Frequently Asked Questions
We are interested in hearing from people that reflect the ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds of children and young people in care; namely
- Muslim
- White
- Black
- mixed parentage
- and Asian people
You don’t have to be married or own your house but you must have:
- A desire to help children and young people soar and reach their full potential
- The ability to provide a stable loving home environment
- At least one spare room available
- Determination and patience
- Flexible working arrangements
- A good sense of humour
In return we will offer:
- Excellent training and development programme
- A generous allowance and 24 -hour support
- But most importantly the opportunity to make a difference in young people’s and children’s lives.
To find out more about fostering with Sankofa Care please get in touch with us at 020 8544 5100. Also, have a look at some of the questions below:
The minimum age is 21 years , but there is no upper or lower age limit; however, we do like you to have had some life experience and if you are an older person, to be healthy, fit and active to enable you to enjoy the challenges of Fostering.
Your own children can share with a birth sibling but not a foster child.When you foster a child, you must be able to provide a bedroom, which is for their use only which can accommodate sleeping, homework and playing .
Some pets, for example, dogs are ok most of the time. We will need to carry out a safety assessment of your home if you own any breed of dog that is identified by the RSPCA as having aggressive tendencies; this list includes Alsatians, Pitbulls, Bulldogs and Dobermans.
It is not necessary to have qualifications in childcare to be considered as a foster carer as we provide all required training. However, some experience of parenting or caring for children in either a paid, voluntary or personal capacity will be an advantage to your application.
All foster carers have to sign a smoke free home agreement, agreeing not to smoke in the house. However we will not consider people who smoke to foster babies and children under 5 years.
All prospective foster carers must have a medical. Your own GP/specialist will comment on whether there are any medical issues that may affect your ability to foster. Each case is looked at individually, with consideration for the needs of our fostered children.
If you are in a new relationship and intend on applying to foster jointly we require you to have been living together for a minimum of 6 months. Partners who do not reside with the main carer will be assessed and certain checks (such as CRB checks) will be carried out.
The main carer must be a British resident or have indefinite right to remain in the UK to foster.
Moving home or starting a new job can be a stressful time, we ask for you to wait at least 6 months before getting in contact.
All renovation or redecorating work will need to be completed before we arrange for a supervising social worker to come for an initial visit.
No, but you do need to demonstrate that you can provide a stable home for a foster child with no risk of eviction. During the assessment process, we will seek references from either your landlord or mortgage company on the status of your home payments.
If you live on the ground floor, this may be suitable accommodation to foster. High-rise flats are not considered appropriate for fostering young children as living at height poses health and safety risks. We would also assess whether there is an area for safe playing, and that communal areas are clean and tidy.
Sankofa Care will provide support for our foster carers 24/7, 365 days a year. This includes comprehensive training before you start your Fostering journey, access to on-going training as needed, 24-hour helpline through our fostering partners, a dedicated Social Worker, access to legal advice, support groups, Respite and capable representation if the need arises (Link to What Support Will I Get Tab).
You will be paid a minimum of £420.00 in fostering allowance for every foster child in your care. This allowance varies depending on the age of the child and their needs. If you are an approved carer but do not have a child in your care at present, you will not be paid for that specific period