Fostering in North Lincolnshire

In North Lincolnshire, we understand that every individual and circumstance is different which is why we need all different types of foster carers. Our expert team work closely with fostering households to match children and young people based on the individual care plan and carer’s personal skills, experience and recommendation of the type of foster care approved for.

Mainstream Foster Care

From an overnight stay to permanence into adulthood, mainstream foster care is dependant upon the child’s individual needs.

This includes:

• Long Term
  • Providing a home for children and young people until they reach adulthood.
• Short Term
  • Providing placement from an overnight stay up to two years.
• Emergency Foster Care
  • Some children and young people need foster care on an unplanned basis for a variety of reasons. Foster carers can be specifically approved to fulfil this role to meet the needs of children during an emergency situation.

Short Break Foster Care

Short Break Foster Care welcomes children and young people for a week or long weekend on a regular, planned arrangement or impromptu basis.

Short Breaks + Foster Care – Providing specialist care and support for children and young people with disabilities. This can include day care or a limited number of overnight stays per month.

Parent and Child Foster Care

A specialist foster carer scheme for young parents and their children. Providing advice and guidance on childcare whilst acting as an important role in the parenting assessment.

Connected Persons Foster Care

Wherever possible, children who require alternative care are placed with friends or extended family members.

Supported Lodgings

The supported lodgings scheme is designed to provide a stepping-stone for young people aged 16 to 24, on their route to independence. Do you have a spare room and time to care? Become a supported lodgings host in North Lincolnshire. Find out more on our Supported Lodgings page.

Private Fostering

A private fostering arrangement is made without the involvement of the local authority by someone other than a parent or ‘connected person’ wishing to care for a child under the age of 16 years (under 18, if disabled) for more than 28 days in a row . It is imperative that the local authority is informed of these arrangements to ensure a suitable placement and the safety of the young individual.

What is Kinship care?

Sometimes, children are cared for by family members, friends or other people known to them. This is called Kinship Care. A Kinship Care arrangement happens when parents are unable to care for their children, or where they feel it is in the best interests of the child. This could be temporary or longer term. A Kinship Carer might be a grandparent, an aunt or uncle or a family friend. You might also hear the term Connected Person or Family and Friends Carer.

Kinship care arrangements allow children and young people who can’t live with their parents to live with people who know them already, rather than come into the care system.

Types of kinship care

Informal Family Arrangement

Kinship care can be informal arrangements made by parents without any involvement from the local authority or family courts. This might be a step-parent, grandparent, sibling, aunt or uncle.

Private Fostering

A private fostering arrangement is where a child is under the age of 16 (or 18 if disabled) and is living with a friend or an extended family member (rather than a close family member like an aunt, uncle or grandparent) for more than 28 days.

Child Arrangements Order and Special Guardianship Order

These are legal decisions formalised through a court process about who a child lives with when circumstances have been determined that it is not appropriate for them to live with a parent. An assessment will be completed and presented to the court so a decision can be made. The court might decide for the child to live with a family member or friend.

Connected Person Foster Care

When a child is formally looked after by the local authority, a connected person foster carer is a family member or friend who the child is living with. We will complete an assessment to ensure you are the right person to care for the child, and part of this assessment will be determining what support you might need to do so.

Support and Training for Kinship Carers

Depending on the type of Kinship Carer you are, you will be entitled to support from us as your Local Authority. This might include:

• Accessing support in the community at your local family hub
• Financial support
• Access therapeutic services via the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund
• Your own allocated social worker or support worker
• Access to training
• Local peer support groups
• Social groups for your children
• Social events for children and families

If you think you might be a kinship carer, or want to find out more about the support on offer, please contact us on 01724297024

You can also get advice and connect with other Kinship Carers through:

• The national Kinship charity website
• Kinship care family rights group
• Kinship Carers UK

Foster carers come from all walks of life and don’t need any specific qualifications to help make a huge difference to a young person’s life. If you are over the age of 21 with the room in your home and the time and love to give, our team want to hear from you.

North Lincolnshire Council consider each application on an individual basis, regardless of whether you are:

• single, married, divorced or in a relationship
• heterosexual or LGBTQ
• disabled or able-bodied
• in full-time or part-time employment or receiving benefits
• have children of your own, or not
• have previous experience of working with children, or not
• are a homeowner or renting

We understand that fostering is a big decision which is why our expert team are on hand for support and advice about fostering and how it will fit into your life and family.

North Lincolnshire Council are recruiting foster carers for children of all ages but currently have a need for foster carers who can help support children aged 11+, sibling groups and children seeking asylum.

Foster carers must be at least 21 years old and be in good health, both physically and mentally. Fostering is demanding but also incredibly rewarding and our application process ensures that each applicant can effectively and confidently manage the pressures of fostering a young individual.

To apply please complete our online expression of interest form.

The predicted application timescale, from application to approval, is around six months. However, if you are an existing foster carer within an agency or another local authority wishing to transfer to North Lincolnshire Council, our team will be able to fast track your application.

Stage One

• Complete our online expression of interest form
• A phone call with a member of our expert fostering team, made within five working days, to provide further information
• An allocated assessment worker will make an initial home visit, ideally arranged within seven working days
• Your allocated assessment worker will undertake a thorough assessment of the household whilst providing ongoing support and advice. This will typically be completed within four months from application
• Statutory applicant checks. North Lincolnshire Council are legally obliged to carry out statutory checks which include DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service), medical reports, three personal references and a family member reference, and checks from current and previous local authorities
• Additional checks will also be completed which include NSPCC, health visiting service, employer’s reference, previous partners (in discussion with each individual applicant) and interview with any children
• Invited to attend mandatory Skills to Foster training.

Stage Two

• Regular one-to-one support and guidance with your allocated assessment worker to complete an individual assessment report
• Completion of the assessment report which outlines your assessment worker’s recommendation for approval. Each applicant will have the opportunity to view and add any comments to their report
• Attendance at a fostering panel alongside your dedicated assessment worker to present the assessment report, comments and statutory checks. Following each fostering panel a recommendation will be made to the ADM (Agency Decision Maker)
• The ADM will consider all of the information from the fostering panel and make a final decision within five working days. The final decision will be made both verbally and in writing by the assessment worker
• Once approved you will be allocated a dedicated fostering social worker to support you throughout your fostering journey. You will also receive induction training and a foster carer’s handbook
• Our expert fostering team will start to match you with local children based on care plans and your individual recommendation.

North Lincolnshire Council understands that everyone’s financial situation is different, so we don’t want you to rule yourself out based on finances. It’s important that you want to foster for the right reasons, but we know that financial stability and the cost of bills can be a worry for many households. That’s why we are proud that our financial package to foster carers is very competitive, including when compared to independent fostering agencies.

How it works?

A weekly allowance is paid to foster carers to cover the cost of caring for the child, such as food shopping, utility bills, clothing and pocket money. The amount varies depending on the age and needs of each child.

Allowance levels

Level one – Paid to newly approved foster carers who have yet to complete the mandatory training courses and Training and Development Standards workbook (TSDs). Upon completing the mandatory training programme, level two allowance will be paid.

Level two – Approved foster carers receive a fee in addition to the level one fostering allowance. This fee is in recognition of completion of mandatory training courses and satisfactory completion of the TSDs.

Tax and the HMRC:

All foster carers are required to register as self-employed with HMRC. This can be done online or by phone. Advice and guidance on how to do this can be provided by The Fostering Network, which we will signpost you to. For the majority of foster carers, the allowance you receive from us will be tax free and will not impact on any benefits you claim.

Council Tax rebate:

We recognise the dedication of foster families through this scheme and it’s our thank you to you. Council Tax is worked out by day, and the relief will be applied to each day you meet the eligibility criteria. Foster carers will be exempt from some or all of the their Council Tax liability subject to meeting set criteria.

Mainstream carers who meet the criteria will receive 100% relief.

Short breaks carers who meet the relevant criteria will receive 25% relief.

Third and fourth child – when foster carers support more than two children, they will receive an extra payment of £10 a week for child three and four on top of the weekly allowance.

Other Support

• Setting up costs
• Initial clothing grant
• School uniform
• Birthday, festival and holiday payments
• School prom
• Additional task allowance
• Specialist rate
• Activity fees
• Mileage costs
• Interest free car loans

These are just some of the things our foster carers have told us :

• “If you are even thinking of it – do it and hang in there. “If you want a job doing, give it to a busy person”
• “Just do it.”
• “Enjoy- take the plunge – and breathe. Start everyday as a new day!”
• “Consider your option, discuss with the whole family. Build relationships with social workers and fellow foster carers. Be involved with the coffee morning.”
• “Just make the move – it’s not always easy, emotional at times but well worth it to make that difference”
• “If you can make a difference to a child’s life it is the most rewarding thing especially when you see how happy they are.”
• “Do it! It is challenging, hard work, but so, so very rewarding”
• “Just enjoy it, so rewarding and fantastic to see a child happy, safe & cared for.”
• “It gives a sense of self-worth to help and support other children; it’s an extension of your family.”

We welcome enquiries from existing foster carers who are registered with independent agencies or other local authorities.

Foster carers transfer to us for the following reasons:

• We want to keep children local, so will always look to place them with North Lincolnshire Council foster carers
• We look after children aged 0-18, so offer a very wide matching range
• Support and training is all local, and our service has a real ‘family feel’
• Plenty of local peer support from other local foster carers
• Our competitive allowances of up to £550 per week per child, plus expenses

• Young people gain valuable skills and confidence through the “Meet the Futures event.”
• Barton Cricket Club steps up to support fostering in North Lincolnshire
• Join and celebrate The Power of Relationships at the heart of every fostering journey making a difference
• Everything Fostering video
• Take part in The Power of Relationships and join in with your fostering community
• Fostering is…Everything
• Could you open your heart and home to young people in North Lincolnshire?
• Join our fostering family and be ‘Everything’ to a child this Christmas
• Young person in care flies towards his dreams in North Lincolnshire
• Children in care celebrate in North Lincolnshire with their own summer Olympics
• Young people in foster care receiving opportunities to make memories for a lifetime
• Fostering moments to last a lifetime
• A celebration day for all our foster carers – championing their unwavering support
• Hear from Rachel Smith, Director of Children & Families in the video below as she shares a special thank you to all our foster carers and her own fostering moments
• Celebrate fostering moments with us for Foster Care Fortnight in North Lincolnshire
• Do something outstanding – be a Short Breaks+ foster carer
• Scunthorpe United F.C.’s latest signing pledges their support to the Fostering Friendly Scheme
• Could you be one question away from making a huge difference to children and young people?
• Young person championing fostering is rewarded with Formula One visit
• North Lincolnshire Council scoops silver at national awards
• Give the brightest gift this year and become fostering friendly
• Interview with young person who won the Fostering Excellence Award 2023 – Listen to hear from Chloe, her foster carers and how it felt winning a Fostering Excellence Award for her achievements whilst in foster care. Credit Sally Fairfax and BBC Radio Humberside
• Become a Short Breaks Foster Carer and really make a difference to children and families
• Teenager living in foster care in North Lincolnshire wins prestigious Fostering Excellence Award
• Any of us can foster
• Fifteen-year-old racer Harley champions fostering in North Lincolnshire
• North Lincolnshire Council are in the running for a raft of top national awards
• Who helped you be ready to live on your own?
• Watch how we celebrated Foster Care Fortnight in 2023
• Fostering Flowerbed revamp
• Foster Care Fortnight
• Pledge your support
• Supported Lodgings
• Join us for Foster Care Fortnight
• Fostering friendly scheme
• Short Breaks + Foster Carers
• Foster Carers 15,000 ft skydive
• Gift a child a brighter future

Our Fostering Friendly Scheme encourages employers to support and recognise the roles of their employees who foster and helps to support the wider community.

Members of the scheme can support in a variety of ways including raising awareness in the community, offering discounts for foster carers or agreeing to put in place a fostering friendly HR policy for all foster carers in their employment.

Find out more on our Fostering Friendly webpage.

We strongly believe that having a local support community goes a long way in helping you to successfully foster. You will have access to:

• Support and supervision from a dedicated social worker
• Regular foster carer meetings, coffee mornings and support groups
• A buddy scheme with an experienced foster carer
• Weekly information updates to keep you in touch with fostering news
• Fostering Network membership offering magazines, independent support and discounts
• Access to an extended out of hours support team on an evening, night or weekend

We offer our foster carers a comprehensive training package each year that includes a range of courses from specific mandatory training to additional tailored modules, that help enhance knowledge, skills and confidence within the role. In addition, children of foster carers can also receive specific training to help adjust and understand fostering further, along with the opportunity to join the social support group CAJU (Come and Join Us).

All foster carers are required to complete the mandatory Training Support and Development (TSD) portfolio and attend specific mandatory training courses within the first nine months of approval. This is discussed in detail throughout the assessment process.

To thank and celebrate our foster carers for all the hard work they do, we offer:

• a generous weekly allowance which does not affect any state benefits you may be receiving
• reward days, social activities and trips for the whole family – For example, this currently includes an annual summer fun day, trip to Flamingo Land and a Christmas pantomime for the whole household
• interest free loans to purchase a new or bigger vehicle for the household. To take advantage of an interest-free loan foster carers must have a full driving licence, intend to continue to foster for the council for the full period of the loan and have children within the household at the time of the loan or within three months of application.

Apply for the foster carer car loan below:

North Lincolnshire Council works closely with tourist attractions and local businesses to offer a variety of free and discounted passes and entry. The list below is ongoing and includes discounts for both fostering households and care leavers. Please continue to check in regularly for updates.

Discounts for fostering households

• Flexible VIB passes at Gravity Trampoline Park Hull for just £11.95 per month. This pass can be transferred to any child in your care and gives you one hourly session per day, every day. Find out more by visiting the Gravity UK website. Gravity also offers work experience and interview opportunities for children in care and care leavers
• £3 entry for all you can bounce sessions at Air Kings Trampoline Park in Scunthorpe
• Discounted entry to Messingham Zoo
• 15% off entry to Sandtoft Trolley Bus Museum. Work experience opportunities are also available for children in care and care leavers
• A Max Card which allows foster families discounted or free admission to a number of venues nationwide. Visit the My Max Card website for more information
• NL Active are offering a specific Max card offer which includes:
  • Free swimming in casual and FunSplash swim sessions for the Max Card holder, and a £1 swim for an accompanying person
  • Half price family swim (2 adults and up to 3 children, the Max card holder needs to be present)
  • To redeem the offer the customer needs to present the Max Card at the reception desk when they visit.

Discounts for care leavers

• Active Lifestyles (NL Active) offer a referral membership scheme which allows young adults aged 16 to 20 a complementary package for an initial 12 month period that is valid at all leisure venues within North Lincolnshire. This includes access to swimming sessions, squash and badminton courts and activity bookings. Please contact the young person’s personal assistant to access this offer.
• Normanby Hall and Country Park are offering care leavers discounted park memberships. Care leavers aged 16 to 20 can receive a complementary Standard Dual Park Membership, whilst care leavers aged 21 to 25 can receive a 50% discount. To access this offer please contact Rachel.cottingham@northlincs.gov.uk