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The council seeks to match children with the most appropriate foster carers available to us at the time as we understand how important it is that you are able to form a positive relationship with any child in your care.
Challenging teens
We have an urgent need for foster carers who are prepared to work with young people (normally between 10-18 years of age), some of whom may have difficulties in their relationships with others, problems at school and behavioural issues.
You will be supported by your allocated social worker as you help these young people through a difficult period in their lives. This can be challenging work, but it is at the same time enormously rewarding.
A critical part of the task of fostering teenagers is preparing them for independence.
Money management is an important lesson for young people to learn so children over 16 are given £40 a week to pay for such things such as travel, food and clothes.
You will need to pay this money to fostered children in your care out of your main allowance.
Other groups that we are keen to find foster placements for include:
Under 5's
If you are to foster a child under five you must have time and the flexibility to be able to provide full-time care for them.
It is also likely that a fostered child of this age will be visited by their birth parent(s) five or six times a week.
Siblings and young mothers
There are often cases where two or more children from the same family need to be fostered together. We also sometimes have young girls with babies of their own who need a foster placement. This means we are always keen to talk to people who may have the space for more than one fostered child at a time.
Children with disabilities
Children and young people with disabilities have the same fundamental needs, likes and dislikes as other children and benefit from the opportunities to build relationships in a family rather than a residential setting if they cannot live with their own families.
Disabilities can be physical (such as muscular dystrophy or cerebral palsy), or may involve moderate to severe learning difficulties such as Autism. There will be cases where children have both physical and mental disabilities.
Caring for these children can pose significant challenges, but we do of course provide substantial support for foster carers who take on such cases.
There are also short-term fostering opportunities for young people with disabilities where the council provides respite assistance to parents to allow them short breaks from caring for their children.
For more information see extra support for foster carers looking after children with disabilities.
We'd love to hear from you, use the contact details below to get in touch.
Contact Details
| Fostering Recruitment and Assessment Team | |
|---|---|
| Telephone | 020 8726 6400 ext 64025 |
| Freephone | 0800 389 0129 |
| fosteringenquiries@croydon.gov.uk | |
| Address | 7th floor Jeanette Wallace House 1 Edridge Road Croydon CR0 1FE |
