Foster Carer

Location: Home working

Contract Type: Supply/Casual/Relief

Position Type: Part Time / Full Time

Hours: 24 hours per day

Could you be a self-employed foster carer or community short break carer and provide the best possible care to babies, children and young people within your own home? We welcome applications from single persons and couples. No formal qualifications are required.

Foster Carers:

Could you make the difference in a child's life?

Fostering provides a stable family life for children and young people, who can't live with their birth family. Some children stay in foster care for only a few days or weeks until their families are able to care for them again. Sometimes it isn't possible for them to return home, and alternative plans are made either through permanent fostering or adoption.

Placing children and young people with a foster carer allows them the chance to develop nurturing, compassionate, trusting and respectful relationships so that they feel loved and safe.

We need foster carers who live in South Lanarkshire and surrounding areas to look after children of all ages who are from South Lanarkshire.

We need all kinds of people for all types of children who can make them feel wanted, valued and safe. You can be a foster carer and be in work or unemployed, be single or married, be in a same sex or heterosexual relationship, or own or rent the property you live in.

So, if you are tolerant, flexible and patient, and have a genuine interest in caring for children and making a difference to their lives, then please get in touch.

To enquire to become a foster carer please visit the website below:

Fostering enquiry | Instructions (southlanarkshire.gov.uk)

Community Short Breaks Carers:

Could you spare at least one weekend a month to help families needing some support in caring for their children? These are regular, planned breaks for children which can help families under pressure from reaching breaking point. This might be grandparents who have become full time kinship carers for their grandchildren, single parents with young children who have no family or community supports, or parents who care for children with additional needs and might need a break. We work alongside families, recognising the difficulties they might be experiencing.

We are seeking people who are patient and flexible, warm and nurturing and enjoy caring for children. To enquire about becoming a community short breaks carer visit the website below

How to apply - South Lanarkshire Council

Further information:

As a self-employed foster carer you would provide safe, high quality foster care in accordance with the principles and standards expected throughout Scotland. Fostering is a regulated role and your partnership with South Lanarkshire Council as a fostering agency is regulated and inspected.

Foster carers receive a fee and an allowance, per week per child, which is paid in advance every 2 weeks. Further information regarding payment will be provided when you enquire. As a foster carer you would be seen by HMRC as ‘self-employed’ and therefore you would be required to register as ‘self-employed’ with HMRC. All self-employed people must register to pay National Insurance contributions however this is dependent on your earnings. Advice is available from HMRC and The Fostering Network.