Every young person deserves a place to belong

Imagine a 15-year-old walks into a foster home for the first time.

Head down and no eye contact. He has just come from the local court. There are concerns about gang involvement and he hasn’t been going home.

This is the first time he’s stayed with foster carers, and no one quite knows what will happen next.

By the end of his first evening, something small shifts. He sits at the table for dinner and starts talking about football. The carers listen.

The next day, they take him to buy clothes, trainers and a haircut for court. Things most of us take for granted, but for him, it’s a reset.

A few weeks later, he has settled into the home. He's more comfortable, joining conversations and starting to trust. At court, he presents differently, calmer and more confident.

He’s able to return home with support in place. And he still comes back – for Sunday lunch, for advice, for reassurance.

This is a very different side of fostering in Birmingham – one that most people don’t realise exists. It’s known as remand fostering.

What is remand fostering?

Remand Fostering is a specialist form of fostering in which carers support young people who can’t return home while they await a court decision.

It’s often short-term, but it happens at a critical moment in a young person’s life.

Why is this fostering in Birmingham needed

When a young person goes to court and can’t safely return home, the options can often feel limited: time in police custody, unsuitable accommodation, or a custodial setting.

But custody can have a lasting impact on young people – disrupting education, relationships and stability in ways that can follow them for years.

According to the government’s youth justice statistics, many young people are remanded into custody unnecessarily:

• Around 43% of children in custody are on remand
• 62% do not go on to receive a custodial sentence

In many cases, it isn’t about risk; it’s about a lack of suitable support or accommodation at the right time. That’s where remand fostering comes in.

What makes this role different?

This type of fostering isn’t about long-term change or fixing everything overnight, according to Foster Birmingham.

It’s about providing a stable home, clear boundaries, a consistent routine and calm, reliable support.

At a time when a young person may feel uncertain or unsettled, that consistency can make a real difference. Sometimes, it’s the first time they’ve experienced it.

Who this role is for

Remand Fostering is a specialist, full-time role, and it isn’t suited to everyone.

Foster Birmingham is looking for people who:

• Have experience supporting young people (for example, in youth work, education, residential care, police, probation or fostering)
• Can offer a stable and structured home environment
• Have a spare bedroom
• Are able to travel across the city for appointments, school and court
• Bring patience, empathy and resilience
• Are available to foster full-time, including stepping in to support other fostering needs when required

If you already work with young people and feel ready for a different kind of challenge, you may already have the skills needed.

What you’ll receive as a remand foster carer

This is a specialist role, and the support reflects that. You won’t be doing this alone. Remand foster carers receive:

• £937.85 per week *
• Specialist training, including PREVENT, PACE and County Lines awareness
• Support from Youth Offending Teams, TESS and Forward Thinking Birmingham
• Therapeutic support and a dedicated supervising social worker
• 24/7 support, 365 days a year
• Clear planning and support for every young person

If you have the experience, the space, and the resilience to support a young person at a critical point in their life, please call (0121) 303 7575 or enquire online at fosterbirmingham.co.uk

* Fee correct at time of publishing