Why September Could Be the Right Time to Start Your Fostering Journey

If you have been thinking about fostering for a while, September has a way of making that thought feel more urgent — and more possible.

The summer holidays are over, children are back at school, and there is a quietness to the start of autumn that tends to make people reflect. For many prospective foster carers, September is the month they finally pick up the phone.

The Need Has Never Been Greater

The fostering sector in England is facing a genuine crisis. The number of approved fostering households has fallen by 10% since 2021, and the government has committed to reversing that decline with a package of reforms introduced this year. Across the East of England alone, 440 new foster families are needed in the next 12 months.

In Norfolk and Suffolk, that need is felt acutely. There are over 1,200 children in Norfolk currently in the care system, with more entering care every week. Many of those children are waiting for a local foster carer — someone close to home, familiar with their schools, their community, and their part of the world.

Without enough local foster carers, children are sometimes placed miles from their families and friends, separated from their siblings, or placed in residential care rather than a family home. The evidence is clear that children do better in family environments, and that is exactly what foster carers provide.

Why September Works

There is no single “right time” to start fostering — children need care all year round. But September has a practical logic to it that many carers describe as the moment things clicked for them.

If you have children of your own, the return to school creates a natural structure to your days. If you are thinking about fostering a school-age child, you will already understand what that rhythm looks like. And if you are considering fostering for the first time, the process typically takes four to six months — meaning an enquiry made in September could lead to approval in early spring.

Starting your enquiry now also means you will complete the Skills to Foster training course and your assessment over the autumn and winter months, with the possibility of welcoming your first placement as the year turns.

What the Process Looks Like

Many people put off enquiring because they assume the process is overwhelming. It is thorough — it needs to be, because the children involved deserve that — but it is also well-supported. At Solace Fostering, the process looks like this:

1. An initial informal chat with our team — no obligation, just a conversation
2. A home visit from one of our social workers
3. A formal application and background checks
4. The Skills to Foster pre-approval training course
5. Your fostering assessment (Form F), completed with your dedicated social worker
6. Approval panel — and then your first placement

We are with you at every step, and the process is designed to build your confidence as much as it is to assess your suitability.

You Might Be More Ready Than You Think

One of the most common things we hear from new foster carers is that they wish they had started sooner. They worried they were not experienced enough, or that their house was not big enough, or that their circumstances were not quite right.

The truth is that foster carers come from every background. You do not need to be married, own your home, or have previous childcare experience. You do need a spare bedroom, a stable home environment, and a genuine commitment to supporting a child through a difficult time in their life.

If you have been thinking about it — this September might be your moment.

Ready to Find Out More?

Get in touch with the Solace Fostering team today for a no-obligation conversation. We cover Norfolk and Suffolk, and our team is based at the Beacon Innovation Centre in Gorleston-on-Sea.

Call us on 07949 943667 or fill in our enquiry form and we will be in touch within 24 hours.