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The fostering process has several stages and you can ask questions at any point of the process to help you decide if fostering is right for you. We’ll be with you every step of the way.
We’re looking for foster carers for children and young people of all ages who could provide short term, long term and short break (also known as respite) foster care. If you think you could help us, please get in touch today.
The first stage of the foster care process is to contact us by phone, in writing, by email or via our website to make an initial enquiry about fostering in Scotland. You can ask us questions about what fostering entails in order to help you decide if fostering is right for you.
If you feel that you would like to find out more about fostering we will send you some information about fostering through us as well as a short Initial Enquiry Form.
Once you receive this information you can call us or send us an email if you have any more questions about fostering. We are always happy to speak to you to help you decide if becoming a foster care is right for you.
Then if you’re still interested in fostering, please complete and return the Initial Enquiry Form to us so that we can arrange for a social worker to visit you in your home.
Again, you can ask any questions you like to help you get a better understanding of fostering and if it’s right for you.
Please be as honest as possible with us at this point so that we can be clear with you about what the challenges will be.
We will tell you about the kinds of children and young people who need foster care homes. We will also ask you about your motivation and expectations.
Our job is to give you a lot of information about foster care, particularly about the sorts of children or young people who are in the local authority care system and who we need foster care families for.
There will be given plenty of opportunities to ask questions and to delve deeper into what it’s really like to foster a child or young person. You will also be able to speak to other people taking part in the prep group who are considering fostering.
You have a crucial role to play at this time. We give you a chance to take a very honest look at what you want out of fostering and what you can offer a child or young person waiting to be fostered (all of whom have experienced loss, trauma and possible abuse).
This is the assessment process to become a foster carer and takes around 6 months to complete.
The homestudy looks at:
It also looks at:
There are statutory checks that we will conduct, including:
We also take personal references from:
The report from your homestudy goes to the agency’s Foster Care Panel for consideration.
The panel will meet with you to check that all the information written in your Assessment Report is correct. They will also hear from you about what you can offer children and young people and what you hope the rewards for you will be. The panel will then recommend whether you should be approved as a foster carer. The Agency Decision Maker then makes a final decision based on your report, the information received at panel and the panel’s recommendation.
Unlike local authority foster carer services we do not confine our search to finding the right child or young person for you to one local authority area.
We will search across Scotland to get the right child or young person that best suits you and your family.
You will be very much involved in this stage of the process.
When a potential match has been found, social workers involved will attend a Linking Meeting to explore the potential match and what supports may be needed.
A recommendation is made about the suitability of the match. If this is positive you will have a series of introductory meetings with the child or young person before the decision is made to move the child or young person into your home.
Children and young people who are in foster care are legally protected and safeguarded by the local authority that places them with you.
The legal context for children and young people can vary depending on their needs. Full information will be given to you when there is potential for a child or young person to move into your home.
One of our social workers will then contact you.
Alternatively, please call us on 0131 454 3370 (if you live within 60 miles of Edinburgh) or 01224 878 158 (if you live within 60 miles of Aberdeen or Elgin) or email info@standrews-children.org.uk and we’ll send you an enquiry form to complete and return.
If you have any questions or are unsure if you can adopt or foster through us, please contact us anyway using the details above to speak with one of our social workers.
We feel part of St Andrew’s Children’s Society very much and are proud to be fostering through them.
7 John’s Place
Edinburgh
EH6 7EL
Scotland
62 Dee Street
Aberdeen
AB11 6DS
Scotland