No pressure. Just a friendly, honest conversation about fostering.
A home in your community
A familiar school. A friend nearby.
A home where a child can feel they belong.
Thinking about fostering? We’re an independent, family-run agency supporting carers across the borough. Let’s talk about what it could look like for you.
Family-owned and run. Since 1998.
The ordinary things.
They can mean everything.
What staying local can mean
When so much is changing, a familiar face at the school gate or the journey to a favourite club can matter more than ever.
Fostering close to a child’s community can help keep those connections within reach. Across Barking, Becontree, Dagenham and the surrounding neighbourhoods, you could help make that possible.
In its January 2026 performance report, Barking & Dagenham Council described a reduction in its own fostering capacity as carers retired, alongside a rise in 16- and 17-year-olds entering care.
That gives a local context to a very personal decision. A teenager may need someone who has time to listen, help them navigate college or friendships, and keep showing up when things are difficult. We can talk with you about caring for an older child and the support you would need.
Local context: Council performance report, quarters 1–2 of 2025/26 (PDF). Published January 2026; these findings describe that reporting period.
A child’s needs come first. Staying local is valuable when it is right for them—not a promise that every child will be from your borough.
You’re part of our team
Your supervising social worker gets to know you, your family and the child in your care. Someone to share the good days with—and someone to call on the difficult ones.
Training that understands family life
School runs, work, appointments and everything that goes into a family day. Finding time to learn matters—but it helps when you don’t have to add a journey across London.
Our Skills to Foster preparation training, weekly training and monthly support groups all take place online via Zoom. You can join from home, without travelling to an office or finding somewhere to park.
It’s still time together: asking questions, sharing ideas and learning alongside other carers. Being online can make attending easier to fit around a busy life; it doesn’t mean having to work things out on your own.
Online training, personal support. Your social worker still visits you face to face at least monthly, calls at least weekly and is there by phone 24/7.
Life in Barking & Dagenham
A home is part of a child’s life, not all of it. If you foster here, these are some of the local services worth knowing about. Which support is right will depend on the child—not simply your postcode.
Barking & Dagenham’s Aspire Virtual School supports the education of children looked after by the council, wherever they live or learn. It works with schools, carers and social workers. So if a child is looked after by Barking & Dagenham but lives with you elsewhere, that educational support remains relevant.
The important starting point is the council responsible for the child, rather than the borough where your home happens to be.
If a child has special educational needs or a disability, the Barking & Dagenham SEND Local Offer brings together information about education, health, care and preparing for adulthood. It can be a useful place to start when you’re finding out what is available locally.
Talk through any service’s eligibility and referral arrangements with the child’s social worker and your SSW before assuming it will be available.
The local Family Hubs timetable brings together activities at Barking Learning Centre, Dagenham Library and Marks Gate. It’s a practical way to see what is happening near you and which groups might suit your family.
Check the current age ranges and booking arrangements. The right activity should fit the individual child’s interests, comfort and care plan.
These are local public services, separate from GLF. Links and information checked in September 2026; see each service’s own website for current details.
The practical side
It’s a sensible question to ask. These are GLF’s weekly payments per child while they are in your care.
Enhancements may be paid where a child’s individual needs warrant them. We’ll explain what applies to your circumstances when we speak.
Weekly payments from GLF
Clear figures. A conversation about your family.
One step at a time
You may have been thinking about fostering for years. Or something in your life may only recently have made it feel possible.
We’ll start by listening. Then, if you want to go further, we’ll help you understand each stage.
Talk through your questions and what fostering might mean for your household. No commitment to apply.
An initial visit gives us time to explore your home life and the support you might need.
Live preparation training on Zoom helps you understand the role and the experiences children bring with them. No journey to a training venue.
A social worker works with you through the application, conversations and checks.
Your assessment goes to panel for a recommendation, followed by the agency’s approval decision.
A few things you may be wondering
There’s no perfect starting point and no question too small.
Yes. You can enquire directly with us. GLF is an independent, family-owned and run fostering agency, not the council’s fostering service. We’ll explain our assessment, support and payments so you can decide whether we feel right for you.
Skills to Foster, weekly training and monthly support groups are all online via Zoom, so there’s no travel to a venue. You’ll need time to participate and a private space to join. This is separate from your SSW’s face-to-face visits, which happen at least monthly. Read about learning with GLF.
Yes, renting does not rule you out. You’ll need a suitable, stable home with a spare bedroom for a child. We can talk through your housing situation with you.
No. We’ll explore the experience and strengths you already have, and what you may need to learn. Preparation training and ongoing support are part of fostering with GLF.
Not necessarily. GLF works across London. We consider the individual child’s needs and your household when discussing who you could care for; a local address alone does not decide that. School journeys, important relationships and time with family all need to be considered as part of that conversation.
It usually takes several months. The training, checks and assessment take time, and the pace will depend on your circumstances. We’ll explain the likely next steps when we speak.
Yes, we welcome conversations with experienced carers who are considering a change. We’ll talk through your situation and what a transfer would involve. Read about transferring to GLF.
Take the first step
Leave your name and number and our fostering team will call you back. It is simply a chance to ask questions and see what feels right.
Not ready to talk?
Keep exploring in whichever way feels most comfortable.
