A dedicated team focused on you and the child or young person in your care
When you foster with us, you will be supported by our community, which works together to make sure that the best decisions are made for the children and young people in your care at various key stages of their lives.
This locally based team is made up of:
- Your Supervising Social Worker
- Your child, or young person’s Social Worker
- Supporting council staff
- Staff from health and education
Personal Social Worker
Our local Supervising Social Workers embody the council’s values and are committed to the support and supervision of you as foster carers to help improve and enhance your fostering skills. You’ll be able to contact your Supervising Social Worker anytime during working hours and they will be able to communicate directly with the children and young people’s Social Workers. Outside of the normal working day there is always a duty social worker available for you to talk to should this be needed.
Experienced foster carer mentor
When you first become a foster carer with us, we will match you with one of our experienced foster carers to offer support and advice along your journey. If you ever have a question for a foster carer, they will be there to help, in addition to the network of dedicated staff at Peterborough City Council. Later down the line, you can even apply to become a mentor or Fostering Ambassador yourself to support newly approved foster carers and help us spread the word about how important fostering truly is.
Training and development
Becoming a foster carer requires you to complete some mandatory training and there are endless opportunities for you to build upon your skills through ongoing training and development which can be tailored to you. Whether you are looking to build upon your therapeutic parenting skills or need to fill gaps in knowledge for caring for children with disabilities, we have lots of training on offer.
Learn moreGenerous Financial allowances
We provide generous allowances to our foster carers to provide them with the financial support required to support a child or young person. Such allowances are given per child and based on your experience as well as the specific needs of the child or young person being cared for.
Learn more
Emotional and mental health support
Access to counselling and therapy services
Fostering can be an emotionally demanding role, which is why we provide direct access to counselling and therapy services for foster carers and children. Whether you’re dealing with a stressful circumstance or helping a child process their emotions, we have therapeutic support services in place to help.
Local support groups with Peterborough foster carers
As an approved foster carer, you will receive an invitation to attend your local Foster Carer Support Group. All our local support groups are well attended by carers, are held at locations convenient for all across Peterborough, and offer an excellent opportunity to provide peer support, share additional learning, and talk with fellow carers who understand your fostering journey.
Therapeutic support for children and young people
Every child and young person is unique, and some may require additional specialist emotional support to help with their needs. Whether it is a child or young person in your care or a biological or adopted child of a foster carer, we have in-house support for them to utilise at any point.
Community support
Building connections with other local foster carers
Being a part of a local supportive community of foster carers is one of the most significant support benefits of fostering with Peterborough City Council. We encourage all our foster carers to meet, share experiences and build relationships to support one another.
Ongoing family fun days and events
In addition to foster carer support groups, we provide access for foster families to attend family fun day events throughout the year to all enjoy together. These events offer an opportunity to surround yourself and the child or young person in your care with other local foster families.
Additional local authority support
Employee Assistance Support
When you become a foster carer with us, you will benefit from Peterborough City Council’s Employee Assistance Support, which will provide you with free access to additional support should you ever need it, which will cover you for:
- Counselling
- Legal support
- Bereavement assistance
- Medical information
Virtual Schools for Children in Care
You will have direct access to our Virtual Schools for Children in Care, a team of dedicated education professionals and teachers who provide specialist education support, advice, and guidance, and tailored Personal Education Plans for the child or young person you are caring for.
