Benefits of fostering
Fostering is a life-changing career which can benefit you, the children you foster, and your whole family.
Are you interested in learning what it is that makes foster care so special? Scroll below to discover five incredible benefits of fostering a child with Orange Grove.
1) You can change the lives of young people in the UK
Many who choose to foster find that they're drawn to fostering as a career. Fostering is a way to make a positive change in the world, enrich our lives and give children in care the support, love and guidance they need to thrive.
There is no job more rewarding than parenting, and watching a young person who's had a difficult start in life find their voice is an incredible experience. Often the loving and trusting relationship you build with the child in your care will last long after they have left your home. Fostering doesn’t only change the life of the young person who you welcome into your home—it changes your life for the better, too.
2) Learn new skills while working from home
Fostering is a fantastic choice for people looking for an enriching career while working from home. Fostering is far from just a job, it’s a lifestyle which requires time, dedication and a full heart. To ensure that you’re always growing and developing in your fostering journey, we have developed a fantastic programme of research-based training; some e-learning courses, and others are group training sessions completed either online or in-person.
When coupled with our dedicated and ongoing support, our training will equip you with the skills needed to help the child in your care through any situation, whether it be their personal development, helping them to overcome the trauma of their past experiences, or being an advocate for their health and wellbeing in a professional setting. The skills and knowledge you’ll gain from these sessions will not only help you to care for the child, but can also offer a great opportunity to develop your parenting skills with your own children or grandchildren.
3) Watch your family grow together
When you welcome a child into your home, your house will be filled with a renewed sense of energy. Some people choose to foster once their children have left home and they miss the joy and abundance which children bring to family life. Others decide to foster when their children still live at home and find that fostering helps all of the children in the home to blossom. Fostering gives your children the opportunity to build treasured bonds which can last a lifetime.
Some people who foster have never been a parent before, and choose the rewarding path of opening their hearts to a child in need of a home. Whatever your unique family circumstances, when you bring somebody new into your home, it’s a wonderful opportunity to build new relationships, learn, and grow together.
4) Become a part of a vibrant community
When you join us, you’ll be joining a thriving community of foster parents and care professionals who all have one mission in mind— supporting young people in need to grow and achieve.
With our training sessions, support groups, mentoring schemes and free family events, you’ll be presented with plenty of opportunities to make fantastic new friendships. Fostering is also a wonderful way of supporting your local community and investing in its future.
5) Become part of the Orange Grove family
When you foster with us, you’ll never need to worry about facing challenges alone. Whether you need help in an emergency or a friendly chat and some advice, our warm and professional team will always be available to support you. Our team is therapeutically trained, and we’ll also provide you with help from a local therapist if you ever need some additional support.
We recognise how important it is that every member of your family, including your children or grandchildren, get the support they need from us and feel valued throughout their fostering journey. We aim to make fostering rewarding for your whole family by involving your children in the fostering process, providing them with resources to help them prepare to foster and the opportunity to make friends with other children whose families foster through our tailored support groups and regular fun family events.
Learn more about how we go above and beyond for our foster families.
Download our finance guide today
Discover everything you need to know about fostering allowances, tax relief, benefits and pensions by downloading our Guide to Fostering Finances.
The benefits of fostering for your children
We believe that fostering is a journey the whole family should enjoy together, and we make an extra effort to ensure that all of the children in your family, including your children or your grandchildren, have a wonderful fostering experience.
Here are just some of the great benefits which fostering can have for your own children:
- Fostering teaches children about compassion, empathy, teamwork and the importance of working together as a community.
- All of the children in a fostering family receive support from our expert team, with specialist resources and support groups designed for children who foster.
- Your children or grandchildren will have the fantastic opportunity to come along to our free days out and activity days, which include events such as Christmas parties and summer events.
- Having foster siblings can provide children with great opportunities to play, learn and grow.
Are you ready to foster?
There are plenty more benefits to fostering, and we’re always on the lookout for people interested in choosing this wonderful and rewarding career.
Our foster parents are caring and compassionate people who come from all walks of life, cultures, ages and experiences. You can be straight, LGBTIQA+, single or in a relationship. All that matters is that you’re over 21, have the right to work in the UK, have a spare bedroom available to welcome a new member of the family, and that you’re committed to making a difference in the lives of children in need of love and care.
If you’re interested in fostering, we’d love to hear from you and tell you more about what it’s like to become a foster parent with Orange Grove.
Please make sure you read our terms and conditions because you're agreeing to them by submitting an enquiry. It's also worth reading our privacy policy and cookies policy so you understand how we collect and use your personal data.
Ready to start your fostering journey?
By phone
One of our team is available to talk to you over the phone to answer any of your fostering queries.
Enquire online
You can get in touch by filling out our online enquiry form with any queries that you may have.
Your local office
We have local teams covering most of England. Find your local office today.