No pressure. Just a friendly, honest conversation about fostering.
A home in your community
Time to play. Space to learn. A reassuring adult nearby.
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.
Fostering where you live
Making something, sharing a book or having a conversation can tell you a lot about a child. You may notice what catches their interest, when they become tired and how they ask for help.
If you are considering fostering in Merton, those ordinary parts of home life are worth thinking about. A younger child may need predictable play and learning opportunities; an older child may need encouragement to try again after a difficult experience at school.
You do not have to be a teacher to offer a supportive home. We’ll talk about how you can make time for a child and work alongside the people who support their development and education.
Merton’s Best Start Family Hubs information describes support for early development, programmes for parenthood and the home learning environment. The council’s guidance says its hubs adopted the Best Start name in April 2026, while continuing wider information and signposting for families.
Local context: Merton: Best Start Family Hubs explained.
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 area.
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 Merton
These local starting points can help you plan and ask useful questions. The right service depends on the child’s circumstances, the council responsible for them and each service’s own access arrangements.
Merton’s Best Start Family Hubs bring together existing children’s-centre services, developmental support and guidance for families. Check the current timetable and access arrangements for the offer you are interested in. These public services are separate from GLF’s Skills to Foster and ongoing Zoom training.
Merton’s Family Information Digital Offer, known as FIDO, includes the hub directory and links to wider family and community information. It can be useful when you need to compare activities or find a starting point for support. Check each listing with the provider before relying on it.
These are local public or community services, separate from GLF. Information checked in September 2026; see each service’s own website for current details. Availability, eligibility and any funding must be checked with the relevant service and the child’s social worker.
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.
You can support learning through everyday routines, encouragement and interest, but you are not expected to replace the child’s school or specialist provision. We’ll help you understand your part in their education plan and who to ask when more support is needed.
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.
