What is Fostering?

The life-changing difference you can make

Foster children rockpooling on beach

Have a fostering question?

Foster Care

Fostering provides a secure and caring home for children and young people who are unable to live with their parents. Children that need foster care will come from a range of backgrounds, many will have faced uncertainty in early life and others may have complex needs as a result of experiencing neglect or abuse. Becoming a foster carer offers the opportunity to make an immeasurable difference to a child’s life. Foster carers offer these vulnerable children safety, stability, understanding and opportunities they would not otherwise have.

what is fostering

Due to the various and complex needs of children requiring foster care, there are a range of foster placement types. These include enhanced, permanence, core and standard placements.

There are many reasons a child may need to be fostered. Some children will need temporary care due to their parents experiencing instabilities such as depression, drugs or financial issues. Other children require a permanent foster family to care for them and continue to support them into adulthood.  Could you give a child a safe place to stay? Learn more about why people choose to foster.

Why do children need fostering
How will fostering affect my family

The children of foster carers play an integral role in the whole fostering experience – helping others to settle and forming important relationships. Swiis are there for your whole family when you make the decision to foster, with guides, events and videos to support your children.

Start Your Fostering Journey

With thousands of children coming into foster care in the UK everyday, we urgently need foster carers more than ever.

Father and foster child fishing

Refer a Friend

Do you know anyone who would be a fantastic foster carer who has the skills and compassion to support a child or young person in need of a loving home?

Boys celebrating soccer goal