We don’t like to put people into categories or boxes, so we would like to get to know you and the skills and experience you have and believe that this way, together, we will find the best type of fostering, to suit you, at the time.
See our new fostering video, Out There:
Here are some ways to foster but please get in touch as there are many more.
Short-term fostering
You look after a child for a few weeks or months, while their family situation is assessed and plans are made to keep them safe. You'll be taking care of the child and providing stability and care during this time before they move back to their family, or longer term fostering or adoption.
Bridging placement carers
Bridging placement carers provide intensive, complete care and support to a young person, within their home, providing stability and continuity.
The placements are short and effective, with the carers being there for the child or young person when they need them the most. This role is full-time with the flexibility to fit in with life plans, through planned placements.
This role is suitable for those with the skills and experience of caring for children, allowing them to approach the role with resilience and confidence. To achieve the best outcome for the child/young person, bridging carers will utilise their skills with children and families to collaborate with professionals, and in some cases, work with birth families.
Ultimately, the Bridging Carer will be the centre of support for the child/young person, driving positive outcomes for their situation.
The role has a generous financial allowance, opportunity for professional development, and thorough support will always be available.
Respite carers
Maybe you cannot offer full-time care but you could still make a difference. It’s important that we support and care for our foster carers and sometimes they need a rest or a helping hand. This is where our respite carers make such a difference to our foster carers, either on a regular basis or throughout school holidays for example.
Short break foster carers
If you have experience and skill in looking after young people with medical or additional needs, then you could make a real difference to a young person and their family as a short break foster carer. Let us know what you could offer in terms of time and skills and we’ll see if we can make it work.
Longer-term and permanent fostering
A child becomes a permanent part of your family. Some children can’t go home, but for them adoption isn’t possible. This may be because they have complex care needs or they have strong loyalties to their birth parents and do not wish to be adopted.
You'll be helping a child deal with a difficult time in their lives and will develop yourself and your family as well as receiving regular help and training from us.
Permanent foster caring gives children love, stability and support from children to adolescence and beyond.
Supported Lodgings Host
If you're interested in supporting young people, aged 16 plus, into independence and empowering them to make decisions about their future, then becoming a Supported Lodgings Host could be great for you.
You would need a spare bedroom, a general understanding of some of the needs of young people and the issues they may be facing, as well as patience and a commitment to provide a supportive and safe environment.
Supported Lodgings Plus
The transition to adulthood for some young people, may take a while longer and they may need more support to achieve this. This is why we need Supported Lodgings + carers in Leicestershire who can invest their time to help them.
Specialist carers
If you have qualifications, skills and experience in working with young people from 12 upwards, then one of these roles could be for you. Perhaps you have experience in youth work and young people’s residential care for example; we’d love to hear from you.
Our specialist roles:
Pathway Foster Carer
One2One Foster Carer
One2One EBD Foster Carer
Parent and Child Foster Carer
Fostering young refugees
Place to Call Home is a partnership project between local authorities in the East Midlands, led by Leicestershire County Council, to recruit foster carers and supported lodgings hosts for young refugees. See the Place to Call Home website for more information and to apply.
Independent visitor
We’re looking for independent visitors who can spare a few hours a month to make a big difference to a young person in care.
An independent visitor is someone a young person can establish a relationship with outside of their foster or residential home, who can be a consistent figure in their lives.
You may go bowling, to the cinema or somewhere completely different, but the benefit to the young person is having an adult who is there for them, to listen, support and encourage them during their time in care and often beyond this time.
For some children in care, all the adults around them are professionals such as social workers and foster carers.
As an independent visitor, you cannot be:
- an elected member or partner / spouse of the local authority (or any committees or sub-committees) responsible for the child in care
- employed by, or a spouse of, someone employed by Childrens Social Care
- an employee, patron or trustee of an associated organisation (such as an independent fostering agency)
You would be a volunteer but agreed expenses are paid.
For more information, contact the Fostering Recruitment team on 0116 305 0505 or by using the simple enquiry form
