Who can foster?

There’s so much about who you are that could make you a brilliant foster carer. There are just a few practical things you’ll need too. You can foster if you:   

• Are aged 21 or over.  
• Have a spare bedroom big enough for a child or young person.           
• Are a full-time resident in the UK or have the right to work in the UK. 
• Have the time to give a child, young person or family the care they deserve. 

If you want to give a child or young person a loving home where they can thrive, we're here to help.  

Age

To be a foster carer you need to be 21 or over, there’s no upper age limit! We’ve got foster carers who are in their twenties up to their seventies. If you’ve got the energy, enthusiasm and empathy to care for a child who may not have had the best start in life we’d love to talk to you.

Spare bedroom

Every child deserves a safe and comfy bedroom where they can feel like they belong. For foster children there are minimum standards that say each child over the age of three should have their own bedroom, so you need a room that can be theirs alone. It can’t be in a shared space. 

The room should have a window, door, bed, and if they’re a bit older, a desk with a chair. It doesn’t need to be huge, but it should have enough storage for their clothes and belongings and floor space for them to play if they’re a younger child. A heater or radiator is essential to keep the room warm. A loft conversion can be considered a spare room if it meets all relevant building regulations and is sufficiently sized.

Foster children cannot share a room with a biological child. It’s really important that foster children have somewhere private they can go to if they need a bit of space.

Sometimes if siblings are being fostered together it can be agreed that they can share a room, particularly if that’s what they’ve always known. However, there should be space for them to have a room each as they age. If you’ve got questions about the suitability of a room in your home you’re welcome to have a no-obligation chat with us and we’ll do our best to help.

Your background

It doesn’t matter your religious or cultural background, your gender or sexual identity, whether you're single, married, divorced or in a civil partnership, you have the potential to foster. You can foster if you rent your home and if you have pets.

What's most important is that you are caring, patient, understanding and can offer the children and young people in your care a positive and loving environment.   

Our carers come from a variety of backgrounds and have all sorts of life experiences, skills and qualities which helps meet the different needs of children and young people needing a foster home. 

You don’t need to have specific qualifications or experience of raising children. We’ll provide on-going support and training programmes to develop your skills and fostering knowledge.   

If you’ve got a question about whether you could be a foster carer, what it involves or what it’s like to apply you are welcome to get in touch and in a no-strings-attached call one of our friendly team can answer them for you.