Welcome to the Foster Carers Handbook
The vision of Staffordshire County Council Children in Care Service is to ensure that all children and young people in care are safe, secure and achieve their full potential. Within the Fostering Service we aim to do this by providing and supporting safe, stable and positive experiences of care. Our aim is to ensure each child has a secure identity by making the most of educational opportunities being healthy and emotionally well as well as enjoying a network of social relationships within which they feel valued.
As foster carers you play a vital part in ensuring that children in care have a safe and positive experience whilst being cared for. For some children and young people the plan may be to be returned home or to live with relatives, whilst others may move on to adoption or remain in permanent foster care.
This handbook contains a range of information and guidance which will help and support you to achieve good outcomes for children and young people in your care. If you are unsure of anything please contact your Fostering Social Worker or contact FosteringEngagement@staffordshire.gov.uk.
Getting Started:
Welcome to your web-enabled Foster Carers Handbook.
Please note the following terms are used throughout this manual, however Staffordshire Children's Services do not use these terms within practice. Please see the preferred language below:
| Language used throughout the manual | Language used within Staffordshire’s Fostering Service |
|---|---|
| Care Leaver | Care Experienced |
| Care Plan | Young Person's Plan |
| In Care | Cared For |
| Permanence | Long Term |
| Placement | Home |
| Family and Friends Carers | Kinship Carers |
| Looked After Children | Children in Care |
| Contact | Family Time |
| Skills to Foster Course and Core Training | Foundations to Fostering and Next Steps to Fostering |
| Short-term Fostering | Task Centred Fostering |
| Respite Care | Short Breaks |
If this is the first time you've visited this online handbook, please read through the 'Using this Handbook' guidance to familiarise yourself with the layout and functions.
The handbook reflects policies, procedure and guidance for the fostering service which cover many common situations faced by foster carers on a day to day basis. It has been written in an accessible way to help you understand the sort of things that your fostering service requires of you. It has been designed for new and existing foster carers and deals with the day to day practicalities you may face.
It has links to the Minimum Standards for Fostering Services and references to the relevant Training, Support and Development Standards. You should also use the handbook to support your learning and development, particularly in relation to meeting the induction standards.
Foster carers play an important role in the lives of Looked After Children and their families so it is important that you have the necessary tools to support you with this task. The handbook is one of these tools alongside the many professionals you will work with including your Supervising Social Worker and other foster carers.
This is the start of a great journey for you and the children and young people you may work with.
The content is accessible via the subsection links or please click here to view the full contents list.
Last Updated: January 6, 2026
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