Remand Fostering Explained: Caring for a Young Person Awaiting Court
Remand fostering means giving a young person awaiting court a bedroom instead of a cell. Here is what the role really involves, what the law says, and what GLF pays.
Staying Put: What Happens When a Young Person Turns 18?
Staying Put lets a young person carry on living with their foster carer after they turn 18, usually until they are 21. Here is who is eligible, what changes on the day, what it means for your income, and how the planning works from age 16.
Short-Term and Long-Term Fostering: What Is the Difference?
Short term does not mean a few nights, and long term does not mean adoption. Here is what each kind of fostering actually involves, how a child’s plan decides which is which, and what the difference feels like week to week.
What Support Do Foster Carers Receive?
Who is actually around a foster carer, and what happens at nine o’clock on a Sunday night when something goes wrong? A plain look at supervising social workers, out of hours support, the meetings, the training and the money, with the figures that apply in August 2026.
How Foster Carer Pay Works: The Fostering Allowance Explained
Greater London Fostering pays £479.50 a week for a child under 11 and £507.50 a week for a child aged 11 or over. Here is what that payment has to cover, why Qualifying Care Relief means most carers pay no tax on it, and what honestly happens to your income between placements.
Preparing to Welcome a Foster Child: What to Do Before They Arrive
The call can come with a fortnight’s notice or with four hours’. Here is what is worth sorting out before a foster child arrives, from the questions to ask on the phone to the first night, and what really does not matter.
Men in Fostering: Why We Need More Male Foster Carers
Fostering households in England have fallen for four years running, and children in care need men in their lives as well as women. Here is what male foster carers bring, the awkward parts nobody mentions, and whether you would actually qualify.
Can You Foster If You Have Pets?
Cats, dogs and the occasional chicken are welcome in foster homes across London. Here is what actually gets assessed, and the one exception: GLF cannot approve a household keeping one of the five banned dog breeds, even with a Certificate of Exemption.
Do You Need a Spare Bedroom to Foster?
For a child aged three or over you will need a bedroom that is theirs, but for a baby a cot in your own room is often enough. Here is what the national standard actually says, what we check when we visit, and what happens to your Housing Benefit while a spare room sits empty.
Can Single People Foster? An Honest Look at Fostering on Your Own
No law in England says a foster carer needs a partner, and single people are approved as foster carers every year. Here is what fostering on your own actually involves, from the support network question and the spare bedroom rule to the pay, with the hard parts left in.