Help us find out more about public attitudes to fostering

Many local children urgently need safe and loving homes because their birth parents are unable to provide them with this for a variety of reasons. People who provide these homes are known as their foster carers and have the potential to offer the child a brighter future, changing their lives for the better. There are different types of foster care. Most, but not all, types of fostering require carers to have a spare room.
Slough Children’s Services Trust is a not-for-profit independent company which works to protect local children and is largely funded through public money. We have some amazing foster parents but we need to recruit more. By taking part in this survey, which should take no more than five, minutes to complete, you are enabling us to do vital market research, in a cost-effective way. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this.
How would you describe your attitude to fostering, as a way of helping local children in need?
Which of the statements below best applies to you?
Please select
Where do you get your general local information from?
Please select as many as apply to you.
- Social Media
- Online/Website
- Newspapers
- Radio
- Posters
- Leaflets
- Word of Mouth
- Magazines
- Community Centres
- Places of Worship
- Other
What social media channels do you use for local news?
What websites do you access for local news?
What newspapers do you read for local news?
What radio stations do you listen to for local news?
What magazines do you read for local news?
What other sources of local news do you have?
Do you read leaflets which come through your door?
Have you ever considered fostering?
Please describe your situation
Why would you say you haven't considered fostering?
- I have never been asked
- I didn't know there was an urgent need
- It would not be good for my birth children
- I already work
- I have too many other commitments
- Other
Please select as many as apply.
Please state any other reason you have for not considering fostering.
Did you know we welcome enquiries from all types of local people, including single, married, all ethnicities, everyone over 21, members of all the LGBT community and all faith groups?
Did you know foster carers can work, while fostering?
Some companies in Slough are considering having foster friendly policies for their staff, where they would give extra time off for appointments and for settling in a child, please state your thoughts on this.
Please tick as many statements as apply to you.
- I think this is a good idea
- I think this would encourage more people to foster
- I think more companies should do this
- I don't have an opinion
- I don't agree with this
Did you know foster carers receive allowances of an average of £20k per child?
Did you know foster carers receive access to 24/7 support and are given all the right skills and training to care for a child?
Did you know that children in care can achieve as much as their peers who aren’t in care, with the support of a loving foster family?
Please provide any other comments or thoughts.
We’d really appreciate it if you could provide us with the following information:
Postcode
Age Bracket
If you would be happy to be asked some supplementary questions via email, please leave your email address…

Hear from existing carers

In January 2020, Sam Cox, a foster carer through Slough Children First, featured on BBC Radio Berkshire’s drive time show. Find out what she had to say here.

In December 2019, Denise Chappell a foster carer through Slough Children First, featured on BBC Radio Berkshire’s drive time show. Find out what she had to say here.