No pressure. Just a friendly, honest conversation about fostering.
A home in your community
A first welcome at home. A joined-up start at school.
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
When a child comes to live with you, there is a lot to learn about one another. School is part of that picture too: a trusted adult, a familiar lesson and knowing what happens tomorrow can all help the day feel more predictable.
For a foster carer in Sutton, it helps to know who is involved in the child’s education from the start. Your observations at home may help explain why they are finding something hard, or show an interest that school has not yet seen.
We’ll support you to share those observations and ask questions. A child needs room to settle, while the adults around them make sure support and learning do not get overlooked.
Cognus explains that children coming into Sutton’s care are allocated a Children Looked After Education Advisor through Sutton Virtual School. The adviser works with the social worker and school. This is support connected to Sutton’s responsibility for the child, not a service triggered simply by a foster carer’s Sutton address.
Local context: Sutton Virtual School: welcome to the service.
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 Sutton
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.
Sutton Virtual School, provided by Cognus, coordinates education support rather than being a school building a child attends. Its pages have information for families and professionals. Ask the child’s social worker which education team is responsible and how you can contribute to their Personal Education Plan.
Sutton’s Best Start information describes family hubs in Wallington, Carshalton, Cheam and South Sutton, and Central Sutton. It includes opportunities for practical support and connection. Look at the current offer and the requirements for individual sessions rather than assuming every hub provides the same programme.
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 share what you know about the child’s routines, interests and experiences at home, and help put agreed support into everyday practice. The education team and social worker can explain meetings and responsibilities. You are an important part of the conversation, not expected to take on every professional role.
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.
