Foster carer support

Foster carers are a crucial part of the team working together with us to keep Coventry’s children safe. We recognise that all our fostering families need not only initial, but ongoing training and to be supported by our team. We therefore have a robust training schedule which allows our foster carers to do additional training as and when required as well as core modules and training that all foster carers undertake.

Fostering with Coventry City Council means that you are at the heart of children's services and will receive support from professionals across a variety of relevant specialisms including children’s social workers, health colleagues, managers and of course your own dedicated supervising social worker.

All foster carers attend our ‘Skills to Foster’ course as part of the preparation and assessment to become an approved foster carer. The training is led by our team and is a great way to find out about fostering, what it is like, what children need from their foster carers and managing different situations. The course is also a good way to meet other people at the same stage of their fostering journey.

New foster carers have the support of their supervising social worker to complete an induction programme and go on to complete an induction portfolio. Your social worker will visit you at least every two weeks when you first start fostering and then at least every four weeks but more often if you need it. Their role is to ensure you have the skills and support you need to be able to care for the children and to help you access any additional training or support services as required. They are there to talk over anything that is worrying you and to celebrate the rewards and successes of your fostering experience! They will also put you in contact with other local foster carers if you wish and let you know about other meet-ups and events. New foster carers are offered the support of a more experienced foster carer mentor.

We have a 24/7 telephone line, staffed by a fostering worker, to help with any emergency issues should they arise.

There are other training modules that cover a range of core subjects relevant to fostering and these are normally undertaken within the first year of fostering with support from your supervising social worker. This is a way of acknowledging and building on your fostering journey and future options. Most courses, particularly the ‘core’ modules, are undertaken as a group which allows foster carers to discuss topics and situations and learn from each other as well as form new social support groups within the foster caring community.

There are online knowledge-based courses on specific topics which foster carers can undertake- these can be handy as they can be completed at a time that suits their household. Fostering is often referred to as a lifestyle career and although it is a very different type of role to a ‘nine to five’ job, it does offer career progression. You may wish to undertake additional training and become more specialist in your fostering, caring for children with more complex needs or children with specific issues which may benefit from you having some additional skills and knowledge. We will explore these options throughout your fostering journey, ensuring that you have the training and support to be able to meet the needs of the children and young people.

We will always ensure that opportunities to progress your fostering career are available to you.

Our payment system includes a progression framework for carers with more experience. Our fostering pack has full details, or we can talk it through with you.