bdaily reports that becoming a foster carer is quickly becoming a serious career option for many couples and single people.

Fostering is about caring for a child in your own home. Right now, there are nearly 40,000 children in England who have been placed with foster carers by social services for a number of reasons. Many of these eventually return to their families, however this can take a matter of days or weeks, or it could take years.

You don’t need formal qualifications to be a foster carer, but it helps if you have experience of caring for children together with plenty of commitment.

Helen Middleton of Team Fostering told bdaily:

“What we are really looking for is people who value and respect other people’s differences, people who are resourceful, flexible and able to use their initiative and enjoy teamwork.”

Prospective carers can be married, single or living together and there is no upper age limit for fostering. Foster carers are self employed and receive £381.50 a week for a standard placement and £497 a week for crisis intervention placements for teenagers.

Anyone joining Team Fostering will receive full training and support, plus the opportunity to achieve NVQ level 3 in Caring for Children and Young People.

For more information, you need to call Team Fostering’s Newcastle office on 0191 262 8855 or the Darlington office on 01325 368600

To read more about fostering, visit fostering.org.uk.