Fostering in North East Lincolnshire

Local foster carers, for local children

Fostering is a chance to make a real difference in a child’s life, offering them safety, support, and a place where they can truly feel they belong.

Apply to foster

Here in North East Lincolnshire – from the heart of Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Immingham to our surrounding towns and villages – we’re looking for people who can open their homes to local children who want to stay close to the places and people they know.

With a dedicated team on your doorstep, training nearby, and support available whenever you need it, you’ll never be on this journey alone.

Already a foster carer? Visit NELC Foster Carers for support, guidance and offers.

Who we are

At North East Lincolnshire Council, our purpose is simple: children are at the heart of every decision we make.

We believe every child deserves safety, stability, and the chance to thrive in the community they call home – and we’re here to make that happen with warmth, honesty, and genuine care.

A great community

We work alongside a dedicated fostering community who share these values, and together provide the welcoming, nurturing homes our children need.

24/7 support

As a council, we make sure foster carers have generous pay, high‑quality training, and 24/7 support from a team that puts children – not profit – first.

Making a difference

By fostering with us, you’ll be helping children grow up near their schools, friends, parks, and familiar places in Lincolnshire and beyond, making a difference in the community we call home.

Apply to be a foster carer

Come and meet us

Staff will be on hand for a chat at our free photo exhibition celebrating local foster carers.

Outside The Works in Freshney Place, Grimsby
Monday 18th to Friday 22nd May

Tesco, Hewitts Circus
19th May, 1pm to 4pm, Hewitts Circus Retail Park, Humberston
Pennells, Cleethorpes
21st May, 10:30am to 2:30pm, Humberston Rd, Cleethorpes

What is Fostering?

Fostering means an approved adult or family opens their home to care for a child who cannot live with their birth family. This could be for a short time, a longer period, or until the child can return home or move on to a permanent arrangement. Foster carers provide safety, stability, and emotional support, helping children in North East Lincolnshire feel secure and thrive.

Apply to foster

Why foster with us?

Caring for local children

We want children in care to remain close to the communities they know. That’s why its important we have foster carers in our area, caring for children who are local.

Coming soon

Great support system

You’ll have a dedicated fostering social worker from assessment to approval, our foster care association provides advice and you’ll get a fostering buddy.

Learn more

Generous pay and discounts

Weekly and annual allowances for each child, plus extra for holidays and experience. Enjoy up to 100% council tax discounts and offers from Fostering Friendly businesses.

Learn more

Development opportunities

Access to information, learning, and training to support you as a foster carer, as well as education and health professionals to assist in your role.

Learn more

Read more about why you should foster with the Local Authority instead of Independent Fostering Agencies: Why foster with us (Word, 33KB)

Types of fostering

A key focus for the children and young people is permanence and stability. Having consistent, positive, and trusting relationships is the key to everything else, whether that be with staff at NELC, or family members and foster carers.

A short stay foster carer looks after a child while their regular foster carer takes a break. Usually, a child will stay with you between one night but can be up to two or three weeks. As a short stay foster carer you do all the same training and have access to the same network of professional support as any other foster carer, but this is a more flexible part-time role that can work with other commitments you may have.

Short break carers look after children with disabilities for short periods on a regular basis while their parent or carers take a break. As a short break foster carer, you do all the same training and have access to the same network of professional support as any other foster carer but this is a more flexible part-time role. In addition, specialist training is available to help carers understand the needs of any child they may look after, as well as having an allocated fostering social worker who will work closely with you to ensure that you have the support. Kinship care

Kinship foster care is when children’s services place a child with a family member, family friend or someone else closely connected to them. You do not have parental responsibility as a kinship foster carer. The child is in the care of children’s services, either through a voluntary agreement with their parents or an order made by a family court The law requires children’s services to give preference to a home with a family member or friend who is approved as a foster carer. However, that person must be assessed and approved as a foster carer. In an emergency, you may be assessed and approved as a temporary foster carer.

If a child is cared for by someone who is not their parent, step-parent, sister, brother, aunt, uncle or grandparent, visit the private fostering page.