Find Us In the West Midlands
Regions We Cover in the West Midlands
Select a region below to learn more about the localised support we provider to our carers.
Bristol Fostering Services
Learn more about the support we offer to our carers in this area including training, support groups, coffee mornings and much more.
Herefordshire Fostering Services
Learn more about the support we offer to our carers in this area including training, support groups, coffee mornings and much more.
Oxfordshire Fostering Services
Learn more about the support we offer to our carers in this area including training, support groups, coffee mornings and much more.
Shropshire Fostering Services
Learn more about the support we offer to our carers in this area including training, support groups, coffee mornings and much more.
Wiltshire Fostering Services
Learn more about the support we offer to our carers in this area including training, support groups, coffee mornings and much more.
Worcestershire 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 all of Worcestershire, plus areas including Birmingham, Coventry and Walsall.
Who Can Foster in the West 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 West Midlands can receive 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.
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 West 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 West Midlands
There is a significant and growing need for foster parents across the West 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 West Midlands Team
Across our great region, we pride ourselves on working together as one supportive team, with children and young people at the heart of everything we do. Compass West are incredibly proud of the courage, care, and commitment shown by our foster parents, and of the life-changing opportunities they provide our children and young people in their care.
Our foster parents are supported by a dedicated team of social workers, therapeutic practitioners and Learning and Development professionals. This team works closely with foster carers, offering regular supervision, training, and guidance to support them throughout their fostering journey.
We also value connection deeply. Foster parents are encouraged to come together through our local groups, not only for shared learning opportunities and social activities, but to build meaningful relationships with strong support networks within our community." — Joy Hunt, Head of Fostering
Joy Hunt
Head of Fostering
Shingirai Chigwedere
Operations Manager
Nic Huntley
Operations Manager
Lisa Price
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 West Midlands — Compass FAQs
The Fostering Basics
What fostering services do you offer?
We offer traditional fostering roles, including short-term and long-term placements. There is a significant need for respite care. We have a high demand for carers who can accommodate siblings and large sibling groups, particularly those with two or three spare bedrooms. Carers who can support children with complex needs are also in high demand.
Which local authorities do you work with?
We work with a total of 24 local authorities.
The Fostering Journey
Where will my training take place?
Training takes place across a number of locations in the region. Specific areas include Wolverhampton, Telford, Somerset, Gloucester, Worcester, Bristol and Swindon. Training is flexible, with both face-to-face and online options available.
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 carers, 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?
The timeframe depends entirely on the preferences of the foster carer. Having a very tight preference may result in waiting longer, whereas a broader preference typically speeds up the matching process.
How does the matching process work and will I have a say?
A qualified supervising social worker supports decisions to identify a suitable match for you. Foster carers are consulted during the initial stages, and all relevant information is shared with them. Once a formal offer is made, you have the right to refuse. If you choose to accept, a placement or planning meeting is arranged to finalise the details.
Professional Support & Practicalities
Where are your local offices?
Our main office for the region is located in Worcester.
How often do I need to visit?
You will only need to visit occasionally, typically two or three times a year. These visits are usually for official meetings with the Ops team, trainers, or to drop off documents to be checked.
Who supports me out of hours?
You will be provided with a dedicated out-of-hours telephone number. Dialling this number connects you automatically and immediately to a support professional. This service is hub-specific and covers the Central, North and Wales areas.
How often will my Supervising Social Worker visit?
Yes, your supervising social worker will be based locally. Initially, they will visit your home for supervision on a fortnightly basis. Over time, this will transition to monthly visits, though they will visit more frequently if required by your needs.
What support is available for more complex situations?
Foster carers receive one-to-one supervision from an allocated supervising social worker. Uniquely for our region, we also provide dedicated family support workers. We support a number of children with complex medical and health needs. To prepare and support our carers for these challenges, we provide bespoke packages of training. We also have an education service that works alongside our supervising social workers to provide advice and guidance.
Community, Events & Networks
Will there be other Compass foster parents near me?
We have 149 foster parents spread across a large geographical area ranging from Stoke to Somerset. Our region is divided into 5 hubs to better support our families locally. We work hard to ensure all newly approved foster parents are connected through these hubs so they have access to other foster parents as well as our ambassadors.
Do you offer mentoring or buddy support?
Yes, we have an “Ambassador” network made up of experienced foster parents. We currently have about 5 or 6 ambassadors across our hubs and are actively recruiting more. Ambassadors provide support through phone calls, WhatsApp groups, and at support groups. They also offer informal, practical support, such as occasional help with daycare or transport.
What local events do you run?
We host formal support groups supported by our social workers, and our carers and ambassadors frequently arrange their own informal gatherings, such as carer breakfasts. We host long service awards to celebrate our carers’ dedication and organise various family days out. We celebrate seasonal events, such as Halloween pumpkin picking, Christmas events, and sending out Easter eggs. Birth children are always invited to our family events and are acknowledged equally.
How do you support diverse families and communities?
Because our 5 hubs are culturally diverse, we celebrate Cultural Diversity Day and Harmony Day to reflect the communities we serve. We host specific virtual “Rainbow Groups” to support families with LGBTQ+ children and to offer information to interested carers. These groups are separated to cater appropriately to adults and children. We also run Grace groups to further support the diverse networks within our fostering community.
