why foster with us?

support and rewards

finance and allowances

We’re not-for-profit, which means all the funding we receive directly supports the children in our care and the foster carers who have become their family.

As a foster carer with your local Foster Wales team, you will receive generous financial allowances. These are based on a number of factors like the type of fostering you undertake, how many children you foster, and for how long. 

Guide to foster carer pay

other benefits

There are more benefits to being a foster carer than you might think. As well as the support and allowances mentioned already, you will also receive a range of other rewards from your local Foster Wales team – from discounts to useful local resources.

the foster wales national commitment

And that’s not all! Every Local Authority in Wales, from Anglesey to Newport, has signed up to what we call the National Commitment. This is an agreed package of training, support and rewards enjoyed by every one of our foster carers in Wales. So, like every other Foster Wales foster carer, you will benefit from:

Family with child on shoulders and baby in pushchair

one team

Your local Foster Wales team works together with you, the children in your care and every professional around the child, as part of the one same service. You’re an integral part of this team, which means you’ll always be included, valued and respected. We work together, always. This focus on connection helps ensure the best possible futures for all the children we care for, and their foster families.  

By becoming part of this team you are joining forces with those who are ultimately responsible for every child looked after in Wales, and dedicated to helping children to stay in their local area. That’s what makes this team unique. 

Two teenage girls and a teenage boy playing football in a garden

learning and development

We help you grow. The framework and services for your development are consistent across Wales, so you benefit from a shared, considered and proven support package. After all, learning and growth are a key part of what we offer. 

We provide all the tools and training to enable you to fully meet the needs of the children in your care. To be confident and capable.   

As a foster carer with Foster Wales you’ll have an individual personal learning record and development plan. This plan recognises that your journey to this point will be filled with valuable transferable skills and experiences. It helps keep track of all the progress you’re making, as well as planning for the future.

Three people sit outdoors on a patio, engaged in conversation. One person, wearing a hoodie, holds a glass, while another person holds a mug. Lush greenery surrounds them.

support

You’re not out there on your own. You have a team to support and encourage you, every step of the way. Your Foster Wales team. 

You’ll have skilled and experienced professional social workers on hand. With a fostering team member dedicated to supporting you, your family and your network.

You’ll also have access to a range of support groups. This is where you’ll meet other foster carers. Share experiences. Talk, and listen. Peer support is available with every local Foster Wales team, and can make a world of difference.

Professional support is there too, whenever you need it – not just inside office hours. We’re dedicated to working as a team with our foster carers, and that means support is available 24/7. Whatever you need, whenever you need it. We’ll be there.

From support groups for men who foster to specialist kinds of foster carers, you’ll find new communities here. People who understand.

Family of 6 walking. Girl in red waterproof smiling.

fostering community

We stay connected. 

You’ll be invited to events and activities to bring you closer to other foster families. To give you new experiences. New friendships. New memories. 

You’ll also have access to a wealth of information and advice online. You’ll never feel alone.

When you join Foster Wales, your membership to The Fostering Network (TFN), New Family Social (NFS) and the Association for Fostering, Kinship and Adoption (AFKA) Cymru is paid for, by us. These specialist fostering organisations offer independent support, private advice, guidance and a whole host of additional benefits.  We know these are important, that’s why they come as standard.

Boy smiling playing dobble card game

shaping the future

The journey that got any child, and any foster carer, to this point is important – but the most important step is the next one. So, we focus on the present and the future, not the past. As a foster carer, you’re part of how we shape it.

You will be heard – locally, regionally and nationally – and your views will have an impact on how we move forward. You’ll be given opportunities to consult and influence the future of fostering in Wales, as well as being kept up to date with regular news and information.

Ten reasons to foster with your local authority

take the first step

find your local foster wales team

As the national network of Local Authority fostering services across Wales, we're by your side wherever you are. Enter your postcode to find your local foster care team.

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