Becoming a foster parent in Yorkshire
We’re delighted you’d like to find out more about becoming a foster parent here in Yorkshire. Our team live and work across the region, from the Pennines to the edge of the Peak District, including Leeds, Sheffield, Doncaster, Rotherham and Bradford.
Since 2013, Ofsted has rated us ‘Outstanding’ in every area. That achievement makes us one of the very best independent agencies, and our team will give you the highest level of support.
We hope you find all the information you need to get a real sense of our local team and what we can offer. If you’d like to ask any questions, just give us a call — we’re always here to help.
Why foster with Fostering People in Yorkshire?
Right now, Yorkshire needs 750 more foster families to care for the 8,580 children in care across the region. Sadly, that number keeps growing every year. That’s why we’re always looking for amazing people, just like you, who want to make a real difference in children’s lives.
We work closely with every Local Authority in Yorkshire. Because of this, our foster families stay in high demand. We carefully match each child with the best foster family to meet their individual needs. As a result, our foster parents rarely wait long for a placement.
As an ‘Outstanding’ agency, we give every foster parent a dedicated, experienced social worker. On top of that, you’ll join a close-knit community of foster families who support each other.
We believe relationships sit at the heart of fostering. We build strong connections with our families, so you feel confident building safe and nurturing bonds with the children you care for.
When you foster with us, we’ll give you an excellent package of support — one we keep improving year after year. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved, but we never stop looking for ways to make fostering even better.
Enquiry
Enquiry
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Benefits of fostering with Fostering People
We offer one of the best fostering allowances.
Alongside our Outstanding support, we offer one of the highest fostering allowances available. Our allowances range from £454 – £860.88. Our standard rate for a child over the age of 5 years is over £501 per week, per child (£2,177 per month). Additionally, foster parents pay no tax on their fostering allowance.
On-going Training
You don’t need to be experienced to foster with us, we offer training right from the start and throughout your assessment and beyond.
Outstanding Support
We have been rated as Outstanding by Ofsted since 2013 across all areas of our organisation. You can be confident that you’ll be given excellent support any time of the day or night.
A Friendly Welcome
You’ll be a member of a friendly local team, where everyone knows each other and meets up regularly for support and fun activities alongside other great perks.
Could you foster in Yorkshire?
We welcome applications from anyone who wants to foster. It doesn’t matter about your sexuality or gender. You can be single, married, or living with a partner — as long as you’ve lived together for at least a year.
All we ask is that you:
- Are over 21 years old
- Have the legal right to live and work in the UK
- Keep a spare bedroom always available to a child
- Offer a stable, loving home
Call us on 0800 077 8159
Meet our foster care Yorkshire team
Our team is headed up by Service Manager, Lynne Maddocks. She has worked in fostering for over 30 years and been part of the Fostering People team for over 15 years.
Our Team Manager, Christine joined us in 2023 with many years experience working in Child Protection. They are supported by a team of 5 Senior Supervising Social Workers, who live in different areas of Yorkshire, to provide truly local support to our foster families.
Lynne Maddocks
Service Manager
Janine Parker
Senior Supervising Social Worker
Jennifer Harriman
Senior Supervising Social Worker
Rachael Tomkins
Senior Supervising Social Worker
Nicola Greenwood
Senior Supervising Social Worker
Danielle Boneheyo
Senior Supervising Social Worker
Thomas Hague
Senior Supervising Social Worker
How our local team works in Yorkshire
Fostering People in Yorkshire doesn’t rely on an office base. Our social workers live and work in the same communities as our foster families.
Because your social worker lives nearby, you’ll always get quick access to local support. They know the area well and can guide you to extra resources if a child in your care ever needs them.
We use local community venues for support groups and face-to-face training. We choose these venues together with our foster parents, so they’re always easy to get to. This approach gives us much more flexibility than being tied to an office.
We introduced our home-based model years ago — long before the pandemic — and it works brilliantly for both foster parents and staff.
Since 2013, Ofsted has rated us ‘Outstanding’ every year. That rating proves how well our approach works. In Yorkshire, we’ve built a close-knit fostering community. Our way of working encourages friendships between foster parents, offering extra support and guidance. We always give new foster families a warm welcome into our Yorkshire fostering family.
Download our free Finance Guide
We offer one of the very best fostering allowances available alongside other great perks.
Our finance guide is designed to provide you with all the information you need to understand what impact fostering will have on your household income.
Find out more about fostering from one of our own.
Kate Ferdinand — wife of footballer Rio Ferdinand and former TOWIE star — hosts her podcast Blended, which explores blended families in all their shapes and forms.
In the episode “The Rewarding Reality of Fostering”, Kate chats with Caz, one of our foster parents in Yorkshire, and Britney, a care leaver who Caz once fostered.
If you’re thinking about fostering, this podcast gives you a brilliant insight into what life as a foster parent is really like.
Take your first step to becoming a foster parent today
If you’re interested in becoming a foster parent and would like to learn more, then we’d love to hear from you.
Simply fill in the form below and one of our friendly team will be in touch.
Enquiry
Please make sure you read our terms and conditions because you’re agreeing to them by submitting an enquiry. It’s also worth reading our privacy notice and cookies policy so you understand how we collect and use your personal data. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
