Being a Fostering Friendly Employer in Coventry

Child Friendly Cov is keen to encourage employers who are supporters, to also consider becoming fostering friendly. We believe every child deserves to grow up in a loving and secure environment. Being Fostering Friendly is one way to be Child Friendly.

Fostering Friendly is The Fostering Network’s programme to encourage employers to support fostering, and in particular, foster carers. This programme offers businesses a chance to make a difference to not only foster carers but the children they care for in their local community.

Coventry City Council has been a Fostering Friendly employer since 2015 and recognises that employees who are fostering a child are providing a valuable service to the community and the City Council. The Policy includes leave entitlement which may be granted for when an employee is applying to become an approved foster carer. These days can be used to accommodate assessment visits or preparation training. An approved foster carer may also be granted some leave days to attend meetings or training.

According to The Fostering Network, “nearly 40 per cent of foster carers combine fostering with other work. Those who do say that a supportive employer can make all the difference, enabling them to balance employment with looking after children.

The Fostering Network’s Fostering Friendly employers’ scheme helps employers to support and recognise the roles of their employees who foster and involves no direct costs. Members of the scheme agree to put in place a fostering friendly HR policy for all foster carers in their employment (regardless of their fostering service). This includes offering foster carers flexible working and paid time off for training and settling a new child into their home.”

Fostering Friendly employers also help to raise the profile of fostering, encourage people to consider becoming foster carers and support the annual “Foster Care Fortnight” annual campaign.

There are a number of benefits for employers which include displaying your Fostering Friendly logo and every year, The Fostering Network present a Fostering Friendly employer with a Fostering Excellence Award.

The Fostering Network has a Fostering Friendly team who can give employers advice and support on how to join the scheme and can share a template HR policy. For further information, they can be contacted on fosteringfriendly@fostering.net.

The Fostering Network has also produced a booklet for employers looking to get involved in becoming a fostering friendly organisation.