Support offer for foster carers

Our support offer includes: 

• Financial allowances including allowances for clothing, birthdays, holidays and religious festivals including Christmas, Eid etc
• Access to an out of hours advice line 365 days a year. This is available in an evening and on weekends (Monday to Friday 6.00am to 9.00pm, and Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays from 12noon to 9.00pm)
• Access to drop ins and interventions with our in house Child Psychologist who specifically works with our children
• Access to Our Children and Carers Support Team who work specifically with foster carers, our children and young people
• Reimbursement for equipment to care for our children – prams, baby monitors, wardrobes, bedside cabinets, moses baskets, highchairs, mattresses, car seats, bed frames, bunk beds if required, steriliser and stair gate
• Membership with Blackpool’s Foster Carer Association who organise social events for our fostering families
• Access to the Mockingbird Model. This provides peer support and guidance alongside social activities, planned and emergency sleepovers and learning and development opportunities to all those within the constellation
• All of our foster carers receive an ID badge at point of approval. This can support with getting discounts in the local area for activities with the children and young people
• Full training programme including PACE training delivered by our in house child psychologist
• Annual Christmas party event for the whole fostering family
• Payment for mileage (34p per mile)
• £500 refer a friend to become a foster carer allowance 
• Financial incentives for supporting with recruitment campaigns, training and interviews
• Coffee mornings and quarterly foster carer forums
• Every child and young person who is looked after by Blackpool gets a Passport to Leisure Card. This gives them free or reduced access to all the leisure facilities in Blackpool.
• Our newly approved carers are buddied up with an experienced foster carer for peer support