Fostering Friendly organisations

The Fostering Networks Fostering Friendly employers scheme offers businesses of any size a chance to make a difference for foster carers and the children they care for in their local communities and improve support for their own employees at the same time.

Nearly 40 per cent of foster carers combine fostering with other work. Those who do say that a supportive employer can make all the difference, enabling them to balance employment with looking after children.

The Fostering Network’s Fostering Friendly employers’ scheme helps employers to support and recognise the roles of their employees who foster and involves no direct costs. Members of the scheme agree to put in place a fostering friendly HR policy for all foster carers in their employment (regardless of their fostering service). This includes offering foster carers flexible working and paid time off for training and settling a new child into their home.

If you work for a Fostering Friendly employer, have a look at their policy and discover what benefits you could gain by becoming a foster carer whilst still working.

Warwickshire as a Fostering Friendly Employer

Warwickshire County Council is proud to be approved as a Fostering Friendly Employer by the national Fostering Network. We recognise and value the contribution that foster carers make to society and especially the lives of children in care. The Fostering Friendly policy sets out how we support employees who are approved foster carers or applying to become foster carers. The policy applies to all employees of the council except those who are based in schools.   Subject to business need, the council is committed to granting:

• Up to 5 days’ paid leave (pro rata for part time staff) for employees who intend to become foster carers, during the year prior to approval for the purposes of undertaking training and/or activity in relation to their assessment as foster carers
• Up to 5 days’ paid leave per annum (pro rata for part time staff) for employees who are approved foster carers in the years following approval for the purposes of undertaking learning, development or preparation for the placement of a child or young person; Leave requests need to be submitted on Your HR using the special category under ‘Other absence’.

Fostering Friendly partners

If you are a Fostering Friendly organisation within Warwickshire, we would love to hear from you. To find out more information or to join our Warwickshire Fostering Friendly community, email childfriendly@warwickshire.gov.uk

If you are an organisation interested in becoming a Fostering Friendly Organisation, the Fostering Network can give employers all the advice and support they need to join the scheme. Get in touch with fosteringfriendly@fostering.net to find out more.