New! Fostering South West Hub

We wanted to make you aware of a new regional fostering recruitment support hub for the south west which is going live from this month.

Fostering South West covers all local authorities in the south west.  The new hub will work to improve the customer journey for prospective foster carers from initial enquiry through to applications. The aim is to help increase the conversion rate between initial enquiry and application.

The regional support hub will be a centrally run front door across our regional local authority cluster and will act as the first point of contact for prospective carers making an enquiry. Once processed through the hub, each local authority will pick up the enquiries and ensure the prospective foster carers have the information and support, they need.

Fostering South West will continue to provide increased levels of support and share resources for the benefit of children and fostering families.  

The new approach will provide an efficient approach particularly in the early stages of prospective foster carers finding out information. The regional hub will build on and enhance the good work already being created by individual local authorities. The hub will support prospective applicants through their assessment process with their local authority and offer opportunities for additional learning, support and guidance to help in preparing them in their transition to become a foster carer with the purpose of increasing the number of applicants being approved to become foster carers.

Here in Gloucestershire we have strong numbers of foster carers coming forward each year. However, we always need more and this new approach will help us build on the good work already ongoing.

The government has funded this approach for an initial 12-month period, and we will keep you updated as we progress.

If you have any questions, please contact Karen.Etheridge@Gloucestershire.gov.uk