What makes Lambeth special?

Our fostering community is made up of truly passionate, caring and experienced social work staff and carers. If you become a Lambeth foster carer, you become part of our team.

Becoming a foster carer can be a hugely rewarding but challenging journey. With us you’re never alone - you’ll get to meet lots of other foster carers and people who are passionate about transforming the lives of the children in their care.

There are opportunities to develop through training and support. We also hold regular social events for carers to network, create lasting friendships and support one another.

When you foster for us, we’ll make sure that you get:

• first priority when looking for a placement for a child before using a private fostering agency, meaning that you shouldn’t have an empty bed for very long  
• a thorough induction programme 
• your own dedicated supervising social worker (SSW)
• ongoing training and development opportunities throughout the year 
• peer mentorship to newly approved carers run by our most experienced foster carers 
• 24-7 out of hours support from a dedicated social worker and our team, 365 days of the year 
• free social events and activities with our large, local community of carers 
• Fostering Network membership and the opportunity to join our active fostering support group 
• two weeks (14 days) paid respite each year 
• a £500 referral bonus if you refer a friend who becomes an approved, active foster carer for Lambeth 
• a rebate of your council tax if you are actively fostering for us (from April 2021) 
• among the most competitive fees and allowances in London

Covid-19 support package 

In addition to these benefits, we’ve also developed a special support package for our carers during the pandemic. This includes: 

• weekly one-to-one online surgeries with our management team, to support you and help us improve 
• support for our community to stay connected via 6-weekly online get-togethers for carers and supervising social workers  
• key worker status, meaning you can get the coronavirus vaccination as a priority. Your children and the children you care for can also attend school if they are open for key workers 
• an extra £100 weekly allowance during lock-down periods 

Working in Lambeth

All of the training, meetings and appointments you’ll have will be based around the borough.

Our offices are based in the heart of vibrant Brixton - a fantastic place to work. Home to more than 300,000 residents, the diversity, creativity and mutual support that characterises our communities makes Lambeth a unique place to visit, live and work.

Our towns are all special places. You’ll find great food, drink, music, art, film, history, parks and leisure opportunities. We’re also easy to find by river, tube, bus, train, and bike.

We can consider applications from people who are working – provided that you still have the time to meet the needs of any child in your care.

On our jobs page, you can find out more about current opportunities to work with children and families in Lambeth, including any upcoming vacancies in our fostering team.