Find Us In the East Midlands
Regions We Cover in the East Midlands
Select a region below to learn more about the localised support we provide to our carers.
Derbyshire Fostering Services
Learn more about the support we offer to our carers in this area including training, support groups, coffee mornings and much more.
Leicestershire Fostering Services
Learn more about the support we offer to our carers in this area including training, support groups, coffee mornings and much more.
Lincolnshire Fostering Services
Learn more about the support we offer to our carers in this area including training, support groups, coffee mornings and much more.
Northamptonshire Fostering Services
Learn more about the support we offer to our carers in this area including training, support groups, coffee mornings and much more.
Nottinghamshire Fostering Services
Learn more about the support we offer to our carers in this area including training, support groups, coffee mornings and much more. Serving areas including Nottingham.
Rutland Fostering Services
Learn more about the support we offer to our carers in this area including training, support groups, coffee mornings and much more.
Who Can Foster in the East Midlands?
We work with people from a wide range of backgrounds – single, married, working or retired.
There are a few essential requirements:
· A spare bedroom: every child needs their own private space
· Age: you must be at least 21 years old
· Residency: you must have the right to live and work in the UK
You don’t necessarily need to drive. You don’t need formal childcare qualifications – we provide the training and support you’ll need. And we actively welcome people from all cultural backgrounds, faiths and communities.
Financial Support & Allowances
Fostering is a professional commitment, and the financial support reflects that.
· Weekly professional allowance: typically, around £482 per week
· Enhanced payments: up to £800 per week depending on the needs of the child or sibling group
· Tax benefits: fostering income is treated differently by HMRC, giving you a fixed tax exemption of £19,690 per year, plus an additional weekly tax relief for every child in your care
· Overall income: at the higher rate of £800 per week, foster parents in the East Midlands can earn up to £41,600 per year, which may be completely tax-free depending on their circumstances.
We’ll always be clear about what you can expect financially, so you can make an informed decision.
Compass Fostering Central Limited - Rated Good by Ofsted
Last inspected 05 February 2024 · Full report available
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Foster carers demonstrate a nurturing approach and resilience, with many having supported children through very difficult times over many years with the provider.
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The agency's education service helps children stay engaged in learning, including support for children excluded from school, and provides advocacy so children can access the right educational provision.
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Children take part in agency decision-making, including preparing questions and sitting on interview panels for new staff and carers, and value the friendships formed through the children in care council.
Events
Join Our Live Digital Q&A Sessions.
Learn all you need to know about foster care and what is required in our live Zoom Q&A sessions.
Become a Foster Parent in the East Midlands
We aim to complete the fostering assessment in 4–6 months – thorough but not unnecessarily drawn out. Here’s what happens:
- Enquiry – speak to our London team or one of our Recruitment Ambassadors
- Home visit – an open conversation about your circumstances and what fostering involves
- Assessment & training – you’ll work with a dedicated social worker and begin therapeutic training
- Panel – your assessment is reviewed by an independent fostering panel for approval
- A Home for a Child – you’ll work with our Family Finding team to match with a child and begin your fostering journey
The Need for Foster Parents in the East Midlands
There is a significant and growing need for foster parents across the East Midlands and the wider region. Far too many children are waiting for a safe and loving place to call their home. We need Life Changer foster parents ready to step into these roles.
- Short-term fostering: providing a steady anchor during a time of transition
- Long-term fostering: committing to a child’s future until they reach adulthood
- Disability and complex needs fostering: taking care of children with significant challenges
- Parent and child fostering: caring for infants as well as their parents.
- Fostering siblings: ensuring brothers and sisters can stay together
Local Support & Community
When you foster with Compass, you’re not doing it alone. You become part of a professional community of Life Changers – supported by experienced social workers, local peer networks and regular reflective supervision.
That support matters. Because fostering is not about getting everything right. It’s about having the right people around you when things are difficult.
Your Senior Compass Fostering East Midlands Team
At Compass Fostering Central, we are proud to serve families across the Midlands and neighbouring regions, providing dedicated support to children and carers alike. Our agency is built on a foundation of commitment, consistency and collaboration. We ensure that every child in our care has a voice and is supported to thrive, whilst our carers receive the guidance and reassurance they need through their supervising social worker, our duty team and our out-of-hours services. By working closely with other agencies and professionals, we create a seamless support network that ensures the best outcomes for every child. Our therapeutic team is always on hand, providing expert guidance and tailored support to meet the needs of every individual child.
We believe that strong, supported carers are key to providing stability and a nurturing environment. Our carers benefit from a robust training program, delivered by our training team and experienced social workers, designed to meet the needs of both new and existing carers. We also foster a strong peer support network, enabling carers to connect, share experiences and build a community, which strengthens the overall fostering family. With a team of dedicated, consistent social workers and experienced carers, we promote long-term stability for children and encourage positive, life-changing outcomes. At Compass Fostering Central, every child is given a platform, and every carer is empowered; together, we build a caring, resilient and supportive family network.
Harpreet Mulligan
Head of Fostering
Leah Evans
Operations Manager
Abigail Moreton
Operations Manager
Tracy Tuning
Operations Manager
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Fostering isn’t easy. But it’s one of the most important things you can do to transform the life of a child. If you’re ready to explore whether fostering could be right for you – and want to do it with a team that will have your back – we’d like to hear from you.
Fostering in the East Midlands — Compass FAQs
The Fostering Basics
What fostering services do you offer?
We offer traditional fostering roles, including short-term and long-term placements (in high demand in our region).
Which local authorities do you work with?
We work with around 30 local authorities. Because our main office is in Leicester, we have particularly close relationships with Leicester, Leicester City, and Leicestershire, extending out to Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Derbyshire. Through the West Midlands portal, we also have access to 14 local authorities in the West Midlands framework. While we predominantly place children locally, we can occasionally facilitate out-of-region placements.
The Fostering Journey
Where will my training take place?
We utilise approximately 9 local training venues across the region, and we actively move our training teams to the areas where the need is greatest. To ensure total accessibility around your family routine or work hours, we also offer virtual training courses and a 24/7 online training hub.
Do I need to be able to drive?
Driving is not strictly mandatory, but it is highly preferred. You will be responsible for transporting children to school (which can sometimes be up to 20 miles away) and attending family time arrangements, which are difficult to manage via taxis. If you do not drive, we can help you “buddy up” with other local foster parents, but you will need an exceptionally strong support network.
How long does it take to be approved?
The fostering assessment process typically takes around 4 to 6 months to complete, concluding with your approval at our fostering panel.
Once approved, how quickly can I welcome my first child?
Typically, children are placed within the first month, and it rarely takes up to 8 weeks. However, this is heavily dependent on your specific matching preferences; carers open to a wider range of ages and behaviours might receive a placement within days, whereas very narrow preferences will almost certainly take longer.
How does the matching process work and will I have a say?
You are viewed as the expert on your family dynamics, meaning you will always have the final say in the matching process and a child is never placed without your full consent. A dedicated, consistent regional family finding team will discuss referrals with you early on, liaising with the local authority to ask any questions you might have. Your Supervising Social Worker will oversee the match.
Professional Support & Practicalities
Where are your local offices?
Our regional office is located in Syston, Leicestershire.
How often do I need to visit?
You will rarely, if ever, be expected to travel to the office, as we now conduct annual reviews online and our local social workers will travel to visit you in your own home. We do maintain an open-door policy if you ever wish to visit.
Who supports me out of hours?
We operate a 24/7 out-of-hours service that guarantees you will reach a social worker day or night, including weekends and bank holidays. This service is run through a regional hub system.
How often will my Supervising Social Worker visit?
Our social workers are generally based very close to where our foster parents live. They will visit your home fortnightly for the first three months after approval, transitioning to meetings every four weeks thereafter. These meetings last a minimum of an hour, with an hour and a half specifically blocked out in their diary for your household, and you can also expect regular check-in phone calls.
What support is available for more complex situations?
The region benefits from two dedicated therapeutic practitioners who know the staff and carers well, and who regularly visit local groups to conduct direct work. Because the region features highly multicultural cities, we implement robust anti-racism strategies and specialised Grace groups. We offer specific support groups in sub-regions like Leicester, Derby and Nottingham, addressing localised trends.
Community, Events & Networks
Will there be other Compass foster parents near me?
Yes, we have established, dense hubs of foster carers across Leicester, Nottingham, Derby and Lincoln. We deliberately network our carers together so you are linked with others in your specific area who can offer localised understanding and support.
Do you offer mentoring or buddy support?
Yes, through our “Carer for Carers” programme, you will be buddied with a regional representative during your assessment. They provide dedicated support before the fostering panel and for 12 weeks post-panel, before officially handing you over to your local community group.
What local events do you run?
Event formats vary by area based on what the carers prefer; for example, Nottingham and Derbyshire frequently host coffee mornings, while the Leicester group opts for different types of local meetings. We host large regional gatherings such as our summer Family Fun Days, where activities are actively shaped by the children, and specific commemorative events like Black History Month and Pride.
How do you support diverse families and communities?
We actively utilise cross-cultural matching support; for instance, if a Muslim child is placed with a non-Muslim foster parent, we partner that family with a Muslim foster parent to offer education and guidance. We have a highly vocal and supportive anti-racism group run by carers who educate staff and families. We are also launching a dedicated virtual support group exclusively for male carers to discuss the unique challenges of being a man in foster care.
