostering is identified as being the most appropriate type of fostering placement for a child at the outset. In other cases, the child may be placed within a short term fostering placement initially, before the care plan is later changed to reflect a long term fostering placement.
As a long term foster carer, you will have the opportunity to play a key role in the child's life; building a strong relationship and providing them with support and direction through their childhood.
Long term foster care placements give long term foster carers the opportunity to build strong relationships with the children in their care; watching them grow and helping them navigate their childhood right through to 18 and sometimes beyond. Long term foster carers often become a significant person in the child’s life; someone they will always look up to and remember all of the good things they did for them for the rest of their lives. If you have a spare bedroom, and the time to commit to a child, you may find that long term fostering is for you.
Our long term foster carers are well prepared for their role, having received the very best foster carer training. As an accredited learning centre, we deliver the latest training to our long term foster carers directly; helping them to succeed in their role and build a brighter future for a child.
Long term foster placements provide a child with the opportunity to live within a family home environment that is both safe and stable. Long term fostering differs to short term fostering, in that is offers long term consistency and routine; allowing for a sense of belonging. Below you will find a selection of our most commonly asked questions relating to long term fostering. Cant find what you’re looking for? – Visit our fostering faq’s section or get in touch with our fostering team.
Could long term fostering be for you? If you are thinking of beginning your journey to becoming a long term foster carer, the first thing you need to do is contact our friendly fostering team for an informal chat. You can contact them on 0121 352 1844. They will be able to answer all of your questions and explain the next steps to becoming a long term foster carer.
Yes – We reward all of our long term foster carers with a generous fostering allowance for their hard work. The UK Government is responsible for setting the minimum fostering allowance rates each April, with amounts relative to a child’s age and needs. Currently, the minimum allowance is between £123 and £216 per week. At DMR Fostering Services, we pay our long term foster carers at least £376 per week for each child.
Long term foster placements differ to adoption in that the Local Authority retains legal responsibility for the child. In cases of adoption, the parental responsibility for the child is passed to the adoptive parents. As a long term foster carer, you will receive a fostering allowance for the duration of the placement.
Yes – Our long term foster carers are given initial and ongoing training to ensure they are always equipped with the latest training. As an accredited learning centre, we are able to deliver our long term foster carer training directly to our carers.
We’re recruiting long term foster carers now throughout Central England. Long term fostering will allow you to make a positive difference to a child’s life; allowing them to grow up and develop within a family home. As a long term foster carer, you will be giving a child the best possible chance of thriving. You don’t need any formal qualifications to become a long term foster carer; just a willingness to learn and commit to the children in your care. Long term fostering offers stability to both the child and the foster carer, but if you feel it’s not for you, we have other types of fostering placements. If you’re ready to take the next step, call our friendly fostering team on 0121 352 1844.
Request a fostering information pack in the post...
