How to become a Fostering Friendly Employer
Supporting local children, empowering employees, strengthening our community
On the 22 May 2025, The States of Guernsey became the first Government employer to achieve Fostering Friendly Status. Every child deserves a safe, stable and nurturing home. Foster carers play a vital role in providing that support for children and young people who are unable to live with their birth families. Here in Guernsey, 19 fostering households are currently caring for 23 children and young people. Yet there is an ongoing need for more foster carers to help ensure children can remain close to their schools, friends and local communities.
Employers can make a real difference by helping employees who foster, or who are considering becoming foster carers.
What is Fostering Friendly?
Fostering Friendly is a national programme run by The Fostering Network that encourages organisations to support employees who foster or are undertaking assessments to become foster carers. The scheme is free to join and open to employers of all sizes.
To become Fostering Friendly, organisations commit to introducing a fostering-friendly policy that includes:
- A minimum of five days' paid leave each year for fostering-related activities.
- Support for employees attending training, assessments and meetings.
- Flexibility to help foster carers balance work and caring responsibilities.
- Practical support for children settling into their new homes.
These simple commitments can make a significant difference to employees who are helping transform the lives of vulnerable children.
Benefits of Being a Fostering Friendly Employer
Becoming a Fostering Friendly employer isn't just good for foster carers. It also delivers meaningful benefits for organisations and their wider workforce.
- Enhanced Employee Wellbeing
- Stronger Recruitment and Retention
- Valuable Workplace Skills
- Positive Community Impact
- Once you are approved, you can display your Fostering Friendly logo with pride.
- Fostering Network publish a list of Fostering Friendly employers and will help promote and celebrate your new status.
- Fostering Friendly employers can improve support for staff, making workplaces friendlier for foster carers, benefiting the children in their care and also making it easier for people to consider fostering.
- You will share in the celebration of foster care and the vital role it has in transforming children’s lives.
- Every year the Fostering Network present a Fostering Friendly employer with a prestigious Fostering Excellence Award
Working Together to Make a Difference
Organisations that join the scheme also gain access to guidance, resources and opportunities to participate in Foster Care Fortnight™, the UK's largest fostering awareness campaign.
Becoming a Fostering Friendly employer is a simple step that can have a lasting impact. By offering flexibility, understanding and practical support, employers can help more children experience the security and stability of a caring home while supporting employees who make that possible.
Guernsey Post became Fostering Friendly in January 2026.
"Becoming a Fostering Friendly Employer was a straightforward process and aligned closely with our existing commitment to supporting employee wellbeing and work-life balance. It provided a valuable opportunity to recognise the important role foster carers play in our community and to ensure our policies offer practical support to employees who choose to undertake this vital responsibility. The feedback has been very positive, and we are proud to be part of an initiative that helps make fostering a more viable option for working people." - Guernsey Post
Find Out More
The Fostering Friendly team at Fostering Network gives employers all the advice and support they need to join the scheme, including sharing a template HR policy. Get in touch with fosteringfriendly@fostering.net to find out more.