Fostering as a career

Becoming a foster carer requires more than just a spare room. Fostering is a professional career that takes dedication, passion, resilience, and a great sense of humour.

Foster carers play a vital role in supporting children and young people, creating positive and lasting impacts on their lives. According to Welsh Government statistics, on 31st March 2022, there were 4,915 children and young people living with foster families across Wales. Each child or young person has their own unique needs and backgrounds and requires the support of their foster family to help them progress. Foster carers are helping to shape the future of these young people, offering hope and opportunity despite their circumstances.

No matter your life experience and background, you likely have transferable skills that you may not even realise can be useful in fostering. Having a range of life experiences and backgrounds can be beneficial when providing a stable and comfortable home for a child or young person. This could include problem-solving skills, communication skills, or even the ability to remain calm in difficult situations.

Ultimately, there is no 'perfect mould' for becoming a foster carer. With the right attitude, motivation, and dedication, you can make a real difference in the lives of children and young people across South and West Wales.

Foster carers benefit from an array of learning opportunities and career development. Calon Cymru provides a tailored training programme to equip you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to provide the highest level of support and positive outcomes for the children and young people in your care. Our specialist training and support helps foster carers to develop throughout their fostering journey, from the initial stages to ongoing development. Investing in you is key to ensuring the best possible care for the children we support.

As a Calon Cymru foster carer, there are opportunities to expand your skillset and interests by branching into different types of fostering. This could include supporting a child who has experienced a great deal of trauma in a therapeutic led placement or supporting a new parent (or parents) with their baby in a parent and child placement. These placements require different sets of skills and can provide a deeply rewarding experience for everyone involved. Calon Cymru can provide all the necessary training and support to ensure that foster carers are well-equipped to meet the needs of the children and families they are supporting.

Foster carers also receive an allowance and a range of benefits to help support them in their role. We can help you to work out your general income from fostering during the initial stages of your enquiry, so that you know if it’s right for you. Fostering allowances vary depending on the age of the child and their individual needs, but regardless of the type of placement and needs of the child or children in your care, you can expect a high level of support from us.

If you feel you have the skills and experience to provide care and support to a child or young person in South or West Wales, then you may be suited to becoming a foster carer. Get in touch today to find out more.