Fostering

There's no such thing as a typical foster carer

Foster carers can be single or married, same sex, employed or unemployed, a home owner or living in rented accommodation. Foster carers are as different as the children they care for.

We want to help our foster carers be the best carers possible and to give South Tyneside's children the best start in life. 

We need foster carers for:

Mother and baby

Could you support a young mother and her baby? Care for Mum and baby offering guidance in the care of the baby.

Older children

Could you offer a home to older children, giving them security, care and guidance?

Sibling groups

Do you have 2 or more spare rooms? Could you look after a sibling group and keep families together?

Long term fostering

Are you able to help a child for many years? Perhaps for the whole of their childhood and beyond?

Who can foster?

Foster carers in South Tyneside come from all walks of life. We don't think there is such a thing as a typical foster carer.

Who can foster?

Steps to fostering

Find out about the process of becoming a foster carer with South Tyneside Council.

Steps to fostering

How much would I get paid?

We now offer ‘Payment for Skills’ where the more experience and qualifications carers gain, the more they will be paid.

How much would I get paid?

Information evenings

We hold Information Evenings on the last Thursday of every month. This is a great opportunity to find out more about fostering.

Information evenings

Fostering stories

Find out what fostering with South Tyneside Council is like from our carers and children.

Fostering stories

Frequently asked questions

Check out our frequently asked questions about becoming a foster parent.

FAQs

Private fostering

Are you looking after some else's child? Private fostering is when a child is living and being cared for by someone who is not a close relative or parent.

Private fostering

Long-term fostering

Many children across the UK live with their foster families for many years, and sometimes for the whole of their childhood and beyond.

Long-term fostering

Why foster with South Tyneside Council?

Our network of support includes access to psychologists, nursing, schools and a specialist Project for Looked After Children's Education (PLACE) team, which provides individual support in learning, education and behaviour.

We also work closely with colleagues and agencies inside and outside of South Tyneside to support Looked After Children.

Our Ofsted rating - Good

South Tyneside Council's Children's Services were recently ranked as one of the best in the country after being rated "good" for the services we provide to children, young people and families. 

Children become looked after when they need to be so. Outcomes relating to children's health and education are good.

Effective matching is supporting placement stability well and this is good. Independent reviewing officers (IROs) offer effective oversight, review and challenge of children's cases, and this is leading to timely permanence.

Foster carers are well trained and supported to meet children's needs, although not all carers are provided with timely delegated authority to make day-to-day decisions for the children they care for. The local authority has recently taken action to improve oversight of this service, and this includes improving the timeliness of foster carer reviews.

View the full report: Ofsted: South Tyneside