Fostering in the North East
When you join Foster Care Associates North East you will be joining an experienced, creative, and inspirational independent fostering agency that is ambitious about providing the very best outcomes for children and young people.
Welcome to Foster Care Associates North East
The number of children and young people needing a safe, stable, and caring home is rising every year. We need your help to make a difference. If you are considering foster care and making a difference in these children’s lives, we ask you to get in touch with us today.
The North East regularly receives over 150 referrals each month. We are one of the largest fostering services providers in the North East Region. Every child and young person in our service, including foster parents' sons and daughters, are extremely important to us and everything we do is done with them in mind. We truly believe there is no better place to be a foster parent and we would love to meet anyone who is thinking about becoming a foster parent and starting this journey.
By Phone
One of our team is available to talk to you over the phone to answer any of your fostering queries.
By Email
One of our team is available to talk to you over the phone to answer any of your fostering queries.
Visit an office
Foster Care Associates, Evolve Business Centre, Cygnet Way, Houghton le Spring DH4 5QY
Benefits of working with FCA
24/7 advice service
Excellent ongoing training
Access to your local fostering team
Competitive payments
Local support groups
Local social activities and events
How do Foster Care Associates offer support in the North East?
It’s the can-do attitude that makes fostering with Foster Care Associates North East such a rewarding experience. Our Senior Management Team and experienced team of fostering professionals are committed to create the best possible place to be a foster parent or child or young person who is in care. From monthly foster parent support groups to activities and events, you’ll be instantly welcomed into the fostering family and well looked after too. We make sure you never feel alone through out your fostering journey as a foster carer in the North East of England.
- 24/7 local support: including monthly support groups Local support groups, therapeutic groups and walk and talk sessions for all foster parents in the North East.
- Team Parenting: a regional and national network of childcare experts who may work with each child or young person to look after every single area of their well-being.
- Training and Development.
- Independent advice with a FREE membership to FosterTalk.
- A comprehensive events and activities calendar.
- Online support: Access to a portal to read about everything that is happening at Foster Care Associates, plus access to discounts to a range sites.
- Foster Carer Appreciation Day.
Here to support you
All across the North East we have social work teams, which include supervising social workers, a fostering service manager, an associate therapist and participation officer. Our experienced, dedicated and highly skilled teams support with matching of children with foster families. We are all enthusiastic about changing lives and are truly committed to achieving the best outcomes we believe that children and young people are the future and who are committed to improving the lives of the next generation. When you join FCA for foster care in the North East some of the support you will have access to includes:
- A qualified social worker committed to each fostering household.
- A highly trained and dedicated Senior Management Team who they will meet very early in their assessment process.
- Access to an amazing array of training and development opportunities.
- We have a highly Qualified Therapist who leads on our Therapeutic Service which receives high levels of praise from our foster parents.
- Our Buddy System means we can put potential foster parents in touch with other foster parents under assessment in the North East and we can also introduce them to experienced foster parents.
- Our National Carer Buddy Framework and active foster parent Regional Representatives who can support potential foster parents and newly approved foster parents throughout the process and beyond.
Meet foster parent Gaynor from the North East
Gaynor, a FCA foster parent from the North East shares her fostering highlights and advice for anyone who is considering fostering.
“We are team parents. So as foster carers we are holistic in the care of the child, we do everything for that child as we do for our own biological children.”
“My foster parents were my advocate”
Meet Shauna, a care leaver from the North East, who is currently studying for a law degree. She explains what a positive impact her foster family had, and their support in helping her achieve her dream of studying law.
Having fun
At FCA North East we love coming together to have fun, there is always a host of activities and events taking place for all the fostering family to enjoy. Some of the activities organised for our children and young people include:
- Trampoline park
- Arts and craft activities and T-Shirt decorating
- Laser quest, roller skating
- Science fun
- Beach parties, the big Summer bash/celebration
Our regional events provide support to both new and existing foster parents, as well as allowing foster parents and families to meet up.
As well as fun events we also have well-being events for foster parents we host regular foster parent 'Time to Talk Session'.
In addition, foster parents have the opportunity to:
- Attend our North East Annual Conference with Guest Speakers
- Take part in monthly placements team workshops
- Get together for social meetings for foster parents
Supporting children and young people in the North East
Here in the North East, our dedicated Participation Officer, Stacey, works directly with the children and young people to ensure that their views and experiences shape FCA, and create real change.
We love nothing more than coming together to have fun, there are always a wide variety of fun educational and social activities for all of the fostering family to enjoy. Check out the brochure below for more information.
Looking to start your fostering journey?
Meet our dedicated recruitment officer in the North East, Sarah
Hi, I’m Sarah, and I’m the recruitment officer for FCA in the North East. I would love to hear from you if you are interested in becoming a foster parent or would just like some further information. Visiting you in the comfort of your own home allows me the opportunity to get to know a little about you and to tell you about the support, training and fantastic benefits of fostering with FCA.
Ofsted report
Statement of purpose
Foster parent satisfaction survey
Find your next fostering event...
If you’re already a foster parent find out how to transfer to us
Meet the North East team
Sarah Downs
Recruitment Officer
Jayne Robson
Senior Supervising Social Worker
Stacey Watson
Participation Officer
Klaudia Heslop
Supervising Social Worker
Lisa Collins
Senior Supervising Social Worker
Jodie Fletcher-Murray
Operations Manager
Karen Webb
Office Manager
Neil Morris
Operations Director
