How do I become a foster carer in Coventry?

The first step is to contact a number of the fostering organisations listed on this page — we suggest starting with three. Each service will want to learn about your motivations for fostering, your personal circumstances, and the type of children you'd like to care for. This is also your opportunity to ask them questions and get a sense of whether they feel like the right fit for you. If you decide to proceed, you'll begin a formal assessment process involving background checks, home visits and interviews to make sure fostering is the right fit for you and your household. Once approved by an independent fostering panel, you'll be matched with children whose needs suit your experience and home situation.

How much do foster carers get paid in Coventry?

Fostering allowances in Coventry vary depending on the agency, the type of fostering and the age of the child. As a general guide, most foster carers receive a weekly allowance starting from around £230 per child, though specialist or therapeutic placements can be significantly higher. We know that people do not foster for the money. However, we recognise that fostering has financial implications — for example, some people reduce their working hours or give up employment entirely to foster. We ask the agencies in this directory to include information about their allowances so you can compare them side by side before making your decision.

How long does it take to become an approved foster carer in Coventry?

The approval process typically takes between four and six months from your initial enquiry. This includes a detailed assessment by a qualified social worker, home visits, training sessions and a review by an independent fostering panel. Some agencies offer a fast-track route for people with relevant professional or caring experience. The exact timeline will depend on how quickly checks are completed and how responsive all parties are throughout the process.

Do I need to own my home to foster in Coventry?

No — you don't need to own your home to become a foster carer in Coventry. Whether you rent or own, what matters most is that you have a stable, safe home with a spare bedroom available for a child. If you rent, it's worth checking whether your tenancy agreement permits fostering and, if necessary, getting confirmation from your landlord. Your fostering agency will advise you on this during the assessment process.

Can I foster in Coventry if I live outside the city?

Yes — many fostering agencies operating in Coventry recruit carers from across the wider West Midlands region, not just within the city boundary. What matters most is that you can reliably support a child placed with you and maintain links with the relevant council, school and support network. If you live in a neighbouring area such as Solihull, Warwickshire or Birmingham, it's worth contacting agencies directly to find out whether your location would affect the types of placements available to you.

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Fostering Agencies in Coventry

Compare Fostering Agencies Serving Coventry and the West Midlands

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Organisation Type

Coverage

Ofsted

Fostering type

Showing 24 of 24

Agency	Location	Ofsted	Provider type	Fostering types	Allowance	Reviews
Action for Children Fostering National	Birmingham	Good	Charity	Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child	From £400/week per child	No rating
Active Care Solutions Regional	Oldbury	Outstanding	Independent Fostering Agency	Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic	From £450/week per child	4.0· 3
Barnardo's Fostering National	Birmingham	Good	Charity	Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic	From £380/week per child	4.1· 13
By the Bridge Fostering National	Solihull	Outstanding	Independent Fostering Agency	Short-term, long-term, therapeutic, sibling groups, parent and child, respite, emergency	From £470/week per child	4.8· 14
Capstone Foster Care Regional	Wolverhampton	Good	Independent Fostering Agency	Short-term, long-term, emergency, respite, parent and child, therapeutic	From £400/week per child	4.5· 6
Child Care Bureau Fostering Services Regional	Worcester	Outstanding	Independent Fostering Agency	Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic	From £450/week per child	5.0· 1
Compass Fostering National	Birmingham	Good	Independent Fostering Agency	Short-term, long-term, emergency, respite, parent and child, therapeutic, sibling groups	From £400/week per child	5.0· 1
Coventry City Council Fostering & Family Placement Service Locally run	Coventry	Good	Local Authority	Short term, long term, emergency, parent and child	£476–£760 per week	No rating
Five Rivers Child Care National	Coventry	Good	Social Enterprise	Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic	From £420/week per child	4.0· 1
Foster Care Associates (FCA) National	Bromsgrove	Good	Independent Fostering Agency	Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic, unaccompanied minors	From £430/week per child	4.9· 9
Fostering Solutions Ltd Regional	Stafford	Good	Independent Fostering Agency	Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic	From £450/week per child	5.0· 1
FosterPlus National	Birmingham	Requires Improvement	Independent Fostering Agency	Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, therapeutic, sibling groups	From £390/week per child	5.0· 2
ISP Fostering National	Birmingham	Outstanding	Independent Fostering Agency	Short-term, long-term, therapeutic, parent and child, respite, emergency, sibling groups	From £450/week per child	5.0· 6
National Fostering Agency National	Solihull	Good	Independent Fostering Agency	Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic	From £450/week per child	2.8· 4
National Fostering Group National	Birmingham	Good	Independent Fostering Agency	Short-term, long-term, emergency, respite, parent and child, therapeutic, sibling groups	From £420/week per child	2.8· 4
Nexus Fostering Midlands and West Regional	Telford	Outstanding	Independent Fostering Agency	Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic	From £450/week per child	4.8· 6
Orange Grove Foster Care Regional	Birmingham	Good	Independent Fostering Agency	Short-term, long-term, parent and child, sibling groups, respite, emergency, therapeutic	From £410/week per child	5.0· 1
Orange Grove Fostercare Staffordshire Regional	Stone	Good	Independent Fostering Agency	Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic	From £400/week per child	5.0· 1
St. Christopher's Fellowship Regional	West Bromwich	Not yet inspected	Independent Fostering Agency	Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, therapeutic, unaccompanied minors	Enquire for rates	5.0· 2
Sunbeam Fostering Agency Regional	Coventry	Good	Independent Fostering Agency	Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child	Enquire for rates	5.0· 11
SWIIS Foster Care Ltd National	Birmingham	Outstanding	Independent Fostering Agency	Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic	Enquire for rates	4.7· 3
The Children's Family Trust National	Worcester	Good	Independent Fostering Agency	Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic	Enquire for rates	5.0· 1
The Foster Care Charity Regional	Worcester	Good	Independent Fostering Agency	Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups	Enquire for rates	5.0· 3
United Fostering Services Limited Locally run	Coventry	Requires Improvement	Independent Fostering Agency	Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, therapeutic	Enquire for rates	No rating

Action for Children Fostering

Birmingham · Charity

National

Good

Types: Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child
Allowance: From £400/week per child
Support

Active Care Solutions

Oldbury · Independent Fostering Agency

Regional

Outstanding

Types: Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic
Allowance: From £450/week per child
Support

4.0· 3

Barnardo's Fostering

Birmingham · Charity

National

Good

Types: Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic
Allowance: From £380/week per child
Support

4.1· 13

By the Bridge Fostering

Solihull · Independent Fostering Agency

National

Outstanding

Types: Short-term, long-term, therapeutic, sibling groups, parent and child, respite, emergency
Allowance: From £470/week per child
Support

4.8· 14

Capstone Foster Care

Wolverhampton · Independent Fostering Agency

Regional

Good

Types: Short-term, long-term, emergency, respite, parent and child, therapeutic
Allowance: From £400/week per child
Support

4.5· 6

Child Care Bureau Fostering Services

Worcester · Independent Fostering Agency

Regional

Outstanding

Types: Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic
Allowance: From £450/week per child
Support

5.0· 1

Compass Fostering

Birmingham · Independent Fostering Agency

National

Good

Types: Short-term, long-term, emergency, respite, parent and child, therapeutic, sibling groups
Allowance: From £400/week per child
Support

5.0· 1

Coventry City Council Fostering & Family Placement Service

Coventry · Local Authority

Locally run

Good

Types: Short term, long term, emergency, parent and child
Allowance: £476–£760 per week
Support

Five Rivers Child Care

Coventry · Social Enterprise

National

Good

Types: Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic
Allowance: From £420/week per child
Support

4.0· 1

Foster Care Associates (FCA)

Bromsgrove · Independent Fostering Agency

National

Good

Types: Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic, unaccompanied minors
Allowance: From £430/week per child
Support

4.9· 9

Fostering Solutions Ltd

Stafford · Independent Fostering Agency

Regional

Good

Types: Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic
Allowance: From £450/week per child
Support

5.0· 1

FosterPlus

Birmingham · Independent Fostering Agency

National

Requires Improvement

Types: Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, therapeutic, sibling groups
Allowance: From £390/week per child
Support

5.0· 2

ISP Fostering

Birmingham · Independent Fostering Agency

National

Outstanding

Types: Short-term, long-term, therapeutic, parent and child, respite, emergency, sibling groups
Allowance: From £450/week per child
Support

5.0· 6

National Fostering Agency

Solihull · Independent Fostering Agency

National

Good

Types: Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic
Allowance: From £450/week per child
Support

2.8· 4

National Fostering Group

Birmingham · Independent Fostering Agency

National

Good

Types: Short-term, long-term, emergency, respite, parent and child, therapeutic, sibling groups
Allowance: From £420/week per child
Support

2.8· 4

Nexus Fostering Midlands and West

Telford · Independent Fostering Agency

Regional

Outstanding

Types: Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic
Allowance: From £450/week per child
Support

4.8· 6

Orange Grove Foster Care

Birmingham · Independent Fostering Agency

Regional

Good

Types: Short-term, long-term, parent and child, sibling groups, respite, emergency, therapeutic
Allowance: From £410/week per child
Support

5.0· 1

Orange Grove Fostercare Staffordshire

Stone · Independent Fostering Agency

Regional

Good

Types: Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic
Allowance: From £400/week per child
Support

5.0· 1

St. Christopher's Fellowship

West Bromwich · Independent Fostering Agency

Regional

Not yet inspected

Types: Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, therapeutic, unaccompanied minors
Allowance: Enquire for rates
Support

5.0· 2

Sunbeam Fostering Agency

Coventry · Independent Fostering Agency

Regional

Good

Types: Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child
Allowance: Enquire for rates
Support

5.0· 11

SWIIS Foster Care Ltd

Birmingham · Independent Fostering Agency

National

Outstanding

Types: Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic
Allowance: Enquire for rates
Support

4.7· 3

The Children's Family Trust

Worcester · Independent Fostering Agency

National

Good

Types: Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups, therapeutic
Allowance: Enquire for rates
Support

5.0· 1

The Foster Care Charity

Worcester · Independent Fostering Agency

Regional

Good

Types: Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, sibling groups
Allowance: Enquire for rates
Support

5.0· 3

United Fostering Services Limited

Coventry · Independent Fostering Agency

Locally run

Requires Improvement

Types: Short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, parent and child, therapeutic
Allowance: Enquire for rates
Support

We are an independent comparison tool, not a fostering agency.

About Fostering Agencies in Coventry

Coventry is a vibrant, diverse city in the heart of the West Midlands, with a strong community network and a growing population. Fostering agencies in Coventry work to recruit, train and support foster carers who can provide a safe and nurturing home for children in care. Whether you're just starting to think about fostering or you're ready to take the next step, the agencies listed here can guide you through every stage of the process — from your first enquiry through to approval and beyond.

There are two main types of fostering provider in Coventry and both are regulated and inspected by Ofsted.

Local authority fostering services

Run by Coventry City Council, these focus on finding carers for children in Coventry's care. The council's fostering team works closely with local children's services to match carers with children whose needs best suit what you can offer.

Independent fostering agencies (IFAs)

Privately run organisations — sometimes charities or social enterprises — that are commissioned by councils when they need additional placements. IFAs working in Coventry may place children from across the West Midlands and beyond, and can sometimes offer higher allowances or more specialist support for children with complex needs.

If you want to know more about fostering in the West Midlands, including how to choose the right type of fostering agency for you, read our blog post: How to become a foster carer in Birmingham: a step-by-step guide.

Choosing the right fostering agency in Coventry comes down to what matters most to you — the level of training on offer, the support available around the clock, or the types of children you'd like to care for. All fostering services listed in this directory are Ofsted-registered and independently inspected. You can compare ratings, fostering types and allowances side by side to help you make a more informed decision.

Also comparing agencies across the wider West Midlands? Browse fostering agencies in Birmingham.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fostering in Coventry

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