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  3. Adoption, fostering and residential care
  4. Fostering
  5. Become a foster carer
  6. We need foster carers of all religions and ethnicities

We need foster carers of all religions and ethnicities

Man and child lying on floor reading a book. Wording in logo says Foster with trust, foster with us.

Weekly pay for foster carers
Fostering information events
Why foster with us?
Contact us about fostering

There is no such thing as a 'typical' or 'standard' foster carer. Each will bring a wide range of life and work experiences.

Foster carers are:

  • from a variety of backgrounds, circumstances, religions, ethnicities and cultures
  • all genders and sexual orientations
  • aged 21 and over (there’s no upper age limit)
  • single, married or cohabiting
  • diverse and may manage a physical disability or mental health condition.

If you have any questions, or want to find out if fostering could be the right choice for you, please get in touch now.

What you need

You need…

  • A genuine interest in helping children through a difficult time in their lives.
  • As a family to have time in your lives and space in your home to care for a child or young person.
  • Experience as parents or of caring for children.
  • Energy and enthusiasm to keep up with the demands of an active child.
  • Patience, tolerance, resilience and good communications skills.
  • An understanding of the potential impact of trauma, separation and loss on children.
  • A warm and welcoming home, with or without pets (you do not need to own your home).
  • A spare bedroom so that the foster child has a space to make their own.
  • A positive and flexible approach to life, supporting our children to develop a strong sense of their own identity which may differ to your own (identity, ethnicity, culture, religion, gender, sexuality, disability).

There are very few reasons why you can’t foster. It used to be that you had to be a certain type of person but it’s not like that now.

Sarah – foster carer


You’ll be part of a team alongside social workers and the children’s parents. You’ll attend meetings. You will take children and young people to health or education appointments. You might also work with a child’s school to help them attend or be able to learn.

You need to be available for the needs of the child in your care, so working full time may not be compatible as a single carer.

You don’t need qualifications, but you do need to be willing to attend regular training. We offer a wide range of opportunities to develop your interests and skills.

Working with you, we will match the child with the foster carer. We will consider the child’s needs, your skills, experience and of course your family.