Foster carers needed in Portsmouth
Foster Carers Needed in Portsmouth
When there are not enough local foster carers, children may be placed further away from everything familiar to them. By fostering in Portsmouth, you can help reduce that disruption and provide the consistency and reassurance that children need at a challenging time.
South Coast Fostering is committed to supporting vulnerable children and young people across the region. We work closely with local authorities to ensure children are matched carefully with suitable foster families, focusing on stability and positive outcomes. Thoughtful matching, ongoing supervision and accessible support are central to our approach.
As a foster carer, you provide more than accommodation. You offer routine, encouragement, advocacy and a safe environment in which a child can begin to rebuild confidence. We provide structured training before approval, ongoing professional development and dedicated supervision from a supervising social worker with a manageable caseload. Our 24/7 out-of-hours support ensures you are never left to manage challenges alone.
Our foster carers receive £479.50 per week for children aged 0–10 and £507.50 per week for children aged 11 and over, reflecting both the fostering allowance and the professional responsibility of the role. We welcome individuals and families from a wide range of backgrounds who are able to offer patience, resilience and stability.
If you live in Portsmouth and are considering becoming a foster carer, an informal conversation is often the best place to begin. We are here to answer your questions clearly and help you explore whether fostering could be right for you.
What do you need to Be a Foster carer?
The most important requirements are stability, time and a safe home environment. In most fostering arrangements, you will need a spare bedroom so that a child has their own private space where they can feel secure and settled. If you are applying to foster a baby, a separate bedroom may not be required at the start, as a baby can sleep in a crib in your room.
You also need a good level of availability. Foster carers are typically involved in school runs, attending meetings with teachers and social workers, supporting contact arrangements and being present during school holidays. This usually means you cannot work long or inflexible hours. Some foster carers do continue working, but their employment must allow enough flexibility to prioritise the child’s needs.
Above all, fostering requires patience, resilience and a willingness to work as part of a professional team. You do not need to be perfect, but you do need to be dependable, open to learning and committed to providing a stable and nurturing home.
Support you'll receive from us
- 24/7 support from your supervising social worker
- £507.50 (479.50 for under 11s) a week in fostering allowance and fees to foster
- Intensive training program to help you be the best you can be
Where are we recruiting?
We need new foster carers across all of Southern England. Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Isle Of Wight, Surrey, London, Berkshire, Wiltshire.
Portsmouth
Next Steps
Depending on where you are in your fostering journey, we have a few suggested next steps.
Download Our Guide To Fostering
Arrange for a call back
Ask us a question via whatsapp
We keep your person information safe, and only use it to contact you in the way you’ve asked us to.
Why Might a Child Need Fostering?
Children come into foster care for many different reasons, but always because they cannot safely remain at home at that time. This may be due to family difficulties, illness, relationship breakdown, or concerns about a child’s safety and wellbeing.
In many cases, fostering is intended to be temporary while work is undertaken with birth families. In other situations, children may need longer-term stability if returning home is not possible.
What is important to understand is that children who need fostering are not defined by their circumstances. They are children first — with interests, personalities and potential. What they need most is a safe, consistent environment where they can feel secure, supported and encouraged while plans for their future are carefully considered.
book a call about fostering:
We’d be happy to give you a 15-20 minute call to tell you about fostering. Don’t worry, there’s no pressure from us – it’s honestly a chance for you to ask us any questions you have about fostering, and your suitability. Just complete this short form
