Therapeutic fostering involves caring for children with complex trauma, attachment difficulties, or emotional and behavioural challenges. It requires specialist training and commands some of the highest fostering fees in the UK — £500–£1,200+ per week depending on the child's needs and your experience level.
What Is Therapeutic Fostering?
Therapeutic fostering is a specialist type of foster care for children who have experienced significant trauma — abuse, neglect, domestic violence, loss — and whose behaviour or emotional state requires a highly trained, therapeutically-informed approach from their carer.
Unlike standard fostering, therapeutic carers don't just provide a safe home. They actively participate in the child's therapeutic treatment plan, often working alongside clinical psychologists, therapists, and specialist education teams.
What Makes a Placement "Therapeutic"?
A therapeutic placement typically involves a child who:
- Has a diagnosis of complex or developmental trauma
- Exhibits extreme emotional dysregulation (meltdowns, aggression, self-harm)
- Has significant attachment difficulties — including reactive attachment disorder (RAD)
- Has experienced multiple placement breakdowns
- Requires a highly structured, consistent, therapeutic environment at home
What Training Do You Need?
You do not need to be a therapist or mental health professional. You do need:
- Experience as a foster carer (most therapeutic placements require at least 2 years)
- Specialist training in trauma-informed parenting (e.g. DDP — Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, PACE approach)
- Training in therapeutic parenting models (e.g. CAMHS input, Theraplay)
- Willingness to attend regular supervision sessions alongside (not a therapy patient yourself)
- Emotional resilience and a strong personal support network
Most IFAs that offer therapeutic placements provide this specialist training as part of their support package — often funded fully. You grow into the role.
How Much Do Therapeutic Foster Carers Earn?
Therapeutic fostering is among the highest-paid types of fostering in the UK. Typical weekly income ranges:
- Entry therapeutic (IFA): £500–£700/week
- Experienced therapeutic: £700–£900/week
- Highly complex/specialist: £900–£1,500+/week
These figures reflect the allowance (covering the child's costs) plus a substantial professional fee. Under HMRC's Qualifying Care Relief, most therapeutic foster carers pay little or no income tax on these earnings.
Is It Right for You?
Therapeutic fostering is not for everyone — and that's not a criticism. These children have usually experienced severe early adversity. Their behaviour can be challenging, exhausting, and at times frightening. The most effective therapeutic foster carers share some key traits:
- High tolerance for challenging or dysregulated behaviour without taking it personally
- Ability to remain calm under pressure (regulated themselves)
- Genuine curiosity about what drives behaviour rather than frustration with it
- Strong boundaries and consistency
- Willingness to work as part of a professional team
- Personal resilience, good self-care, and a strong support network
"These children don't need perfect carers. They need carers who can stay warm when pushed away, stay calm when chaos erupts, and stay present when every instinct in the child says 'everyone leaves'."
How to Get Started
- Gain experience as a standard foster carer first (1–3 years recommended)
- Express interest in therapeutic pathways to your agency
- Complete specialist training (your agency should fund this)
- Request therapeutic placement referrals through your placement team
If you're new to fostering but specifically interested in therapeutic care, tell the agencies you contact at enquiry stage. Some IFAs actively recruit and train new carers specifically for a therapeutic pathway from the start.