Take your first step into fostering with Nexus Fostering.
Children and young people come from different backgrounds, so we require foster carers who represent the diversity of today's society.
To reflect the diversity of the young people in care we welcome carers of different sexualities, marital and relationship statuses, with or without children. And we actively encourage fostering applications from persons with different ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds.
Some of our foster carers work while others are at home. Some carers have children at home, while others don't have any or have children who have grown up and left the family home.
Foster carers are needed to give vulnerable children and young people a safe, caring home environment while they cannot live with their birth family. As well as providing day-to-day care for children and young people, foster carers are expected to speak up on behalf of the child, support their educational, health and social well-being, manage sometimes challenging behaviour, keep records, attend meetings and work with the wider team, as well as developing their skills.
Although not a requirement, it would be helpful for you to have some experience in caring for or working with children and to;
Have patience
A good sense of humour
Are optimistic and enthusiastic
Enthusiasm to attend relevant training courses and support groups
Can offer a flexible approach
Motivated to make a positive difference in young people’s lives
You’ll be surprised how everyday life skills and experiences have already equipped you with transferable skills!
You need be over 21 years of age.
You need be a UK resident or have indefinite leave to remain.
You need to be able to offer a spare bedroom, but it doesn’t matter whether your home is a house or flat, in a town or the countryside, or rented or owned.
You must always be available to a foster child whenever needed. This may be during the daytime if schooling is disrupted. This is often easier for couples to ensure than single carers, but some of our carers are single and can foster just as well as anyone with a reliable support network.
Inner cities are often well served by reliable and regular local transport networks, but suburbs and rural areas are much less so.
Foster care is needed to give vulnerable children and young people a safe, caring home environment while they cannot live with their birth family. Becoming a foster carer is essential to enable these children to grow and flourish into independent, well-rounded adults.
Nexus Fostering is a fostering agency like no other. We believe all children and young people deserve a chance to live in a family setting, and we are proud that our foster carers and young people will always be our top priority.
A competitive allowance is rewarded to you as a foster carer for your valued work and for supporting the children in your care. We also offer payments for festivities, birthdays and holidays.
Danny has been a foster carer with Nexus Fostering since the very beginning in 2002. Danny was our first foster carer and is still with us to this very day. Here, he shares what attributes are needed to be a fantastic foster carer.
Read more here
There is no upper age limit, age is just a number when it comes to fostering. We need people who have life experiences with the children in your care. You must be at least 21 years old to start fostering.
Yes. In fact, some young people will be matched with you because you have pets. Animals, particularly cats and dogs, can act as a great ice breaker, especially on that first day when you and the child might be feeling nervous about them being in your home. Having an animal that could pose a risk to a child or young person would prevent you from fostering. For example, certain dog breeds that are banned within the UK.
Yes. We have many single foster carers who have a solid support network of family and friends who offer practical and emotional support when needed. The Nexus Fostering team is also always available to support you, so you will never feel alone when you foster with us.
Yes. We need diverse foster carers to reflect the diversity of young people coming into care. Sometimes there are young people who cannot be placed with a particular gender so same-sex foster carers can make a particularly good match.
