Newcastle City Council Fostering Service
Recruits through Foster With North East
Newcastle upon Tyne · Local AuthorityLocally run
Ofsted rated Newcastle City Council Good for children in care at its last full inspection, in late 2021, and Newcastle is a pilot area for the Mockingbird carer-community programme.
What to know about Newcastle City Council Fostering Service
Newcastle City Council's own fostering service works to keep Newcastle children in their home city, close to the schools and communities they know. A dedicated Placements Team matches each child with the right family, and the service's own specialist teams in education and health back you up if a child has extra needs.
fosterwithnortheast.org.ukSupport at a glance
A dedicated, experienced supervising social worker as your first point of contact, with regular supervision. The child has their own social worker too.
There is always a duty team to contact, day or night.
Access to a dedicated team of therapeutic professionals, plus specialised council teams in education and health if a child has additional needs.
Dedicated Resource Workers who support the children in your care, in and out of the home.
A community of foster carers who support and advocate for you, regular support sessions hosted by a team manager, and a calendar of engagement activities.
A comprehensive training package and professional development opportunities.
The Mockingbird Family Model
Newcastle is a pilot area for The Fostering Network's Mockingbird Family Model. It brings foster carers together in a community called a constellation, around a hub home carer and a liaison worker who support all the carers and children in it. Hub carers also provide sleepovers that feel like staying with grandparents, as part of an extended family.
Fostering households are grouped into small networks of around 6 to 10 families.
Each constellation is anchored by an experienced carer who offers peer advice and a familiar base.
Constellation families meet up regularly, so children and carers build friendships beyond their own household.
Children can stay overnight with a trusted constellation family, giving carers planned breaks.
Types of fostering offered
Fostering allowances
Newcastle pays foster carers a weekly allowance for each child, set by the child's age, plus a fee set by the tier of need the child is placed at. Tier 1 is for mainstream needs, tier 2 for complex needs and difficult behaviours, and tier 3 for disabilities and severe emotional or behavioural difficulties. The totals below are allowance plus fee, per child.
Age 0 to 4 £288.65, age 5 to 10 £360.98, age 11 to 15 £386.98, age 16+ £426.98.
Age 0 to 4 £341.98, age 5 to 10 £414.30, age 11 to 15 £440.30, age 16+ £480.30.
Age 0 to 4 £385.98, age 5 to 10 £468.47, age 11 to 15 £502.88, age 16+ £542.88.
Newcastle also runs two specialist schemes, paid at a flat weekly rate:
Emergency-only carers receive a £350 retainer.
Figures checked October 2026. Newcastle doesn't show a date for these rates. Allowances are reviewed each year and depend on the child's age and needs.
Shortlist to confirm what you'd be paid
Areas covered
Office: Newcastle upon Tyne
Main towns: Newcastle upon Tyne
NE: NE
What Ofsted say
Ofsted inspected Newcastle's children's services from 29 November to 10 December 2021 and judged the experiences and progress of children in care and care leavers Good, and overall effectiveness Good.
Local authorities are inspected under the ILACS framework across all children's services. Ratings shown reflect the 'Children in Care' sub-judgment.
"Most children live in the local area with Newcastle foster carers."
Exceptional partner
Newcastle City Council Fostering meets our highest standard: children in care rated Good by Ofsted, 24/7 telephone support, access to a dedicated team of therapeutic professionals, and Mockingbird.
How we award badges →