Find Us In Sussex
Covering All of Sussex
Whether you are based in East Sussex or West Sussex, our local offices are conveniently located to serve life changers seeking fostering in Sussex.
East Sussex Fostering Services
Learn more about the support we offer to our carers in this area including training, support groups, coffee mornings and much more.
West Sussex 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 Sussex?
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 & Sussex Fostering Allowances
Fostering is a professional commitment, and the financial support reflects that.
· Weekly professional allowance: typically, around £482 per week
· Enhanced payments: up to £600 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 £19,360 per year, plus an additional weekly tax relief for every child in your care
· Overall income: because these tax allowances combine, foster parents in Sussex can earn around £31,200 completely tax-free
We’ll always be clear about what you can expect financially, so you can make an informed decision.
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.
How to Become a Foster Parent in Sussex
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 Sussex
There is a significant and growing need for foster parents across Sussex. 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 Sussex Team
Meet the key members of our team dedicated to fostering success:
Clem Mayne
Head of Fostering
Louise Davidson
Senior Operations Manager (Maternity Leave)
David Mercer
Operations Manager
Bryony Rogers
Operations Manager
Karen Murdoch
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 Sussex — Compass FAQs
The Fostering Basics
What fostering services do you offer?
We offer standard foster placements across the region. We facilitate parent and child placements. We provide therapeutic placements, which include support for foster carers and direct therapy for children, dependent on the package agreed upon with the local authority.
Which local authorities do you work with?
We work primarily with West Sussex, East Sussex, and Brighton and Hove.
The Fostering Journey
Where will my training take place?
Training is offered at our main Rustington office. Training sessions are also delivered across the region in various local offices and centres. We provide a substantial amount of online training, which has already been rolled out to carers. More localised training opportunities are provided on a monthly basis through our hub support groups.
Do I need to be able to drive?
Being able to drive is not a strict requirement to become a foster carer. However, relying solely on public transport in Sussex may present difficulties. During your assessment, we will identify local schools and work out how a child would travel to them from your specific location.
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?
There is no specific set timeframe, as it is entirely based on matching the specific needs of the child. However, we attempt to support carers by matching them with children virtually immediately after they have completed their basic induction training.
How does the matching process work and will I have a say?
Matching reports and placement referrals are fully shared and discussed with both you and your Supervising Social Worker. Our carers are fully involved in the matching process for any placements made with them. You will have the opportunity to outline your capacity to provide for the placement and detail any additional needs you may have.
Professional Support & Practicalities
Where are your local offices?
Our main Sussex offices are located in Hastings and Rustington.
How often do I need to visit?
There is no set period of time or requirement for you to attend the offices, as our team visits you directly.
Who supports me out of hours?
We offer 24-hour support to our carers, 365 days a year. Our out-of-hours service is shared across a constellation of three or four regions. When you call, a supervising social worker will take the initial call to provide guidance and advice. An operational manager and a head of fostering are also available on duty to support.
How often will my Supervising Social Worker visit?
Supervising Social Workers are generally allocated to carers living in their local area, allowing them to provide highly relevant support. Once you are initially approved, your social worker will visit you on a fortnightly basis. Following that initial period, supervision visits take place monthly.
What support is available for more complex situations?
Because our region is less urban and more rural, many of our carers have multiple spare bedrooms, allowing us to successfully place and support sibling groups. We have carers who specialise in sanctuary-seeking children, some of whom share diverse community backgrounds, languages or personal lived experiences of settling in the UK. We work closely with local authorities to identify suitable schooling and utilise our internal education team for specialised intervention.
Community, Events & Networks
Will there be other Compass foster parents near me?
Yes, our carers are grouped into local “constellations” or hub groups. Carers in your local area will offer you advice, guidance and practical support. Local carers also provide respite care for one another and offer sessional support during placement difficulties.
Do you offer mentoring or buddy support?
Yes, we identify a buddy for all new carers at the point of approval. Local hub representatives will reach out to you directly to offer targeted support and connections. If you choose, you can be added to local social media contact groups, such as WhatsApp, to easily connect with other nearby carers!
What local events do you run?
We celebrate Black History Month and Pride as well as a wide range of multi-faith customs and festivals. We actively recognise and celebrate diversity, neurodiversity, and the long service of our carers. In the summer, we participate in local children’s activity days, which can include things like farm visits, allowing children to build relationships in their immediate community. All of our events are locally based and locally informed by the communities themselves.
How do you support diverse families and communities?
We employ practitioners from diverse backgrounds and explicitly promote a culture of diversity and inclusion. We collaborate with placing authorities to ensure a child’s specific cultural needs are met practically; for example, guiding white foster parents on skin and hair care for black children. We also facilitate cultural connections, such as bringing together a Ugandan child and their Ugandan social worker to cook traditional food in the foster home.
