How To Become A Family Matters Carer

Main carers can be single or couples, with or without children of their own. You work as a sub-contractor to the Agency and are paid weekly when you have a child in place

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.  And if you have a ‘colourful’ background that can help too!

It helps a lot 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

Call us and let’s talk!  If you demonstrate the life experience and skills that we look for, we will immediately invite you to an interview at our offices as soon as possible.

At the initial interview we describe what is required of a foster carer working for Family Matters Fostering Ltd. and look in more detail at your suitability to become a foster carer with us - and you have a look at us and see what you think!  It also provides an opportunity for  all your questions.  

If at this point we all decide to proceed with the application, we inspect and copy the various documents and forms of identification for Ofsted, CRB and the other checks we need to make.  All relevant forms are completed and we arrange for one of our social work team to visit you at their home.

The home visit is an opportunity for us to assess your suitability and your home and we help you fill in our application form.

Providing that all references are satisfactory, you and your spouse or partner, if you have one, will then be invited to a three day training course “Foundations For Fostering”.

Following the course, if we consider you possess the skills and qualities we require, and you still want to proceed with your application, a qualified social worker begins a Form F1 assessment - an in depth report on your family and home life.  During this time you may work from time to time as a carer support worker to gain experience in working and interacting with looked after children.

Once the Form F1 is completed, you, together with the assessing social worker, are invited to a Fostering Panel meeting, where your final application will be considered.

The Panel makes their recommendation regarding you to the Panel decision maker, who makes the final decision regarding whether or not you become an approved carer for the Agency.

You will be informed verbally and in writing of the agency’s decision.

The process, from initial to final approval takes 3 to 6 months - as there is a lot of ground to cover.

Our care support workers 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 Carer Support Workers

The initial enquiry is handled in the same way as the main carers, and the prospective carer support worker attends an interview 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.

Providing these are satisfactory, 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 working directly for one or more carers.