Fostering training, support and allowances

We offer a comprehensive training pathway to our foster carers so that you can continue to develop a diverse skill set, to help you be the best foster carer you can.

We recognise that foster carers have different and changing needs, depending on their personal circumstances, preferences and family situations, so we offer a hybrid approach to training delivery (in person and virtual) where possible, which enables our foster carers to attend more courses, more regularly.

Training courses available:

Skills to Foster

An introductory three-day course to prepare you for your journey into fostering. This course is held in-person and is to be completed prior to approval.

Mandatory training

Once you are approved as a foster carer, there are a number of courses that must be completed, these include First Aid and Record Keeping.

There are timescales for the completion of these courses and some will need to be renewed.

Core training

These courses are central to your professional development as foster carers. We expect all of our foster carers to complete these courses, but the timescales are relatively flexible. Examples of courses include Secondary Trauma, Solihull Approach and Education Matters.

Specialist training

We are also offer specialist courses that cover a wide range of topics relating to children, young people and fostering in general. Attendance at these training sessions will be dependent on your own interests, the age of children you foster and the type of fostering you provide now or wish to provide in the future.

Courses include Adolescence, Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, and Emotion Coaching.

Additional topics are always being sourced to add to the range and depth of foster carer training.

Allowances are payments that cover the day-to-day costs of looking after a foster child.

You will receive a weekly allowance to cover maintenance, pocket money, clothing and travel for your foster child. The amount is dependent on the age of the child and number of children you look after.

You may be entitled to be paid an extra allowance depending on your experience. Gaining experience and completing training courses give you the opportunity to become a  level two or level three carer meaning you would be eligible for an additional skill fee payment.

For more information and a breakdown of allowances and payments please see our allowances and skills fees document.

Foster carers should register as self-employed with HM Revenue and Customs. Find out more about tax arrangements.

All members of Southampton City Council’s fostering family receive excellent ongoing support.

You will have:

• an allocated supervising social worker who will help and support you every step of the process, making sure you have everything you need to give a child or young person a positive experience
• 24-hour support through our out of hours team
• access to our fostering support groups which run weekly

Our foster carers regularly meet up socially to support each other, share experiences and advice.

You will also become a member of FosterTalk, an independent not-for-profit organisation providing high quality professional advice and guidance to all foster carers.

As we are an agency member of New Family Social, a UK charity who provide support for LGBT+ families with fostering, we can offer you free membership with them.