Many potential foster carers hold back from initially finding out more because they fear they’ll be left without support, think they need formal qualifications, or believe training will be limited. Foster for East Midlands Councils is dispelling those myths and showing that carers receive professional, personal support at every step.

Myth 1: You must have qualifications to foster.

Fact: No qualifications are needed. All applicants take part in the free Skills to Foster programme, providing the skills and confidence to start their fostering journey.

Myth 2: Once approved, you’re on your own.

Fact: Every foster carer is assigned a dedicated social worker and has access to a 24/7 advice line for urgent help or reassurance.

Myth 3: Training ends after approval.

Fact: Ongoing professional development covers areas such as trauma-informed care, safe care, and specialist fostering, with training offered online and in person to suit carers’ schedules.

Myth 4: Support is one-size-fits-all.

Fact: Support is tailored to each carer’s needs. This can include buddy schemes, specialist support groups, respite care, and community-based programmes like Mockingbird, an extended family-style network connecting foster carers for shared support and activities.

One of Foster for East Midlands Councils foster carers Carl, has shared in a poem how joining one of the Mockingbird hubs has turned his feelings of isolation into belonging.

Mockingbird

We were on an island feeling blue
A bit unsupported with no clue what to do
We got an email about a brand-new way
It was called Mockingbird, a family you could say

We were not sure if it was for us
The commitment, the agreement, felt a bit sus
Then came a call from a social worker we knew
Who told us “This new thing might be right for you"

We met the hub carers, they seemed to be nice
After the cuppa, we didn't need asking twice
We agreed to join the Mockingbird hub
We felt that this could be our new club

Once a month we meet for coffee and cake
We have a good chat about the decisions we make
We look forward to this time with our new mates
Then come the family fun dates

A get together with all the kids in our care
To do fun things here and there
These kids enjoy this family feel
The connections they make are deep and real

We have been together for over a year
That's something to celebrate, something to cheer
The people we've met we can truly call our friend
The solitude we felt is now on the mend

So if you’re contemplating if this is for you
I think you'll make a friend or two
We are now a community of our very own
So we never feel we are doing this alone.

Written by Carl, an East Midlands foster carer sharing his personal experience with Mockingbird.

Cllr Paul Hezelgrave, Lead Council’s Cabinet Member for Foster for East Midlands Councils said:

Fostering plays a vital role in our community, and no one should face it alone. From the moment they apply, our foster carers receive the right training, around-the-clock support, and a strong network of peers to help them every step of the way for as long as they’re caring for children.

Foster for East Midlands Councils is a partnership between Derby City, Derbyshire County, Nottingham City, and Nottinghamshire County Councils, launched in March 2024 to make fostering more accessible across the region. By combining expertise, we provide a simpler, more streamlined route into fostering and ensure that children can be placed with caring families in their local communities. As a not-for-profit service, every resource is reinvested into supporting children and the foster carers who look after them.

Through our central recruitment hub, prospective carers receive expert guidance, bespoke training, and personalised support packages from day one. By working together, we aim to recruit more local foster carers, keep children close to familiar surroundings, and help every young person feel safe, stable, and settled in a loving home.

Learn more on the Foster for East Midlands Councils web page , email info@fosterforeastmidlands.org.uk, call 0300 300 8181 or apply online.