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Fostering information

In this section:

Fostering Friendly Scheme

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.

Support Network

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

Further information

Rewards and benefits

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

Discounts on offer

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

Tax information for foster carers

All foster carers must be registered with HMRC. For tax purposes only, foster carers are treated as ‘self employed’.

For most carers, their total received from fostering is below the tax threshold and they will not have to pay any tax.

More information can be provided to you by the fostering team.

For further information please visit the government ‘Tax arrangements’ page

Ongoing training and development

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.