A rewarding new career awaits

As a foster carer, you have the opportunity to make a positive impact on vulnerable children in our county, while receiving a regular income as you develop your skills and progress through your fostering journey.

Fostering is varied and complex. Each child arrives with their own set of unique challenges and needs, often arriving cautious, vulnerable and confused. A foster carer’s role is to accommodate and care for children within a stable and caring family environment, encouraging them to grow, develop and thrive. Fostering is far from easy, but as a foster carer, you could positively change a child’s life.

We are in desperate need of more foster carers in Somerset and are looking for people who can provide what these children need more than anything: stability and compassion.

To become a foster carer, you need a spare room in your home and to be aged 21 or over. There is no upper age limit (wisdom and experience are a bonus) and no formal qualifications are required as full training is provided.  You can foster if you’re single, married, LGBTQ+, unemployed or if you have a disability. What matters most is that you have the right qualities and want to be a catalyst for change in the lives of vulnerable children.

Though not typically considered a career, some of the fees and allowances received can make fostering an attractive alternative to employment, with vast potential incomes depending on the type of fostering you offer.

High Need foster carers support children with complex needs and receive around £45,000 a year while caring for a child with complex needs. These children are likely to display more challenging behaviour as a result of the trauma they’ve experienced in their childhood, but we’ll support you every step of the way. Training and a robust support package will aid carers throughout, but previous experience in a care, education or public service profession would be valuable. The people needed for this type of fostering need to be deeply compassionate, resilient and committed.

Not everyone will be suitable for High Need fostering, but there are lots of different fostering options available to suit your skills and experience, from occasional and short-term care to emergency care and supported lodgings for teenagers leaving care. Our recruitment team are highly trained to advise you on the most suitable fostering opportunities for you and will be there to help and support you on your journey.

For more information, visit fosteringinsomerset.org.uk or call 0800 587 9900. You’re not committing to anything by getting in touch.