Foster Care from TACT - The Adolescent and Childrens Trust offers fostering support, child care and outreach to local authorities in London and throughout the UK

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HOW TO BECOME A FOSTER CARER

The process is rigorous. TACT only recruits people for foster care whose professionalism matches the high standards of TACT's own qualified staff. These standards also reflect those demanded by local authorities who pay for the high quality service which is so essential when working with vulnerable children.

However, TACT also ensures that foster carers are given training which is appropriate to their role. Carers are given a personal Link Worker who will visit them regularly. They also have access to support from the TACT team 24 hours a day, 365 days a year!

Potential foster carers first need to complete an application form and return it to TACT. Their application will be acknowledged in writing. The form will be examined very carefully by our professional staff. They will use the form to build up a picture of the foster carers life, work experience, accommodation and their reasons fostering. The more information applicants can give, the better. Applicants are notified immediately a decision has been made about their suitability.

If an application is to be taken further, the following process will begin:

Applicants will receive a letter from The Adolescent & Children's Trust Regional Manager letting them know that the first stage of their application has been successful.

An Assessing Social Worker will telephone the applicants to arrange a convenient date to visit for a preliminary discussion. The result of this preliminary interview will be given to the applicants in writing.

If the outcome is positive, a formal assessment process will begin. At this stage applicants will be given additional written information about the process of caring for children

TACT will also begin a series of checks as listed on the Foster Care Consent Form. These checks involve contacting medical practitioners, the Police, local authorities, health authorities, the NSPCC, the probation service, the Department of Health and Fostering organisations. Although the list may seem daunting, most applicants understand that they are vital.
The formal assessment process will usually require about six meetings with the Assessing Social Worker in the foster carers own home. The Social Worker will also need to meet any other people who normally live in the house. This includes children as well as other adults. The timing of this series of visits will be agreed between the foster carers and their Assessing Social Worker.

If all the outside checks prove to be satisfactory and the Assessing Social Worker makes a positive recommendation, the applicants will confirm by signing the formal assessment document known as an F Form. The final stage of the assessment process can then begin.
This is approval by TACT's Foster Care Panel. The panel includes members from outside the TACT organsization in order to safeguard an objective and unbiased outcome. Applicants will have been given prior details of the panel.
Once successful applicants have been approved by the Foster Care Panel they will be required to sign a formal agreement between themselves and TACT. This agreement details the foster carers' obligations both to TACT and to any local authority who may need looking after children. It also details TACT's obligations and responsibilities to the foster carers'. The new foster carers are then added to TACT's approved register.

A personally assigned Link Worker will discuss arrangements for induction training with the new foster carers. The Link Worker and TACT's Training Manager will work with the new carers to draw up an individual professional development plan. Induction training will take place as soon as possible after their approval by TACT. This will also provide foster carers with an early opportunity to visit our premises, meet the staff and have contact with other foster carers for those carer's who have not already done so.

If you are interested in fostering please contact head Office