Fostering in sutton
Unfortunately, hundreds of children and young people come into care each week, all within the Sutton area of London. This is because they cannot be looked after by their own families – for a variety of reasons. It could be because of conflict within the family home, meaning that children need to be temporarily removed while that conflict is resolved. It could also be due to an illness, meaning that parents or guardians are physically unable to meet the needs of their children. Unfortunately, it could also be because of abuse or neglect. TACT are recruiting foster carers in Sutton to provide a safe and caring home to these children. If making a difference sounds like something you could do, you could join our Fostering Sutton team of foster carers.
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Can I foster in Sutton?
You don’t need any previous experience to start fostering in Sutton. To proceed with an application, you would need to meet this initial criteria:
- To be over 21 years old (there is no upper age limit)
- To have at least one spare bedroom
- To be a full-time resident in the UK or have indefinite leave to remain
You would also need the time and flexibility to dedicate yourself to fostering. Good written and spoken English is essential, as you would be required to work with other professionals, and provide written records detailing the progress of any young people in your care.
Full Training
No prior experience or training is required to become a foster carer.
We offer comprehensive training to ensure you are fully equipped to care for children in your home. Our training is available either in person or virtually.
The initial training, called Skills To Foster, is completed virtually during the foster carer assessment process. This short course introduces you to fostering and provides an opportunity to ask any questions you may have.
Once you are approved as a foster carer with TACT, you will receive a detailed training program to further develop your skills, enabling you to care for and make a positive impact on more children and young people in the Sutton area.
We also offer specialist training to support you in caring for children with specific needs or requirements.
24/7 Support
To truly make a difference to children’s lives, 24/7 support is crucial. We reinvest any surplus income to enhance the support we provide to our fostering families, ensuring you are never left without help.
Once you become an approved TACT foster carer, you will be assigned your own Supervising Social Worker. All our Supervising Social Workers handle a manageable caseload, allowing them to dedicate more time to you. We believe that by offering you the best support, you’ll be better equipped to provide the care and guidance needed to positively impact children’s lives.
Here’s what we offer:
- Full 24/7 support. Your Supervising Social Worker will typically provide all the support you need, but our dedicated out-of-hours service ensures someone is always available for help or advice.
- Foster carer portal. This online platform is a hub for TACT foster carers, offering access to information, advice, training, and other resources to support you in your daily role.
- Education service. A dedicated service providing advice and support to ensure the young people in your care receive the best educational opportunities.
- Health service. Our health service ensures the physical and mental health of children in your care is closely monitored.
- Support groups. Our support groups, based in Sutton and surrounding areas, give you a local space to connect with other carers and share experiences.
- Support for young people. Our Children’s Wellbeing Practitioners offer extra support, activities, and events for the children in your care in the Sutton area.
- Supporting your own children. We recognise the importance of your own children in the fostering household. Our Children Who Foster events give your children the chance to meet other young people who also contribute to fostering.
- Peer support. Sometimes, peer-to-peer support may be available. These operate by pairing new foster carers with experienced TACT carers to provide additional guidance and support.
Pay & Allowances
Foster carers are highly skilled individuals, and our fees and allowances reflect the important work they do.
In partnership with Sutton London Borough Council, we receive funding to support the care of children and young people in the area. This funding is used to deliver our services and support our dedicated team of foster carers. The fostering allowance you receive will depend on factors such as the type of care you provide, the number of children in your care, their ages, and the complexity of their needs.
There are also payments for children’s birthdays, holidays and religious festivals. We also pay long service awards and a Refer a Friend fee (if you recommend someone who then goes on to be an approved foster carer with us).
Below, you can find examples of the weekly Fostering Sutton payments you could receive when a young person is placed in your care:
Meet The Area Manager
“I have always worked with children from 0-18 years in a variety of settings including the NHS, Local Authorities, and small Charitable organisations. TACT’s ethos is putting the child at the centre and that resonates with me – making TACT a charity I am proud to be a part of.”
Christine McGillvary – TACT Area Manager London & The South
Christine is truly passionate about making a difference to children’s lives. She manages our great team of social workers that cover the South Coast – ensuring that our team of foster parents are fully supported. Christine has over 19 years’ experience in fostering, specifically within the charitable sector.
Rated ‘Good’ By Ofsted
Following an inspection in January 2022, Ofsted have announced that TACT London & the South has been rated ‘Good’ for its work with foster carers and looked after children.
“The fostering service provides a good quality of care, and the experiences and outcomes for children are very positive. Children, many of whom have complex needs, receive personalised care that meets their needs, and they are kept safe.” – Ofsted, 2022
What Our Foster Carers Say
“I have very good support from TACT, I know that if I need to get in contact at any time the support is there. I’m never afraid to shout for help.”
Nicola – TACT Foster Carer since 2020
Fostering Information Events
- January 9, 2025
- Hampshire, London,
- Time: 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Hampshire Fostering Information Event
TACT London & The South are hosting a Fostering Information Session at Emsworth Baptist Church on Thursday 9th January between 10am – 12.30pm.
- April 11, 2025
- London
- Time: 9:30 am – 4:00 pm
Hammersmith Fostering Information Event
TACT London are hosting a Fostering Information Session at RCNI London West Nursing Careers & Jobs Fair on Friday 11th April 2025 between 9.30am – 4pm.
Start Your Fostering Journey
