Who Can Foster?
Quick overview
Who can foster?
You can foster if you are: a single adult, a couple (LGBTQIA+ inclusive), a parent, a non-parent, a homeowner, and renters from all backgrounds can foster children.
Employment: Flexible work arrangements are considered, as long as care availability is met.
Got Questions?
Book a discovery chat with a member of our team at a time that suits you.
The essential starting point
- A suitable spare bedroom that a child can call their own.
- The legal right to live and work in the UK.
- Enough time and availability to meet the needs of the fostering role.
- A stable home and household that can welcome a child safely.
- The willingness to complete a detailed assessment, training and required checks.
- No conviction or caution that legally prevents you from working with children.
You can foster if you are...
- Single, married, in a civil partnership or living with a partner.
- LGBTQIA+.
- A parent already, or someone without children of your own.
- A homeowner or a tenant, subject to suitable housing arrangements.
- From any ethnic, cultural or religious background.
- Employed, self-employed or not currently working, provided the fostering arrangement gives the main foster parent the availability required.
What qualities matter?
Foster parents need patience, honesty and resilience. You need to be able to listen, reflect, ask for help and remain dependable when a child is having a difficult time.
We also look for warmth, flexibility and the ability to see potential. You do not need to know every answer, but you do need to be open to new ways of thinking and prepared to work as part of a professional team.
Your whole household is part of the decision
Fostering affects family routines, relationships, privacy and the use of your home. During assessment, we will speak openly with the people who live with you and help everyone understand what fostering may mean for them.
We have to consider pets, adult children, support networks, health and your previous life experiences. Having a question or a complication does not automatically rule you out – it simply gives us something important to discuss.
The best way to know is to ask
People often rule themselves out based on something they have heard or assumed. A short conversation with our team can give you a clearer answer based on your actual circumstances.
Discover if fostering is right for you
Have an commitment-free chat with our friendly team.