Whether you provide respite care or a long-term placement all foster carers need support. The level of support a fostering agency will provide to you will vary by agency, so we strongly recommend that you explore your options with both your local authority service, independent agencies and those run by the voluntary sector. This will help you identify the agency best suited to you, the type of fostering you want to provide and the level of support you're likely to need.

Fostering in the UK is a devolved matter, so check out the links below for your specific country.

If you're fostering in England you can also read  Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards published by the Department for Education. Skip to page 44 for the support foster carers should expect.

In Scotland there's a wealth of legislation and guidance you can turn to, which is handily listed online by the Fostering Network.

For legislation and guidance in Wales, check out this list compiled by the Fostering Network.

In Northern Ireland you can read this information compiled by the Department of Health.