The benefits of fostering with Peterborough City Council
We’re not-for-profit, so Peterborough’s children and young people are always put first
As a not-for-profit fostering service, every decision in our local authority is led by what is best for the children and young people we care for, and all investments go into improving our services. This allows us to focus on creating the best possible outcomes for children and young people to ensure their safety, stability, and emotional well-being to support their present and future. The more people who foster with their local authority, the more available budget there is to invest in our services, translating to greater outcomes for children, young people, and foster carers.
We help local children to stay in their home city
One of the most significant benefits of fostering with your local authority is our commitment to keeping local children within their home community. During a time of such substantial change, keeping children and young people close to familiar surroundings, including their school, friends, and extended family members, minimises disruption in a child’s life and helps them maintain essential connections and a significant sense of belonging.
We look at our in-house foster carers first for children and young people who need a family
When a child or young person comes into foster care, it is our job to place them in the most suitable care arrangement for their unique needs. We will always look at our in-house foster carers to see if we have an appropriate match before placing children with an Independent Fostering Agency (IFA). By choosing to foster with your local authority, you increase the likelihood of matches between yourself and the children and young people we care for and reduce wait times between any future placements.
Local, dedicated support that you can rely on
Fostering with your local authority means your dedicated support team is always close, and you can count on this personalised support whenever you need it. This locally based team is made up of you, your Supervising Social Worker, your child, or young person’s Social Worker, supporting council staff and staff from health and education, who each play a vital role in shaping your foster child or young person’s future. Our support takes place both in-person and online and comprises many support groups and events. Having a team that is local to Peterborough is a huge bonus that will help guide you in the right direction whenever you need it.
more benefits of choosing a Local authority
Generous fostering allowance that enables fostering to be a promising career
Do you want a career that enables you to make a real difference, but you need the assurance that you will be financially supported to live your life? That’s no problem when it comes to fostering. You will receive generous allowances to cover your time caring for a child or young person, which is calculated based on your experience, the child or young person’s unique needs and the duration of the care required. Try our Payments Calculator to find out how much you could receive financially through fostering.
Training and development opportunities that allow progression
We’ll provide you with a wide range of bespoke training opportunities to support and develop you as a foster carer, from your pre-approval period to your first year of fostering and beyond. We deliver regular training sessions locally from familiar venues within your community, ensuring you can access every session easily.
Our fabulous team of experienced Social Workers and trainers will use their diverse range of skills and knowledge to provide you with engaging and thought-provoking training so that you can get the best out of our learning programmes. Because we design and deliver training ourselves, we can adapt our courses to meet our carers’ specific requirements. Additionally, we commission training from experts in the field, enabling us to provide you with a broad range of training topics to give you a full knowledge of fostering and specialise further in specific types of fostering should you wish.
You’ll join a strong, supportive network of local fostering families
When you choose to foster with your local authority, you’ll become a part of our fostering family, giving you the opportunity to form connections with likeminded people in Peterborough who help local children and young people to feel supported and achieve their full potential. Our foster family is just as diverse as the children we care for, including people from all different backgrounds and experiences that you can connect with. Our efforts include assigning you with an experienced foster carer that you can lean on, support groups, foster family social events, and other meet-ups; all of which will positively help contribute to your fostering experience.
Free memberships to The Fostering Network
You’ll receive free membership to The Fostering Network, granting you access to a wide range of services, benefits, and information to further support you as a local foster carer. The Fostering Network provides advice and information to prospective and approved foster carers and those who support them on a range of issues which affect the foster carer role, including topics like:
- Approval
- Finance
- Allegations
- Legislation
- Relationships with Fostering Service
The Fostering Network has an exclusive hotline for members, which is open from 10am to 3pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).
We will also provide you with a free family membership to Vivacity, giving all your family access to several Peterborough leisure centres to enjoy individually and together.
Free membership to Vivacity
We will provide you with a free family membership to Vivacity, giving your family access to several Peterborough leisure centres to enjoy individually and together. This is a huge monetary saving for all of our foster families who like to enjoy the activities on offer all year round. As part of this membership, the whole family living in the fostering household will receive full access to the swimming pools, gym, and fitness classes.
