Fostering vs. Childminding: What's better for me?

Posted on Friday 5th November 2021

If you feel like your calling in life is to look after children, then two possible options are either to become a foster carer or become a childminder.

You may also be a foster carer that’s thinking about switching to childminding or be a childminder who’s considering becoming a foster carer.

Our team at Foster for Staffordshire believes you should know all there is to know about both professions, leaving the decision up to you of which path you should go down.

Is fostering for me?

Foster carers make a huge difference to young lives, and our foster carers find it very rewarding for both themselves and their families.

There are also other reasons why you should consider becoming a foster carer with Foster for Staffordshire:

Financial support

It can be uncomfortable to discuss pay during the process of becoming a foster carer, however, it is an important part of the process.

The amount of money you receive for being a foster carer depends on many factors, such as your level of experience and expertise, the type of foster care you’ll be doing, and the age of the child/young person you’re fostering.

The basic pay to become a foster carer starts at £181.30 per week, however, you can earn up to £543.55 once you become a level 4 foster carer.

Explore more about the pay you receive when you’re a foster carer.

Support groups and training

As a foster carer, it’s important to realise that you’re part of a big team.

You’ll undertake tailored training before you’re an approved foster carer and we’ll continue to support your development with training throughout your fostering career.

You’ll also have your own fostering social worker who will be there to support and advise you along your journey. We’ll also place an experienced foster carer as your mentor, who you can contact 24/7 and will introduce you to your local support group.

You will be amazed at just how many foster carers live near you, as well as the support groups available for you and your family. You’ll be able to get to know them, socialise and support each other and become part of a bigger community.

Regular events

There are regular events that you can attend when you are a foster carer that are suitable for your entire family to enjoy.

Events are a great place to meet like-minded people and talk about your own experience as a foster carer. Talking about your individual issues, challenges and success will help you learn from other foster carers, as well as help others.

Supporting a non-profit agency

If you were to become a foster carer with Foster for Staffordshire, you’d have the peace of mind that you’re supporting a not-for-profit organisation.

Unlike some fostering agencies, Foster for Staffordshire doesn’t run as a business to maximise return on investment for shareholders.

Read more about what it means to become a foster carer with Foster for Staffordshire.

Is childminding for me?

Childminding, like fostering, is extremely rewarding if you feel like your calling is to look after children.

If you don’t feel like fostering is for you, there are plenty of reasons to consider becoming a childminder:

Meet the needs of young people

If you really want to look after children, then childminding is a great option for doing just that.

Whilst parents are at work, children need a place to go to be looked after and feel safe until parents can collect them.

Therefore you are contributing to the development of children in your community and helping out young people who need your help.

The flexibility of working

If you’re interested in looking after children, but you’re not looking for the full-time responsibility that comes with being a foster carer, then childminding would work great for you.

Usually, people need a childminder to look after their children whilst they’re at work, so you can expect to be busy during holidays and half-term.

Childminding could also be a good test to see how you are looking after children before taking the plunge and becoming a foster carer.

Become part of the community hub

A childminder is an essential part of the community that looks after children in a local area when their parents are busy, and usually when they’re at work.

If you’d love to add value to the community that you live in, then becoming a childminder would be a fantastic opportunity to do that.

Fostering vs. Childminding: What’s the best option for you?

The choice is yours if you’d like to become a foster carer or a childminder, and you need to explore all the information available before making a decision that’s right for you.

If you’d like to find out more about becoming a foster carer, please get in touch with the Foster for Staffordshire team to find out more about life as a foster carer.

If you’re a childminder who would like to enquire about becoming a foster carer, we’d love to hear from you too. You can do both we already have childminders working for us as foster carers too.