Fostering training, support and allowances

We offer a wide range of training courses year round so our foster carers can continue to develop a diverse skill set, to help you be the best foster carer you can be.

You need to attend a small number of mandatory training courses, beyond those you are free to pick and choose courses that are most relevant to you and the foster placements you support.

Allowances are payments that cover the day-to-day costs of looking after a foster child.

You will receive a weekly allowance to cover maintenance, pocket money, clothing and travel for your foster child. The amount is dependent on the age of the child and number of children you look after.

You may be entitled to be paid an extra allowance depending on your experience. Gaining experience and completing training courses give you the opportunity to become a level one or level two carer meaning you would be eligible for an additional skill fee payment.

For more information and a breakdown of allowances and payments please see our allowances and skills fees document.

All members of Southampton City Council’s fostering family receive excellent ongoing support.

You will have:

• an allocated supervising social worker who will help and support you every step of the process, making sure you have everything you need to give a child or young person a positive experience
• 24-hour support through our out of hours team
• access to our fostering support groups which run weekly

Our foster carers regularly meet up socially to support each other, share experiences and advice.

You will also become a member of FosterTalk, an independent not-for-profit organisation providing high quality professional advice and guidance to all foster carers.

As we are an agency member of New Family Social, a UK charity who provide support for LGBT+ families with fostering, we can offer you free membership with them.