why foster with us?

support and rewards

All 22 Local Authorities in Wales have signed up to the National Commitment, an agreed package of training, support and rewards that all our foster carers get to enjoy. As a Foster Wales Conwy foster carer, you’ll benefit from:

boy stood by house

up to 100% council tax relief

As a thank you for fostering with Conwy, we are offering up to 100% discretionary council tax relief for our foster carers.

a picture of a gym bike with an additional picture of weights

free FFIT Conwy membership for the household

As a Conwy foster carer, the whole household can enjoy FFIT Conwy membership, completely free!

The Ffit Conwy membership offers you outstanding value for money and the ultimate choice when it comes to fitness. Whether you want to attend one of our fitness classes, work on your swimming times or work up a sweat in the gym, Ffit Conwy can offer this to you.

The membership grants you access to each of the 10 centres across Conwy, 7 gyms, 4 swimming pools and over 200 exercise classes per week, both instructor led and virtual. Each centre offers something different and this membership allows you to get the benefits of the fantastic facilities and activities that Conwy can offer.

Click here to find out more

 

a parking permit for local areas within Conwy County Borough

Have a favourite place to visit in Conwy? As a foster carer for Conwy, you can choose a free parking permit from a choice of local areas.

3 young girls smiling, older woman looking at the girls smiling

discounts at local attractions, shops, and restaurants

As a foster carer for Conwy, you will get free membership to The Fostering Network. This gives you access to support, events and courses to further your learning and development.

We also give foster carers free CADW membership. Foster Carers can get a Blue Light Card, we reimburse you for this, and you also receive a free Max card. This gives you access to discounts at local attractions, and discounts on restaurants and shops.

a mother and father holding a baby

5 days additional of special leave for Conwy County Borough Council employees

Do you work for Conwy County Borough Council? As a foster carer, and employee of the local authority, you are entitled to 5 additional days special leave as part of our fostering friendly policy.

man and woman standing in front of a house

continuation of enhanced payment

Did you know that it is unlikely that you will go a long periods of time without a child in your care. If you are a full time foster carer and have no children living with you, we continue to pay you the enhanced payment (fee). You are not penalised for being vacant, and in this time you can prioritise your learning and development.

3 books on a table

learning and development

Our shared, considered, and proven support package is a reward that all Foster Wales members benefit from; learning and growth are key parts of what we offer.

We provide the professional training and preparation you need to develop into a confident and capable foster carer and meet the needs of children in your care.

As a Foster Wales foster carer, you’ll be given an individual personal learning record and development plan to document the progress you’re making and put into action plans for the future.

a photo of our clinical psychologist, Dr Stefi Pethica. Female, short brown hair and glasses

ongoing support from our clinical psychologist

Meet Dr Stefi Pethica, she is our in house clinical psychologist.

Dr Stefi Pethica works alongside social workers in the Fostering Team as part of a partnership developed between Conwy Local Authority and Conwy CAMHS.

Dr Stefi supports social workers and foster carers in understanding the needs of the children in their care, and identifies appropriate evidence-based interventions to support children and carers. Dr Stefi links in with CAMHS, Neurodevelopmental Services and Learning Disability Services to ensure children and young people have their needs met by the right team at the right time.

Dr Stefi is supporting the increase of therapeutic interventions and training available for Foster Carers, including Video Interaction Guidance and coaching in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Skills.

a group photo of foster carers and staff after a walk together

support

With Foster Wales, you can always count on someone to support and encourage you at every point in your journey. We’re available around the clock.

You’ll have an experienced, professional social worker on hand to support you, your family and your whole network.

 

the fostering team holding up signs that spell thank you

we are one team

You’ll also have access to a range of support groups, where you’ll become acquainted with other foster carers. This will give you the chance to talk, listen and share your stories. Peer support is available with Foster Wales Conwy and can help to improve your wellbeing in our coffee mornings. We have an Appreciation day every year, where we thank our foster carers and show our appreciation for their commitment and support to our children. In addition to this, we continue to support our community by attending events, and sponsoring local events.

Professional support is accessible too. We’re dedicated to working together with our foster carers, which means we’re always available.

a group photo of foster carers and staff at our appreciation day

fostering community

Staying connected is something we focus on. The fostering community will bring you closer to other foster families, helping you to make new friendships, gain new experiences and create new memories.

When you join Foster Wales, we cover your membership to The Fostering Network (TFN), so you can obtain access to independent support, private advice, guidance and additional rewards.

By becoming a part of the Foster Wales team, you’ll be connecting with those who have responsibility for every child in foster care across Wales, and you’ll be helping us to keep children in their local community.

shaping the future

Where we’ve come from is important, but we focus on shaping the future for children. Building a better life for a child is at the heart of what we do.

“As a Foster Wales foster carer, you’ll be encouraged to make your voice heard. Your views will influence how we move forward with how we operate in Conwy, but they’ll also be listened to across the country. There will be opportunities for you to consult and influence the future of fostering in Wales.” – Foster Wales

Family walking on the Orme

take the first step

contact your local foster care team