Fostering Support

Unparallelled fostering support

All Foster Carers have an experienced and dedicated team around them for support. We care for you so that you can provide the best possible care to the children in your home.

One-to-one
supervision

One-to-one supervision from highly skilled and experienced Social Workers

Dedicated Child and Family Worker

This ensures you have the tools you need, when you need them.

Out of hours phone support

So you’re never alone to cope with any challenging situations.

Extended fostering support

As a West Sussex Foster Carer, you also benefit from extended guidance including support groups, face-to-face events, regular local walks, and access to a Peer Support programme. We also provide support and activities for Children Who Foster. You also get free membership to several partner organisations. Find out more below.

Support groups
Meet other Foster Carers, share experiences and knowledge, and offer help to one another. Support groups take place face-to-face during the daytime across a variety of locations in the north and south of the county. Some sessions are run online in the evening. Support groups also provide a useful forum to hear from professionals from other Services within WSCC, to discuss topical subjects, and to add learning. Most of these are general groups, open to all, but we also have specialist groups for certain types of fostering, for example Parent and Child. For most support groups the first half of the meeting focuses on support and general discussion, and the second half focuses on a guest speaker/training topic, and Foster Carers are welcome to attend one or both parts of the meeting.
Peer support
We are proud to offer a Peer Support programme, meaning you can benefit from the help of another carer who has relevant experience. Every Foster Carer can access peer support whenever they need it. This is tailored to your specific needs or situation. So you might just want a bit or reassurance when you first begin fostering. Or you might be an experienced carer transferring from an Independent Fostering Agency and want someone to help you find your feet. Or you may need focused support regarding a specific area of fostering (for example, looking after teenagers, or support transitioning a child back to birth family or onto adoption).
Wellbeing for you and your family
We appreciate that when you become a Foster Carer it doesn’t just change your life, but impacts the whole family. Whether you are single, live with a partner, or other family members, or have children of your own living at home, we provide the necessary support to anyone who is involved in your fostering network.
- Support for Children Who Foster through organised activities
- Access to counselling services (should you ever need it)
- Specialist links to therapeutic intervention services

Included Memberships

When you become a Foster Carer with us, you automatically get access to a variety of membership organisations and specialist schemes, including:

United Foster Carers Association

The United Foster Carers Association (UFCA) is a local voluntary group funded by West Sussex County Council which is run by, and for, local Foster Carers. Join UFCAs support network with access to its Facebook group. You and your children can also enjoy fun-filled events throughout the year.

The Fostering Network

The Fostering Network is a national charity working to support Foster Carers, provide opportunities for children in care, promote foster care and influence policy. All approved Foster Carers get membership, which provides market-leading legal protection insurance. You can also access advice, training, and resources on a wealth of topics.

Mockingbird

Mockingbird is a national project with carers across the country forming close-knit communities. Being part of the Mockingbird project is like being part of an extended family. It works on the principle, ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ and that having a number of caring adults greatly improves the experience of living away from birth parents.

New Family Social

We have membership of LGBTQ+ fostering and adoption charity, New Family Social. This means that our Foster Carers can apply for free Gold membership, giving LGBTQ+ carers access to a wealth of specialist support from assessment and throughout your caring journey. It also runs regular events.

Home for Good

We are proud to be working with Home for Good, a Christian charity dedicated to inspiring, educating and supporting church communities to consider fostering and adoption. Home for Good Champions run local support groups, prayer groups and events across the county.

REACH

REACH is a new specialist programme run by a small team of dedicated professionals within the Fostering Service. The team provides a wraparound service to support a child to transition from residential care to a fostering family. Or to provide an existing carer household with additional support.

Professional support and competitive pay

Thinking of becoming a Foster Carer?

Do you want to make a difference to a child in West Sussex? Could you provide a safe, secure and loving environment and help them through a challenging time in their lives? Do you have a spare room? If the answer is yes, we'd love to hear from you.