Fostering with us
Why foster with
Tree House Care?
When you become a foster carer with Tree House Care, you are welcomed into a small, supportive team who has been providing outstanding care for over 20 years.
Although we are small, our aspirations are big! We provide high levels of pay, foster training and support to enable our foster carers to focus on the most important thing, doing the right thing for our children.
How much will I get paid as a foster carer?
At Tree House Care, we don’t rush recruitment – there are no fast tracks or shortcuts. This means that we recruit the very best people – people who are passionate, caring and prepared to work hard and achieve their potential as excellent foster carers.
We pay a higher weekly allowance than the recommended national minimum, as well as a number of additional payments throughout the year. This can include Christmas and birthday allowances, mileage payments, long service awards and ‘pay-to-train’ payments.
The average payment you can expect to receive, as of January 2023, is around £503 per child per week.
At Tree House Care we recognise the skills of our foster carers by having one high rate of pay for everyone. We don’t discriminate based on the ages of the children cared for or the number of years of experience you have, as we trust that all of our carers provide the same outstanding level of care, regardless of the situation. You’ll also be happy to hear that this payment, referred to as a fostering allowance, is tax-free for most people and doesn’t affect any benefits you receive.
For all things money and finances, read our 'How much will I be paid as a foster carer?' article
Support for foster carers
Becoming a foster carer can be a daunting decision and you will probably have many questions. We often hear that people worry about how they will be supported and what training they will receive. One of the benefits of joining a local agency like Tree House Care is that you will become a part of a community of foster carers. We know every one of our foster carers personally and believe we can only do what we do by working together.
We provide our foster carers with the highest standard of therapeutic training. We also provide 24/7 access to our support to make sure you feel confident in your ability to deliver the best care.
We believe that providing our foster carers with the training, support and financial incentives needed to forge a rewarding career creates the best environment for successful, stable homes. In short, we support our carers so that they can support our children.
Transferring Fostering Agency
Can I transfer to Tree House Care?
Yes! If you’re already a foster carer, registered with a local authority or another independent agency, we make transferring to Tree House Care simple. We do all the behind-the-scenes paperwork, liaising with local authorities and agencies to ensure everything runs smoothly, so you can get on with being a first-rate foster carer.
The process takes around 4-6 months, during which time you can get a feel for who we are as an agency and speak to our existing carers, many of whom have transferred themselves.
And if you already have your TSDS qualification, we’ll pass that training investment over to you as a one off payment of £2,000 once approved!
We’re confident that you’ll find transferring to Tree House Care a great decision, and you’ll appreciate our therapeutic focus, close, supportive atmosphere and generous benefits package – we guarantee you’ll never lose out by transferring to Tree House Care!
Can I foster?
Find out if you are eligible to be a foster carer by answering the questionnaire.
How much will I be paid?
We pay a generous fostering allowance, as well as providing many other benefits.
Our services
We offer a range of services including foster care, domiciliary care, residential care and therapeutic services.
Frequently asked questions
about fostering
Who can be a foster carer?
Although being a foster carer is incredibly rewarding, it is also challenging. You will need patience, flexibility, empathy and an ability to handle difficult situations. It also helps to have first-hand experience of looking after children, either as a parent or through work.
As a foster carer, you can make a vital difference to a young person’s life, helping them to adjust to new circumstances and go on to thrive. It can be tough, yes, but few careers are as fulfilling!
Find out if you’re eligible to become a foster carer by taking our quiz.
How long does it take to become a foster carer?
A foster carer has the potential to transform young lives so it’s essential that we make sure that you are truly suited to the role. The selection process takes about six months and during this time, we spend many hours with you and your family, getting to know you and assessing the impact fostering is likely to have, as well as identifying the strengths you can bring.
Tree House Care carries out several statutory checks including a Disclosure & Barring Service check and we ask for work and personal references. We also ask you to undergo a full medical examination, so we can be confident you’re in good health.
But it’s not all one-way – you’ll be put in touch with our community of experienced foster carers so you can get a first-hand feel for the highs and lows of fostering. This way you can decide whether fostering is right for you and your family before taking the plunge!
Find out more about the foster care application process here >
What training and support are available to foster carers?
At Tree House Care, we believe in collaboration – working together to do the right thing for our children. Each foster carer is treated as a team member and we provide you with the tools you need to offer an outstanding level of care.
Help is always just a phone call away and we’ll meet with you at least once a month to make sure you have all the advice and guidance you could want. We also hold support groups so you can regularly meet with our community of foster carers.
During the period leading up to your approval as a foster carer, you will receive valuable training to set you on the path to success. Once approved, you will be offered regular fostering training on a wide range of topics from child development, to first aid. We follow a therapeutic fostering model, so you will receive specialised training and have access to our Trauma and Attachment Consultant, John.
Can I work and be a foster carer?
Foster children need a high level of care and support and so it’s important that at least one foster carer is at home full-time. However, if you’re working at present, we wouldn’t expect you to give up work until your foster child is due to arrive at your home.
Can I foster if I already have children?
Many foster carers have children of their own. However, it is important to understand that fostering does have an impact on your own family dynamics.
As your own children will have to share you with a foster child, which may be quite challenging, we advise new applicants to wait until their own children are settled in secondary school.
How do I choose a fostering agency?
Once you’ve made the decision to foster, the next stage is finding the fostering agency that fits your family. There are a few things to consider so we’ve put together a handy guide to choosing the agency that is right for you.
Who decides which children I will foster?
When it comes to matching a child with your family, we use our vast experience and will only ask you to consider welcoming a child into your family if we think it is right for everyone. We will respect your wishes and you will always have the final say.
Many new foster carers worry about whether they will bond with a child and whether the child will like them. Don’t worry – this is common – the training provided at Tree House Care will help with this and we will give you the understanding, tools, skills and expertise so that this isn’t a problem.
How do we know which age or gender of child will fit in with our family?
During the assessment, we’ll explore how your family works at the moment, your routines, family rules and the leisure activities you enjoy. This will help us determine who fits in with your family best. We know that putting time and thought into the matching process leads to better outcomes for all involved.
What about the child’s birth family?
Many new foster carers are worried about the child’s birth family. Don’t be. Contact with the birth family is always managed closely and tightly, often through a legal order, and we wouldn’t put you in a position where you were at risk in any way. We’ll be there to support you and to help you support the child with all family visits.
What our foster carers say
Get in touch
We’d love to hear from you! Whether you are an existing carer looking to transfer agencies, or you are brand new to fostering and just want to ask some informal questions, use our contact form below. Our friendly team will be happy to answer any questions you might have.