Why foster for Wigan?

Being a foster carer has changed my life in many ways, and I’m thankful for the love in my home, the laughter from happy settled children, and the help and support that is available from the fostering team - Lisa, Foster Carer

Wigan Council currently have over 230 fostering households that support our looked after children and young people. Our fostering community comes from all walks of life, but all share a passion for caring for children. We need more fostering families to ensure that our most vulnerable children and young people can find a permanent home for as long as they need it.

We need more foster carers to join our community so we can continue to support our local families, and we are specifically looking for people to open their hearts to older children, sibling groups and children with complex needs.

Our priority is to offer safe and loving homes to looked after children and young people to stop the amount of disruption and upset when they come in to care. You becoming a foster carer could make a real difference to their lives.

Why join us?

Here at Wigan, we have a thriving and loyal community of foster carers who are dedicated to supporting our local families. Fostering with your local authority means you will be supporting a local child or young person and allowing families to stay close to where they are from. Not only does this make it easier for you, it allows the children in your care to continue at the same school and stay connected with close families and friends.

  • Working collaboratively with our foster carers, we have built a collection of support mechanisms across the community and the council to provide the best care for our foster carers and their families.
  • We have a unique support and rewards package which aims to provide our carers with the tools they need to flourish as carers such as training, allowances, discounted leisure membership, and around the clock support from our expert social workers and support workers.
  • We are also immensely proud of our award-winning Mockingbird project, which provides a network of support between groups of foster carers. It has made a positive impact on the wellbeing of our carers by providing peer to peer support and an environment to share experiences with other carers in similar situations.

We know it's a big decision

With the wide range of foster carers that we work with, we understand that starting your journey of becoming a foster carer is a big decision. Everyone has their own commitments and family dynamics that will need to be considered when making the decision about whether fostering fits for you. Our team of experts are here to listen and support you with looking at the different types of fostering placements, so you can see what options are available to fit with your lifestyle and relieve any worries you may have.

Whether you’re ready to start the fostering journey, want to find out more information or know someone you think would make a good foster carer, it’s never too early to start to find out more. Contact our fostering team today and we can talk you through your options.

Assessments of prospective foster carers are thorough and timely, and the fostering panel members provide effective scrutiny and oversight. Foster carers benefit from regular training and the support of more experienced foster carers, including the support from the Mockingbird Programme - OFSTED, May 2022

© Wigan Council