Could you Foster a Child?

Thinking of starting a new career that will change your life and the life of vulnerable children? Then becoming a Foster Parent with By the Bridge could be for you. Fostering provides so much more than just a stable home. It provides young people with the opportunity to grow and develop in a safe and nurturing home where they have the support and encouragement they need to do well in life. 

Many foster children lack the positive family experience that most children have, but all it takes is one Foster Parent to make that difference. You'll have a huge impact on a child's life, helping them to improve their self-esteem, make better choices, build relationships and have a safe and happier future.

Read below for more information, or Contact Us to speak to a member of our experienced team. 

Who can Foster?

Our Foster Parents come from all walks of life, there really is no 'perfect' person we look for when it comes to fostering. Every child in care is as unique as you are and all have different needs, so every foster child requires a Foster Parent with different skills, abilities and experience. 

We are interested in what you have to offer a child, rather than your marital status, ethnicity, sexuality, religious belief or whether you own a house or not. If you are a healthy, capable, patient person and can see the potential in a young person who may not have had the opportunities they deserve then you will more than likely be suitable to foster with us.

There are of course a few standard requirements you will need to meet in order to become a Foster Parent. Read below to find out more...

What do you need to Foster?

What we need are flexible, open and honest people who are able to consider a range of children and who, with our training and support, can understand the difficulties these children have experienced.

Foster Parents will need to appreciate that, potentially, children will come from a wide range of backgrounds; all have different family situations, experiences, and will all need different types of care. The important thing is that you can see the potential in every child, be reliable through the tough times and offer a secure, loving and caring home for a child for as long as they need.

You will need to consider the following:

• Are you over the age of 21 years old?
• Do you have a spare bedroom for a child?
• Are you able to build positive relationships with children?
• Can you get a child to / from school, meetings, supervision, appointments?
• Can you dedicate the time to care for a foster child full-time?
• Are you open to fostering all ages of children from 0-17 years?

If you feel you meet the criteria above, then Contact Us to begin discuss fostering further.