Preparing a Foster Child for Independence: A Practical Guide for Carers
Getting a young person ready to leave care is the part of fostering carers say they felt least prepared for. Here is what the leaving care system in England sets up and when, what money a care leaver is actually entitled to, and the everyday things that make the biggest difference.
Helping a Foster Child Through a Move: What Transitions Really Involve
Moves are the part of fostering carers ask about most. An honest look at what happens when a child arrives, what to protect when they move on, and the support GLF puts around you at both ends.
‘Foster mum’s the reason I’m off to top university’
Article taken from BBC News website A medical student who grew up in care says she could not have secured her place at a top university without the support of her foster mother. Olivia Ojemen went into the care system aged 16 but is now off to Birkbeck, University of London, to study biomedical science. […]
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.