How To Become A Family Matters Carer

Main carers can be single or couples, with or without children of their own.

As a carer you must be stable, flexible, resilient, mature in outlook, compassionate, have the ability to “stand in another’s shoes”, and be able to work as part of a team.
You don’t have to own your home, but must have at least one spare bedroom.

You will need to be old enough to have the maturity to help children make sense of their difficult situation, and young enough to have the energy to meet the needs of a new member of the family.

It helps if your own children are old enough to take an active role in fostering, or if they have already left home.
Recruitment and Approval of Main Foster Carers

On receiving an enquiry from potential foster carers we request basic information and send literature about the organisation and the work we do.  We invite the prospective carer to an information session.
The information session describes what is required of a foster carer working for Family Matters, looks in more detail at the work of a foster carer and provides a forum for questions. 
The potential foster carer completes an application form giving detailed information about themselves and their family.  Consent is obtained for us to complete necessary checks and enquiries.
Those applicants that we consider suitable are invited to a four day training course "Foundations for Fostering".
A home interview takes place with a Family Matters social worker.
If the applicants are considered to possess the skills and qualities we require, the necessary checks are undertaken, referees are contacted, and a qualified social worker carries out a Form F1 assessment.
The applicants are invited, with their assessing social worker, to our Panel meeting, where their application will be considered.
The Panel makes a recommendation to the Family Matters decision maker, who makes the final decision regarding approval on behalf of the Agency.
Applicants are informed verbally and in writing of the agency’s decision.
The process, from information session to approval, is expected to take approximately 4-6 months.
Our supplementary carers must be 18 or older – there is no upper age limit.  Since the work is normally done in the main carers’ home you do not need to live in accommodation that is suitable for a child.  It helps a great deal if you can drive.
   
Recruitment and Approval of Supplementary Carers

The initial enquiry is handled in the same way as the main carers, and the prospective supplementary carer attends an information session where they are given an application form and dates of upcoming training.

On receipt of the completed application form we initiate the checking process, and contact referees.
The individual is invited to a training session.

Once all checks and references have been completed satisfactorily, training has been attended, and subject to approval by the decision maker, the supplementary carer can provide sitting during the day or evening for up to 4-5 hours at a time.