Fostering in the West Midlands

Foster in Birmingham

Birmingham has a special place in heart because it where we are based. With that in mind if you are in the Birmingham area, a really big benefit for you as an F5 Foster Carer is having our headquarters almost on your doorstop – Our office has an open door policy so you are free to pop in whenever you like for a chat or to ask any questions, its also where we hold the majority of our training and support group meetings.

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Foster in Coventry

As a Birmingham based agency we have good connections and relationships with our neighbouring Coventry City Council. With that in mind if you are thinking of fostering in Coventry, a really big benefit for you as an F5 Foster Carer is being so close to our headquarters. FIND OUT MORE

Foster in Dudley

We are happy to share that we are an approved Foster Carer provider for Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council (as well as for all local surrounding Local Authorities) which means that when children and young people from the Dudley area are in need of Foster homes, Dudley MBC Childrens Services will forward us a referral to see what suitable homes we have for that child.

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Foster in Herefordshire
Foster in Sandwell

 

As a locally based agency (Birmingham) we have good connections and relationships with our neighbouring Sandwell Council. With that in mind if you are in the Sandwell area, a really big benefit for you as an F5 Foster Carer is being so close to our headquarters – Our office has an open door policy so you are free to pop in whenever you like for a chat or to ask any questions, its also where we hold the majority of our training and support group meetings.

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Foster in Shropshire

 

Foster in Solihull

As a Birmingham based agency we have good connections and relationships with our neighbouring Solihull Council. With that in mind if you are in the Solihull area, a really big benefit for you as an F5 Foster Carer is being so close to our headquarters – Our office has an open door policy so you are free to pop in whenever you like for a chat or to ask any questions, its also where we hold the majority of our training and support group meetings. FIND OUT MORE

Foster in Staffordshire

We are an approved Foster Carer provider for Staffordshire County Council (as well as for all local surrounding Local Authorities) which means that when children and young people from the Staffordshire area in need of Foster homes, Staffordshire Childrens Services will forward us a referral to see what suitable homes we have for that child within the area.

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Foster in Stoke-on-Trent

We are happy to share that we are an approved Foster Carer provider for Stoke on Trent Council (as well as for all local surrounding Local Authorities) which means that when children and young people from the Stoke area in need of Foster homes, Stoke on Trent Childrens Services will forward us a referral to see what suitable homes we have for that child. As such we work with them closely to ensure we recruit and train the most suitable and well matched Foster Carers possible.

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Foster in Telford & Wrekin

We are happy to share that, as a West Midlands based fostering service (Birmingham), we are an approved Foster Carer provider for Telford and Wrekin Council (as well as for all local surrounding Local Authorities)

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Foster in Walsall

We are happy to share that we are an approved Foster Carer provider for Walsall Council (as well as for all local surrounding Local Authorities) which means that when children and young people from the Walsall area are in need of Foster homes, Walsall Childrens Services will forward us a referral to see what suitable homes we have for that child. As such we work with them closely to ensure we recruit and train the most suitable and well matched Foster Carers possible.

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Foster in Warwickshire

 

 

We are happy to share that we are an approved Foster Carer provider for Warwickshire County Council (as well as for all local neighbouring Local Authorities in the West Midlands) which means that when children and young people from the Warwickshire area are in need of Foster homes, Warwickshire Childrens Services will forward us a referral to see what suitable homes we have for that child.

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Foster in Wolverhampton

 

We are happy to share that we are an approved Foster Carer provider for Wolverhampton Council (as well as for all local surrounding Local Authorities) which means that when children and young people from the Wolverhampton area in need of Foster homes

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Foster in Worcestershire

 

As an agency based in the heart of the West Midlands based we have good connections and relationships with all Local Authorities in the area including the children’s team at Worcestershire Council. With that in mind if you are in the Worcestershire area, a really big benefit for you as an F5 Foster Carer is being quite close to our headquarters

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Select your area on the map to view information and make an enquiry

Fostering West Midlands
Fostering Sandwell Fostering Birmingham Fostering Coventry Fostering Solihull Fostering Wolverhampton Fostering Warwickshire Fostering Dudley Fostering Staffordshire Fostering Telford & Wrekin Fostering Walsall Fostering Stoke on Trent Fostering Worcestershire

Fostering Sandwell

Fostering West Midlands

Children and young people come into care for a variety of reasons, of these overwhelming and sadly the reason is due to Neglect and Abuse (64%) with other reasons including, but not limited to, family dysfunction, acute family stress, respite breaks or the sudden illness or death of a parent or carer. There is a desperate need for Fostering in the West Midlands for these children.

What foster carers are needed in the West Midlands

There is a real need at the moment to increase the number of Foster home across the West Midlands, and as a whole we need to recruit committed carers across the board for children of all ages, however, we have seen that there is a clear need to recruit additional Carers that are able to offer homes to older children and young people aged 8 upwards.

We are also dedicated to keeping siblings together, where appropriate, and as such are in need of homes that are able to consider fostering more than one child.

There is also an increasing demand foster carers who can support children with complex medical needs and/or life limiting conditions.

To give you an idea of the scope of fostering, specific to West Midlands, please see below localised information that you may find helpful.

On the 31st March each year the government takes a snapshot of data to assess and gain better clarity of the fostering landscape across counties throughout England. As we cover the entire West Midlands we have added below some regional statistics and information that you may find helpful in understanding the types of children that are coming into care and for what reasons. We have also broken this information down into specific Local Authority areas too so that you can see information specific to your council (It may also be worth checking out the information for your neighbouring local authorities too as sometimes they may reach out to other closely located foster carers if they have been unable to find a suitably matched Foster Carer within their own Local Authority, so for example Solihull Council may reach out to Coventry or Birmingham based Foster Carers so that children can remain close to schools / family / activities.


How many children are in care in West Midlands

In 2021 there were 1921 children and young people in care from within the West Midlands region, with the vast majority of these children and young people in a Foster Care, (a total of 8,120 – 73%).

Why are the children coming into care

The reasons that children and young people are entering care in in the West Midlands is monitored by each Local Authority within the region. Sadly, and overwhelmingly, the reason that these children are becoming looked after is due to abuse and neglect. In a lot of these cases, its not that the birth families are purposely harming their children, but they are not able to keep the safe and well, and the Local Authority will continue to work with the family with a plan to reunify following a package of support. Unfortunately, in others cases of abuse this is not the case.


There are other reasons that a child may come into care as you will see form the table below:

2021
Total Percentage 100%
Number 11,120
N1. Abuse or Neglect Percentage 67%
Number 7450
N2. Child's Disability Percentage 2%
Number 250
N3. Parental Illness or Disability Percentage 3%
Number 340
N4. Family in Acute Stress Percentage 8%
Number 910
N5. Family Dysfunction Percentage 14%
Number 1520
N6. Socially Unacceptable Behaviour Percentage 1%
Number 170
N7. Low Income Percentage 0%
Number 20
N8. Absent Parents Percentage 5%
Number 470

2021
Total Percentage 100%
Number 11120
1 to 4 years Percentage 67%
Number 7450
10 to 15 years Percentage 2%
Number 250
16 and over Percentage 3%
Number 340
5 to 9 years Percentage 8%
Number 910
Under 1 year Percentage 14%
Number 1520

About the children that come into care

Children come into care every day of all ages, however some age groups are represented more so. The graph below shows the ages of the children in care in 2021.


It’s important that there are a diverse range of foster homes to meet the needs of a diverse range of children and young people. Part of that is to try and match children, where possible, with families who share the same ethnicity, religions, languages to name a few. That’s why knowing information such as this is important.


2021
Total Percentage 100%
Number 11120
Asian or Asian British Percentage 5%
Number 540
Black, African, Caribbean or Black British Percentage 6%
Number 610
Mixed or Multiple Ethnic Groups Percentage 14%
Number 1570
Other Ethnic Group Percentage 2%
Number 250
Refused or information not yet available Percentage 1%
Number 80
White Percentage 73%
Number 8080

please follow the area links at on this page to see how this information breaks down to your local area.

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