Fostering

You could make a difference to a local child’s life today. 

 

Foster carers look after children when they are unable to live with their own families.  This can be anything from a few days to a few years.  Fostering can involve looking after all ages of children, from babies to teenagers.  You can choose what age range fits into your family.

Gwynedd Fostering Service arranges placements for local children and puts an emphasis on good quality support, a diverse range of training and can offer local support groups.

 

Frequently asked questions 

Yes. You will need to consider arrangements for school hours and school holidays. If you are fostering children under age 5 or specialist fostering, we require one carer to be home during the day. 

You must have a spare bedroom. Foster children should have a separate bedroom from your own children. If you are fostering siblings or children under 5 of the same sex, they may be able to share a bedroom. We advise you to have separate bedrooms for each child. This gives your own child or the foster child their own space. Babies can sleep in the foster carer’s room, but a spare bedroom will be required by the time the child is 18 months old.  

We will provide a fostering allowance to help pay for household bills. As you develop your career in fostering, you will also receive a carer’s payment. Specialist schemes provide an annual payment. 

Yes. You can decide what age range of child will fit into your family. You can request to change this age range or gender if your circumstances change. We recommend that you foster children who are younger than your eldest child. If you work full-time or smoke, we recommend that you foster school age children. 

The assessment takes at least 6 months. Most people could be approved as foster carers within 12 months from their first enquiry. 

Becoming a foster carer involves a detailed and in-depth assessment to see if fostering is right for you. We need to carry out background checks to assess whether children would be safe in your care. We also want to get to know you because we want fostering to be successful and rewarding for you, your family and the children in your care. 

The children who need fostering will be in the age band and gender you have specified, but they are all very different. Some may come from an abusive background, they may have been neglected or their parents may have struggled to care for them or keep them safe. Some families don’t have a support network in times of need or ill health, and the child may need to be looked after while problems are resolved or health is improved. 

Parents will be told where their children are living, when it is considered safe to do so.

 

 

More information 

  • Submit an enquiry to request an information pack
  • Email: maethu@gwynedd.llyw.cymru
  • Gwynedd Children and Family Support Department, Fostering Team, Penrallt, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL74 1BN
  • Telephone: 01286 682660
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