Speak to our friendly fostering team on  0161 474 3400
Menu
Contact Us

Fostering with Stockport Council

More vulnerable children and young people need foster carers who can open their homes and hearts to provide safety, security and stability.

Enquire Now

Help and support for foster carers

Fostering is a huge commitment and alongside the rewards will also bring challenges. When you foster for Stockport, a full team of support is in place within our fostering service to help you at every step of the way.

We provide the following:

Social worker support

Once you are approved as a Stockport foster carer you will be allocated to a supervising social worker who will visit you on a regular basis to provide support, advice and supervision.

Foster carer mentor

As a newly approved Stockport foster carer you will be linked up with an experienced foster carer as your ‘buddy’ (see below) who will act as a mentor and be a valuable source of support and advice.

Foster carer support group

Our foster carer support group meets every month, giving you invaluable regular contact with other local foster carers. You will be part of the Stockport Foster Carers Association, a registered charity led by Stockport Foster Carers, who organise and fundraise regular events for carers.

Ambassadors and buddies

To add to our positive support network for Stockport families who foster, we have introduced foster carer ambassadors and foster carer buddies, who are experienced foster carers and passionate about fostering with Stockport.

Our ambassadors are motivated and passionate about fostering and involve themselves in the delivery of training, support groups and recruitment events.

Our buddies’ role is to support other carers who may need a helping hand at any stage of their fostering life. They are a professional friend and an informal avenue of support for those that need it.

Dedicated training officer

All Stockport’s approved foster families receive an individualised yearly personal development plan to help direct learning. We cater for all learning styles, offering face to face workshops, virtual learning and e-learning platforms. Training is not just for foster carers – we are also happy to offer training and support to birth children.

Events

We run a series of events throughout the year which bring our community of foster carers and cared for children together

Virtual School

Stockport’s Virtual School provides ongoing support for foster carers to ensure the children in their care achieve the best possible educational outcomes.

The team are passionate about working with foster carers and provide regular training, attend foster carer support groups and are happy to give advice about all aspects of guiding the child or young person in your care through their education.

Mockingbird

Stockport has 5 Mockingbird constellations supporting over 50 fostering families.

Specialist mental health support

We have a specialist CAMHS team for cared for children co-located with Stockport ’s multi-agency Cared for Children service at Stockport Town Hall.​ The focus here is on early identification and intervention for any emerging mental health needs in cared for children.

Support is offered to foster carers to provide quality care through specialist therapeutic parenting approaches.

Foster carer handbook

We have worked closely with foster carers over the years to set out clear expectations of what foster carers can expect of us and what we expect of foster carers. This handbook includes detailed advice on every aspect of life as a foster carer.

Stockport Foster Carer Promise

Stockport is part of the wider group of local authorities within the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) who have signed up to the Foster Carer Promise.

Fostering Network Membership

As one of our foster carers you will receive automatic membership of Fostering Network, an excellent resource providing high quality, professional, independent support to foster care households. Some of the key benefits include: You are also covered by our legal protection insurance if you are a foster carer looking after a young person up to the age of 25 under Staying Put or equivalent (Continuing Care, Going the Extra Mile and When I Am Ready) or if you provide supported lodgings.

Free legal helpline

This gives you immediate access to legal advice from qualified professionals, covering any legal issue (not just those relating to fostering) and is available to anyone in your household.

Free counselling and solicitor support

Fostering Network’s counselling service is fully confidential and is there for you and your family 24/7 to support you.

Free medical, mortgage and tax helpline

Fostering Network’s helpline is manned by qualified professionals and is also a 24/7 service.

Discounts for foster carers

There are a wide range of discounts available to foster carers and offer discounts on products and services in Stockport and across the UK.

  • Free life leisure membership for all foster carers and their families in the household

  • Blue Light Card gives members thousands of discounts online and on the high street.

  • Fostering Network
    Visit the Website

  • Stockport Foster Carers Association – www.sfca.org.uk/discounts

  • VIVUP
    The  new employee benefits, discounts and wellbeing platform that we have launched in conjunction with Vivup.  The new platform will be web based and you will have your own log in that will give you access to a huge range of discounts and savings from well known high street chains and online retailers.  The platform also provides a whole host of resources to help support health and wellbeing.  As foster carers Vivup profile is now live for you to access and benefit from the new employee benefits, discounts and wellbeing platform.
Get in touch to find out more about our local support and training:
Speak to our friendly fostering team on  0161 474 3400