Yes, fostering is a professional career that goes beyond the realms of a 9-5 job. It’s a vocation that allows you to dedicate your life’s work to caring for some of the most vulnerable children in the UK.
But can you earn a living as a foster carer, and are there opportunities for development and progression?
In this article, we’ll discuss:
- The reasons to choose foster care as a career.
- How much you could earn.
- The personal qualities and skills you’ll need to make it a success.
- How we’ll support your growth in the role when you foster with ISP.
Why choose a career in foster care?
According to recent fostering statistics, there are around 70,000 children in foster homes in the UK. Each year, roughly 36,000 children enter the care system, but there aren’t enough foster families to give them all a safe, loving home.
The majority of these children will have experienced abuse or neglect at the hands of those who were meant to protect them. They are confused, hurt and need the guidance of a parental figure to help them heal and overcome their pasts.
That’s why becoming a foster parent is such an incredibly rewarding and important role. The work you do is life-changing and has an impact on the real world. Here are some of the benefits of choosing fostering as a career in the UK:
- You give children who haven’t had the best start in life the opportunity to heal and grow.
- You get to build bonds that last a lifetime and touch the lives of many.
- If you have your own children, they can learn a lot through a fostering career, such as empathy, gratitude, and responsibility.
- There are many foster care career opportunities at ISP to expand your knowledge, skills and expertise through first-class training courses and programmes.
- With us, you’d have 24/7 support and would be surrounded by a team of experts, including therapists, education advisors, and social workers.
How much can you earn with a career in fostering?
At ISP, we work closely with local authorities (LAs) all over the UK, helping to find homes for children they can’t place with their own foster carers. This could be due to resource, but it’s usually because the children are a little older (over 5), need to be placed with their siblings, or require an enhanced level of support that our foster parents can provide.
That’s why our allowances are over and above what a lot of other independent fostering agencies (IFAs) offer. A career in foster care should reward you financially as well as give you immense joy and satisfaction.
Although you won’t receive a foster care salary in the traditional sense, you will receive a fostering allowance of up to £688 per week, per child in your care.
What you need to build a successful career in fostering
Aside from being aged 21 and over, having a spare bedroom, and the legal right to work in the UK, the following are must-haves when it comes to carving out a successful career in the foster care system.
A compassionate and empathetic nature
To consider a career in fostering, you need to be compassionate, kind and caring by nature. As pioneers in therapeutic foster care, we train our foster parents to look beyond behaviour and, instead, at the reasons for it.
This requires empathy, where you’re able to put yourself in their shoes. Being able to empathise with a child means you’re in a much better position to understand the root cause of their actions and work with them to make positive changes.
Patience in every situation
Healing from a turbulent or traumatic childhood doesn’t happen overnight. Some young people may settle in quickly to a new foster home, while others can be withdrawn and need a lot of nurturing to feel comfortable in their new environment.
You may take a couple of steps back for every step forward when it comes to helping them regulate their emotions. This is why foster parents need to remain patient and work at the young person’s pace to achieve positive outcomes.
The resilience to navigate challenges
It takes the right kind of person to nurture a child through hardship and bring them out the other side smiling. You’re caring for children who have experienced some form of trauma, and as such, they’re likely to have difficulty managing and expressing their emotions.
This can be the toughest part of the job, but once you make a breakthrough with the child in your care and begin to see positive changes, it makes the bumps in the road entirely worth it. If you do short-term fostering, being thick-skinned will also help when a child leaves your care.
Adaptable communication skills
You need to be capable of truly listening to what a child is trying to tell you and be able to talk to them calmly, even when they’re distressed. Many young people choose to disclose certain pieces of information to different people in their circle, such as therapists, teachers and other family members.
It’s up to foster parents and the team here at ISP to piece all that information together to ensure you’ve got the full picture about what’s potentially troubling them.
Some children with autism or learning difficulties might also not communicate in a typical way, so it’s about adapting to each child that comes into your home and finding a way to communicate that works for everyone.
The desire to keep learning
Every child that comes into care has their own unique set of needs and challenges. Many children in care have complex needs due to their unsettled pasts, such as issues with attachment, developmental delays, and emotional regulation.
You might also care for teenagers with mental health challenges, or look after a child from a different cultural background.
The more knowledge you’re armed with, the more helpful you can be as their foster parent. This is why, when it comes to building a successful career in fostering, we put a lot of emphasis on learning new skills and broadening your horizons, which you can learn more about below.
Download our transfer guide
We can fast-track your assessment in 12 weeks, so you can enjoy the benefits of our supportive community much sooner than you might think. Download our transfer fostering agency guide to learn more about the process and benefits of working with ISP.
Fostering career development opportunities with ISP
At ISP, we’re passionate about helping you become the best you can be, because in turn, that means you’re able to provide the best care to children in need. When you foster with us, you’ll have many fostering career opportunities that’ll enable you to build a flourishing career as a foster care professional.
Therapeutic Pathway Programme
This is a City and Guilds assured 4–5-year training programme that develops your skills and knowledge around key therapeutic principles.
Guided by the latest evidence-based therapeutic parenting approaches, our Therapeutic Pathway training has been designed by our Head of Therapy, Dr Suzannah Hill, in consultation with foster parents, staff and our young people.
There are three levels, covering essential principles and skills, key models and theories, and practical application in day-to-day life.
Professional qualifications
We offer the chance to study for professional qualifications, such as NVQ3 or a QCF Level 3 in Health and Social Care. This is a great way to build your career in foster care and develop transferable skills and knowledge that you can take with you if you ever decide to move on from fostering.
Specialist training courses
Alongside our mandatory training and Therapeutic Pathway, you’ll also have opportunities to broaden your knowledge with specialist, additional training. From Autism Awareness and Foetal Alcohol Syndrome to Keeping Children Safe Online, we have a huge range of courses that ensure your learning never stops.
Could fostering be a career for you?
If you have a big heart, the determination to make a difference, and an eagerness to learn, you should consider fostering as a career.
To learn more, get in touch via our online form or call 0800 0857 989. Our expert advisors are on hand to answer any questions you have and to help you decide if fostering is a career for you.
You can also download our Introduction to Fostering Guide for an in-depth overview of therapeutic fostering, the benefits of being a foster parent, and the steps to take to become one.
