How to become a foster carer

Who can become a foster carer?

Foster carers can be:

• from all backgrounds, religions, heritages and cultures
• single, married, cohabiting, heterosexual or gay
• over 21 years old – there is no set age limit.

Qualifications are not necessary.

Your circumstances

What we ask is that you have a spare bedroom or bedrooms. If you have a partner, you should have been living together for at least 2 years.

You need to be able to provide a smoke-free atmosphere for children and staff who visit your home. You will need to be in good health.

If you work, you will need to have time to take and fetch children from school and care for them You would also need to be available during the day to take part in meetings and help when children have contact their natural families.

I’m lucky, in fact I’m a lot more than lucky, if it wasn’t for Karen and her family I wouldn’t be here, I’ve no doubt I wouldn’t be alive today.
Read Ruth's story

Your skills and qualities

Able to relate to children – anyone thinking of fostering needs first and foremost to enjoy being with and caring for children. You need to be able to cope with the ups and downs of the children and young people themselves and those arising from their experiences and families.

You would need to be able to communicate with children in a way they can understand. You would be providing them with a safe and caring home and encouraging them to learn, achieve, join in activities and play. Fostering means being able to understand the reasons children may be distressed or ‘acting up’ and not taking their actions or feelings personally.

A professional role - fostering is a professional role. Foster carer’s views and observations about the children and young people they care for play an important part in arranging what they need day to day and in planning for their future.

You would be working as part of a team alongside workers from the fostering and children’s teams and the children’s parents. You would be attending meetings and taking children and young people to any appointments they have for their health or education. You might be working closely with a child’s school to help them attend or be able to learn.

What would I say to people interested in becoming foster carers? It’s a massive commitment to make, but is very rewarding. It’s important to find out all about it and realise what you are taking on.
Foster carer

Able to learn and attend training sessions – you don’t need qualifications to become a foster carer but you do need to be willing to attend regular training courses. There is a lot to learn about caring for children who have gone through difficult experiences.

We offer a wide range of training options. There are opportunities to develop and widen your particular interests and skills.