MATCH FOSTER CARE
Relationship-Based, Family-Owned Fostering Agency in Gloucestershire
Match Foster Care is an independent, non-private-equity-owned, fostering agency designed with the desire to help children fulfil their full potential, even when they can’t be in the direct care of their families.
At Match Foster Care, we believe in the benefits of building a meaningful and caring relationship with young people through fostering. If this sounds like the kind of difference you wish to make in the life of a child in Gloucestershire, we strongly encourage you to join our foster care agency.
We can offer full training and support, preparing you carefully so that you know exactly what you are taking on. Our preparation process includes the chance to meet experienced foster carers and fostered young people, giving you the chance to have all your questions answered by the real experts in the field: foster parents and foster children. It’s hardly surprising that many of our young people stay in touch with Match long into adulthood.
Become a foster parent in Gloucestershire
In search of a ‘foster agency near me’ around the Gloucestershire area?
At Match Foster Care, we have opportunities for those looking to provide long and short-term foster care. Whether you are interested in fostering siblings or disability fostering, we have opportunities to suit all fostering types and durations.
Match Foster Care should be your number one choice of fostering agencies in Gloucestershire
Match Foster Care is an independent foster agency with many years of experience supporting children between the ages of 0 and 17 and their foster families in the West Midlands.
We welcome carers from diverse backgrounds and family types, including single people, who want to know how best to foster.
Established in February 2012, Match Foster Care has always been run by experienced social workers. It was founded by Carrie Marsh, whose parents were foster carers. Carrie is proud to count her foster brothers and sisters as key members of her family. In other words, we have great experience in supporting the life-changing difference loving foster homes can make for a child. As a foster parent, you’ll receive the support of multidisciplinary professionals who accompany you along the fostering journey:
- a registered nurse
- support workers
- education workers
- a therapeutic practitioner
Benefits of working with Match Foster Care
Match Foster Care is an independent fostering agency with multiple offices located across the West Midlands. Having recently been rated as ‘Outstanding’ during our most recent Ofsted inspection, we are determined to continue our high standards for the children in our care. Integral to this aim is ensuring we do everything we can to support our dedicated network of foster carers. If you join us, you’ll benefit from 24/7 access to support along with help and guidance from our multidisciplinary professionals. There is no age limit to becoming a foster carer so long as you are able to meet the needs of the child, and we’ll also provide foster care training. As a foster carer, you will also be entitled to be paid depending on the type of fostering you provide. Use our fostering allowance calculator to see how much you could earn as a foster carer in Gloucestershire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Every foster carer gets paid a generous fostering allowance for each child in their care in the UK based on the duration of the foster care services and the age of the young person in your care. If you want to get a better idea of what it means, you can use the fostering allowance calculator.
Contrary to common belief, foster parents do not need specialist skill sets except for showing they are responsible and fit enough to care for a child between the ages of 0 and 17. You need to be at least 18 years old to apply as a foster carer with a foster care agency in the UK such as Match Foster Care.
As a foster parent, you can still work as long as it doesn’t impede your fostering services. You will need to be available, sometimes on short notice, to look after a child. Therefore, if you wish to keep a job, a part-time role is best suited for your career in foster care services. We will work with you to assess your availability and whether you have enough time for a foster child in your life. We do not require you to be available at all times.
You have to be a UK resident or have indefinite leave to remain to become a foster parent in Gloucestershire.
You must be able to provide the child in your care with a spare bedroom.
Are you unsure whether you qualify to become a foster parent? Get in touch with Match Foster Care for all questions about how to foster a child.
