Benefits at a glance
What are the benefits of fostering with Solihull Council? Apart from working with young people our current carers love our community spirit, great financial rewards and career development opportunities.
24/7 support to all our carers
The best foster carers are those who feel supported. That’s why we provide 24/7 support to all our carers with a dedicated out of hours fostering support line run by experienced and knowledgeable members of staff who can help you with any issues you may have.
​
You’ll be paired with your own social worker, based here in Solihull, who will work with you and your family supporting you every step of the way. We really will be just a phone call away when you need us. You’ll have regular one to ones and they’ll be there to support your fostering development.
Our team is made up of over 20 incredibly experienced workers, who have seen lots of different cases and helped to match 100s of children in need of a loving home.
Comprehensive training and development
You’ll develop a range of skills, building on your natural abilities as a carer and learning how to advocate for children in your care. We support your learning with a comprehensive range of training opportunities, including your initial Skills To Foster training.
Competitive fees and allowances
At Foster for Solihull, we want you to feel supported. That’s why we provide financial support to all our foster carers for the amazing work they do. We pay our foster carers £370 to £640 per week on average, per child. The actual amount will vary based on your skills level and the ages of the children you look after. You’ll also benefit from tax relief and payments to cover additional expenses such as birthdays and cultural holidays, including Christmas.
See below for more detailed fees information.
​
Support groups
We run regular, specialised support groups. Join our regular specialised support groups. Free to attend, they provide a space for your family, friends and birth children to meet like-minded fostering families.
​
When times get tough, we’re on your side to help a home match go smoothly. From dedicated helplines to a full therapeutic team and a dedicated fostering support worker for our borough, we’ll ensure the child in your care feels safe and secure and so do you.
Engaged and supportive community
As a Solihull foster carer, you’re never alone. Our community of foster carers meet up regularly to make new friends and share useful tips and advice. On a national scale, all our carers gain access to The Fostering Network, the UK’s leading fostering charity.
Leisure membership for your foster child or young person
All Solihull foster children are eligible for a FREE leisure membership, to use at either North Solihull Sports Centre or Tudor Grange Leisure Centre
​
​
Discounts scheme and cashback card
Access to the BHN extras platform providing discounts on home, tech and much more. In addition to the Byond cashback card that can be loaded up allowing you to save on your regular purchases.
"I've got great support with my family around me and also with the fostering team"
More about pay and benefits
Fostering is a career unlike any other, but still needs rewarding. We offer skills-based payments as well as allowances to support the child in your care.​​
Our typical fees
We pay our foster carers between £370 and £640 per week tax free for one child, dependant on age. This is equivalent to £1603 and £2773 per month. For experienced carers, people who have fostered previously, or a carer who is transferring to us, we pay additional skills fees from £50 to £102 per month. There are also other allowances such as additional needs, festival, holiday and birthday fees. This amount you are paid differs depending on your experience, the number of children you are caring for, their ages and whether you foster on a full-time or part-time basis.
​
We are committed to providing a competitive weekly allowance to enable you to focus your attention on the child in your care, making them feel cherished and valued and giving them the chance to thrive.
Weekly payments....helping you budget
We pay allowances weekly to give you control over your budget and easily respond to life’s everyday needs. These allowances break down into a skills-level based payment, and an allowance for the child in your care. We also include one-off payments to get a home match ready, such as our set up grant. This provides up to £500 if you need to buy equipment that’s essential to the role, whether that’s furniture, a pushchair or equipment needed for certain ages of children.
We also know that fostering requires a lot of travel to school, clubs and birth family visits. We’ll assist with expenses by paying 36p per mile for mileage over 50 miles per week. We also want you to be able to celebrate a child in your care, which is why we offer up to £250 a year in allowance for birthdays and cultural festivals such as Christmas.
"As foster carers, we do the amazing job of being that secure base for children whilst families can repair, and hopefully be reunited"
Samantha, Foster Carer
Local training that’s
easy to access
We want to give you the best skills to care for children in Solihull. This starts from day one of your assessment.
​
We offer a preparatory course for all new foster carers to make sure you’re ready for your first home match.
​
All of our training is easy to access, understand and apply. Better still, it’s all based locally in the Solihull borough.
​
We have a mix of online and in-person courses to suit your busy and varied lifestyle of fostering.
Your dedicated social worker will work with you on a Professional Development Plan to hone your skills and career growth.
​
Our training carries on year-round, including therapeutic courses such as our popular Fostering Resilience and The Solihull Approach classes.
“Fostering is about giving love and security to children who come into our home. If you’ve got place in your heart and your home, think about fostering"
Join a community of carers
As a foster carer, you’re never alone. Our community of carers meets up regularly to make new friends and share useful advice.
​
All of our carers gain access to The Fostering Network, the UK’s leading fostering charity.
​
We have regular support groups so you can meet with other carers in person, and introduce your wider network to other families who foster.
​
We hold regular social events year-round including our Christmas party and summer picnic.