24/7 local support

Relax. We’ll support you every step of the way

As soon as you start the process of becoming a foster carer, we’ll offer you the chance to be mentored by an experienced foster carer.
In your first three months of fostering, you’ll receive intensive support from your fostering social worker, and additional help from a family support worker.
Offer the chance to reflect on how things are going with expert guidance from child psychologists.
After your first three months, you will be assigned a dedicated supervising social worker with whom you will meet regularly. They will support you and help you grow as a foster carer.
You’ll attend regular support groups with other foster carers in your area, where you can share and learn from people doing the same thing as you.
Your birth children will be invited to attend the Kids 4 Kids support group.
You'll be able to call on out-of-hours support in an emergency.
You will have access to a secure website that includes guidance, policies, information, news and event invitations.
Automatically enrolled as a paid member of The Fostering Network and New Family Social

“We would like to thank our social worker for her unwavering support over the previous three years. She displays an extensive knowledge and willingness to help out, and we also appreciate her ability to address the difficult questions which arise when fostering. She is caring and supportive and we have learned a lot from her.”

Martin and Peter, Foster Carers

As well as our great social workers, we have an experienced network of professionals including support staff, therapists, nurses, education specialists and many other roles who support our foster carers throughout their assessment and fostering journey.

Our ambassadors and fostering champions support both children in care and the foster carers who care for them.

The Ambassador Role

We believe one of the things that sets us apart as a fostering service is including the voice of the child in all we do. This means we evaluate new policies, campaigns, and care provision with the help of a fantastic team of care-experienced young people called our ‘Ambassadors for Vulnerable Children and Young People’.

Our ambassadors are employed by Gloucestershire County Council, they are aged 16-25 and all have experience of care in some way – either as a child in care, a care leaver or as a birth child of foster carers. The ambassadors fulfill their role by sharing their views and experiences, speaking at events, delivering training to social workers, family support workers and foster carers. We actively involve them in shaping our services, encouraging them to share their ideas and feedback so we can keep improving— and make sure we’re getting it right.

“Being an ambassador is the best thing that’s happened to me. It’s one of the most rewarding and fulfilling jobs you could do. To see your experiences being used in a positive way – it definitely has an impact. You see the impact we make on social workers and other professionals.”

Ambassador, age 16

The Fostering Champion Role

A fostering champion is a foster carer who:

can explain to others what they love about fostering for GCC.
is happy to share personal examples of how they’ve made a difference for a child or young person.
can offer support, advice and guidance to others throughout their caring journey.
can explain how fostering has positively changed their family’s life.
could encourage potential carers to imagine life as a fostering family, the benefits it will bring to them and the huge difference it could mean for a child or young person.

GCC provide bespoke training to foster carers who wish to apply to be a Fostering Champion including courses in ‘Talking with confidence’, ‘Mentoring & coaching’, and media skills training.

Why is 24/7 support important to foster carers?

Emergencies can happen at any time, including evenings and weekends. Access to round the clock support ensures you’re not alone in critical moments. Immediate advice can prevent situations from escalating and support consistent, therapeutic responses Knowing someone is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year provides reassurance, reduces stress, and will help you feel confident in your role.

Why can local councils offer better 24/7 support than independent fostering agencies?

Local infrastructure and on-call systems. Councils typically have established out-of-hours emergency duty teams that cover not just foster care, but a wide range of children’s services. These are staffed by experienced social workers familiar with local procedures.
Geographical proximity. Council social workers are usually based within the local area, making it easier to visit carers or children quickly if needed—especially during crises.
Access to local services. Councils have direct links to schools, CAMHS, health services, and police within their region. This facilitates quicker coordination and response in emergencies.
Consistency and integration. Carers with councils may be supported by the same team that manages the child’s care plan, ensuring continuity and better-informed responses.
Cost and Resource Efficiency. Councils run fostering as a public service, prioritizing support and safeguarding over profit margins.