a. Collect the Application Form

• Collect application form from the nearest Department of Social Welfare Office in the regions or DPM’s office in Mbabane (Deputy Director’s Office);
• Collect the application form from any SOS Children’s Villages office in Manzini, Mbabane, Nhlangano and Siteki
• Visit the foster care website: www.batfwabetfu.org

b. You will fill in the application form and submit it the offices mentioned above.

• If you experience difficulty get assistance from the above mentioned offices, contact the following numbers Lubombo 76489640, Manzini 76489643, Hhohho 76489644, Shiselweni 76489646.
• Make sure that you understand what attachments you should submit.
• If you access the form online, make sure you upload the necessary attachments that accompany the form.
•  For online enquiries contact 76489649 /info@bantfwabetfu.org

c. Return the Form with all attachments, to the nearest DSW offices or SOS CV Offices as guided above.

d. The social workers will contact you to arrange for the initial formal assessment

• If you meet the pre-requisites or not you will be informed. ( within 7 working days)

e. If you meet the pre-requisites you and other prospective foster parents will receive pre-placement orientation on foster care and the foster care process.

f. Once the initial formal assessment has been completed, you will be invited to appear before the National Foster Care Child Placement Committee (7 days prior). This is where your application will be presented by the DSW.

g. A final decision will then be communicated to you within 24 hours of meeting the committee.
h. Your application will then be submitted to court for granting a foster care order.
i. This will be followed by placement of the child/ren into your care.
j. There will be a post-placement visit by the DSW.
k. Your will receive ongoing support and capacity building.
l. The duration for each of the steps above will depend on each case but the entire placement process should be done within 3 months.

1. There is no foster care grant.
2. Foster families will be assisted on training of Foster care related competences, and capacity building.
3. Once off material support, as per the need based on assessment. (e.g.- starting backyard gardens, water harvesting)
4. Linkages to other social services including birth registration

1. As a foster parent, you will be given first preference to adopt the child.
2. You will also be expected to comply with the child adoption requirement process.

• The National Guidelines on Alternative care define foster care and adoption as follows:
• Foster Care
  Foster Care is care provided to the child within a family setting other than the child’s biological or extended family. Foster care is done with the authorisation of a competent authority. A foster parent is usually selected, trained and supervised to provide care.
• Foster care can be on short term (less than 3 months), medium term(less than 6 months) and long term ( more than 6 months)
• Adoption is both a social and legal process whereby a child is placed legally and permanently with a parent or parents other than the birth (biological) mother or father. The adopted child is given the legal status as if the child had been born to the family and the new ties with the adoptive family are considered as equal to biological ties. There are two kinds of adoption:
• Local or Domestic Adoption is adoption involving adoptive parents and a child of the same nationality and the same country of residence.
• International or Intercountry Adoption is adoption involving parents of a nationality other than that of the child and includes a change in the child’s habitual country of residence.

• Preferably not more than two children (depending on your assessment and eligibility).
  However, siblings should not be separated)
• In cases where its siblings, or more than two children, there are other alternative care options in the kingdom of Eswatini.

For anyone to be eligible to foster, there must be no criminal record, or history of conviction. Hence the need for vetting and clearance from Royal Eswatini police service.