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Who can foster

We are open to assessing all people who wish to foster regardless of your race, religion, sexual identity or gender identity. We are also open to assessing people who rent or own their property as well as those who are single, married or living with a partner.

We welcome applicants who have experience with their own children, as well as those who have other relevant child care experience that can be drawn upon.

Fostering applicants have to be over 21 years of age. You also need to have suitable accommodation to care for a child. Your enhanced DBS check will also be taken into account on an individual basis.

Ideally, we are looking for foster carers who:

  • are good listeners
  • are good role models
  • are able to provide guidance and reassurance
  • are able to provide a nurturing and loving home environment
  • are able to work as part of a team
  • are able to advocate and champion for children and young people's rights
  • are able to provide stability and structure
  • are able to provide suitable accommodation
  • have a good support network to help them in their role
  • are financially stable
  • who have availability and time to be child focused
 

Steps to becoming a foster carer

There are various types of fostering you can apply to do, including:

  • emergency care
  • short term care
  • long term care
  • respite acre
  • specialist short breaks
  • connected person care
  • intensive fostering

All follow the same process when you apply.

Types of fostering services

Step 1: Enquiry

You can make an enquiry with the fostering and adoption team by calling, emailing, or sending us a message on our facebook page. There is also a foster carer enquiry form below which you can fill out and email to us so we can help you with your enquiry. We will then discuss your interest and seek consent to process your enquiry within 2 working days.

Fostering enquiry form

Tel: +44 (0) 1534 443970

Email: fosteringandadoption@health.gov.je

Facebook: facebook.com/FosteringAndAdoptionJersey

Step 2: Initial visit

Once your enquiry is processed, we will arrange to come and visit you at home within 7 working days. This visit will allow us to :

  • meet you and all the members of your household in person
  • have an in depth discussion with you about fostering and what service you may be interested in applying for, taking into account your availability and lifestyle
  • answer any questions you may have regarding fostering
  • explain the assessment process, support and training available to carers after approval

Step 3: Skills to Foster training

If you want to continue with your fostering journey after your initial visit, we will invite you to attend the next available Skills to Foster training course. This 6 week course covers various aspects of fostering to give you the skills and knowledge you need as a carer.

After the training course, you will be invited to complete an application form if you want to continue. These can be completed in your own time and sent back to the team at Fostering and Adoption Team, Liberte House, 19-23 La Motte Street, St Helier, Jersey, JE2 4SY.

Step 4: Fostering assessment

When we receive your application form, we will allocate this to an assessing social worker in the team to complete a fostering assessment.

This will include:

  • home visits
  • observations
  • reference
  • checks such as health and Enhanced DBS checks. These checks will also be carried out for anyone in your household who is over the age of 16

Step 5: Fostering Panel

Your assessment will be presented to the Fostering Panel when it is completed. We aim to do this within 6 months of your application. Fostering Panel sits once a month on a Tuesday afternoon.

Before the Fostering Panel, you will have seen your assessment and you will know what the social worker is recommending about what fostering service would be best suited to you and your family and lifestyle.

You will always be invited to attend the Fostering Panel along with your assessing social worker. This is to allow panel members to meet you in person and discuss the recommendation with you in full.

The panel will then decide whether or not to support the recommendation made. They will notify the Agency Decision Maker (ADM) of their decision and reasons for this.

The Agency Decision Maker then has 10 working days to make the final decision and recommendations about your suitability to foster.

You will be informed as soon as this decision is reached. This is also sent to you in writing.


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