As part of Devon County Council, Fostering Devon is uniquely placed to help you become a foster carer. We operate as a strictly not-for-profit service which in turn means we can focus on the child and carer’s best interests.
We already have around 300 caring homes across Devon but we still need more. We prioritise placements with our own approved carers, meaning that you are likely to have higher occupancy rates and shorter gaps between placements.
It makes sense to work with us as we’re on hand whenever you need us. Most importantly for us, we can keep the children close to their friends and family, and often in the same school.
We alone are ultimately responsible for all the children in care in Devon, so why foster with anyone else?
You get priority
Fostering with us means that you are more likely to be able to care for a child sooner than if you foster through a private or independent fostering agency.
We always prioritise our own approved carers and approach them first before talking to other agencies because we know our network of foster carers delivers the highest standard of care.
Sometimes, due to a shortage of the right kind of carer, we have to place children with private fostering agencies. This is costly and means we have less to spend on the children that need it most.
Because of this, our carers have higher occupancy levels with shorter gaps between placements than many other fostering agencies.
You can begin taking placements as soon as you’ve been approved by the fostering panel. There’s no set timeframe from approval to first placement – this depends on your flexibility and our careful matching process.
Generous fostering allowances
We pay a weekly allowance of up to £489 per week per child (depending on their level of need) to cover the expenses of caring for a child or young person and the time you spend looking after them. Find out more about our fostering payments.
Exceptional training and support
Fostering is a rewarding and recognised profession. Our foster carers deliver the highest standards of care because we work with them to make sure they are the best they can be.
We value our foster carers and the job they do by providing a full package of training and professional support.
We have teams of staff dedicated to providing you with all the support you might need. Our Promoting Stability Team can work with you to strengthen and stabilise relationships as you adjust to living together as a foster family.
Meet some more of the incredible team who work together to make sure our foster carers and the children in our care receive all the support they need and deserve to thrive.
You can transfer from another fostering agency
Did you know that if you foster for an independent fostering agency (IFA), you can transfer between agencies? We welcome foster carers transferring to Fostering Devon.
Stay local
If you live in Devon then it makes sense to foster with us – we are right on your doorstep so you can count on us to be here when you need us.
We need a diverse range of carers right across the county so that we have the best chance of matching children with suitable families and we try to find local foster carers so that children can stay close to their friends and family, and often in the same school.
Children and young people fostered by our own carers have better outcomes because they can stay in their own community, despite being unable to live at home.
Shared knowledge
Being part of Devon County Council means that Fostering Devon is one of the core services that works directly with children and their families.
Being under the same umbrella as the social workers working directly with the child means there is no middle agency to deal with, so relevant information can be shared quickly, efficiently and accurately for the child’s benefit.