Fostering in Sutton Coldfield
Thinking about fostering in Sutton Coldfield? Embrace is a therapeutic fostering agency, rated Good by Ofsted, looking for carers in the north of Birmingham.
Children in care in Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield is part of Birmingham, so children in care here are Birmingham City Council's responsibility. Its children's social care is run by Birmingham Children's Trust, which the council owns.
On 31 March 2025 Birmingham was looking after 2,317 children, and 896 of them were living outside the city. A foster home on Birmingham's northern edge, next to Little Aston and the Staffordshire boundary, can keep a child within reach of their school and family.
Some children do need to live further away, for safety or to be with relatives. For the rest, having carers nearby is what makes staying local possible. With Embrace you'd have your own supervising social worker, visits every four to six weeks and an advice line that never closes.
Figures are for the whole council area, from the Department for Education's children looked after statistics for the year to 31 March 2025. The duty to place children near home is in section 22C of the Children Act 1989.
A safe family home for children in care
Foster carers look after children and young people who can't live with their birth families. Some come for a few nights, others for a few weeks, some for years.
Many of the children we work with have experienced trauma, neglect, or instability. What they all need is the same thing every child needs: a safe, loving home where they can be themselves.
At Embrace, we specialise in therapeutic fostering. That means our carers are trained in PACE (Playful, Accepting, Curious, Empathic) and DDP (Dyadic Developmental Practice). It's a way of being with children that helps them heal.
We're always looking for new foster carers in Sutton Coldfield. Wherever you are in the area, you'll have a supervising social worker, round-the-clock support and a real community behind you.
Who can become a foster carer?
Far more people can foster than you might think. We welcome applications from people of any background.
- You're over 21, with no upper age limit
- You have a spare bedroom
- You can offer time, patience, and stability
- You're a UK resident with the right to work
- You drive, or live somewhere with good public transport
- You're prepared to be assessed and trained
You can foster if you're single, married, in a civil partnership, cohabiting, divorced, working, retired, a homeowner or a tenant. Sexuality, race, religion and disability are never barriers.
Why foster with us?
Therapeutic approach
DDP and PACE training as standard. In-house therapist. Monthly Embrace Each Other support groups.
Round-the-clock support
24/7 emergency line, 365 days a year. Weekly check-ins. Supervision every 4-6 weeks.
Ofsted Good rated
"Children are at the centre of practice at Embrace Fostering." Independent verification of what our families already know.
Generous allowances
Competitive sterling allowances. Level 1 to Level 2 career structure to reward your skills.
Continuous training
Mandatory and ongoing courses. Specialist subjects. Free Foster Talk membership.
A real community
Embrace Each Other groups. Fun days twice yearly. Consultation days. Quarterly newsletter.