Becoming a Foster Carer with a Nursing Background

Becoming a Foster Carer with a Nursing Background

If you have a nursing background and are considering becoming a foster carer, Calon Cymru Fostering offers a unique opportunity to apply your skills in a meaningful way. Fostering is not just about providing a home; it’s about using your skills to nurture and support vulnerable children and young people.

How Your Nursing Skills Transfer to Fostering

Your experience as a nurse equips you with a wide range of skills that are invaluable in fostering including:

• Empathy and Compassion: Nurses are trained to understand and respond to the emotional and physical needs of individuals. This empathy is crucial for creating a supportive environment for children who may have experienced trauma in their short lives.

• Health Awareness: Having a medical background allows you to better manage any health concerns that foster children may have, ensuring they receive the necessary care and attention.

• Communication Skills: Effective communication is key in fostering. Not only will you need to communicate with children and young people, but there is a need to regularly liaise with other professionals including social workers, educators, and healthcare professionals. Your ability to articulate concerns and advocate for the child’s needs is a real asset.

• Resilience and Problem-Solving: The challenging situations nurses face daily can help you build resilience. In both fostering and nursing, no two days are the same. Each day brings something new and you will encounter difficulties that require patience and adaptability, traits that you already possess.

Becoming a foster carer with Calon Cymru

At Calon Cymru Fostering, the process to become a foster carer is straightforward and supportive. We support our foster carers from our offices in Cardiff and Carmarthen. You’ll get to learn more about us as you progress through the process, but until then, here’s a brief overview of what to expect: