Who can foster

Anyone with an interest in making a positive difference for vulnerable children and young people can foster. Carers can come form a wide range of backgrounds and contribute many different work and life experiences. This is important as children coming into care also come from a wide range of backgrounds and traditions.
Fostering provides a stable family life for children and young people who are unable to remain with their own family for whatever reason.
Foster carers will always receive support and training so that they have the skills needed to meet the needs of the children and young people they look after.

To foster child or young person, there are certain basic criteria you need to meet:

  • you must be at least 21 years of age (the law permits you to foster from 18),
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  • you must have a spare bedroom large enough for child/young person to live in,
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  • you must be a full time resident in the UK or have the leave to remain,
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  • you must be able to have the time to look after a child/young personusually on a full-time basis,
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    you don’t have to be a homeowner - but you will need to show you can offer a child/young person a stable home environment,         You don’t need any formal qualifications - you will be expected to attend training courses but there are no exams!

    you don’t need any formal qualifications - you will be expected to attend training courses but there are no exams! you can foster if you are middle aged or older - some foster carers are in their seventies. It is important that you are physically fit. and have the ability to care for a child/ young person.
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    As a person you can be:

  • male/female/transgender,
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  • single/married/divorced,
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  • LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender),
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  • someone who has never had children,
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  • a single parent,
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  • a parent with young or grown-up children.
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    Things we would expect you to have:

  • a commitment to attend the training courses that we run on a regular basis’
  • a real interest in children and young people with a desire to support them in their education and general development,
  • a genuine ‘team spirit’ a willingness to engage in partnership with everyone working in the interests of a child/young person,
  • a commitment to keeping accurate records relating to the child/young person that you are caring for.
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    The factors we consider:

  • your general health - are you reasonably fit to foster now and into the future?
  • where you live: is your home safe for a child?
  • your financial position: can you afford to be a foster carer?
  • family and friends: will there be people interested and able to provide you with support?
  • your past: have you spent time living abroad - have you any past criminal convictions?
  •  your knowledge of - plus any experience you have of working with children/young people - this might be be through family, work, youth groups or volunteering
  • your attitude: do you have a real enthusiasm and the patience to work with children and young people. Will you, with training and support, be able to deal with behaviour that may be difficult or challenging - looked after children often have not had the best start in life? Will you have the commitment to support them through their education and always make them feel a part of your family?
    • your attitude: do you have a real enthusiasm and the patience to work with children and young people. Will you, with training and support, be able to deal with behaviour that may be difficult or challenging - looked after children often have not had the best start in life? Will you have the commitment to support them through their education and always make them feel a part of your family?

    Make a difference by joining our caring and professional community where we always find room for FUN!

    You can make that difference to the life of a child/young person by joining us. Remember: whatever your religion, you can foster a child - you just need to show if you accepted a young person of a different faith to your own, how you would support them in observing their faith. Usually this simply means transporting them to and from the place of observance church/temple/synagogue/mosque. It is important that you respect dietary requirements a child may have in relation to their religion.

    Fostering a child is life changing. It may be one of the biggest decisions you ever make. Foster carers need to be energetic, enthusiastic, patient and and above all resilient. There can be tough and challenging times, but overcoming these can be

    hugely rewarding. Many of the children we care for will have suffered some kind of neglect or trauma. Being able to provide the comfort and security of a stable home environment can mean everything to them.

    Childhood is a special time. It never comes around again and children should have the opportunity to enjoy being carefree. It should be a balance between schoolwork and having fun. In this way children can develop into well rounded personalities able to go out into the world. So if you decide to open your heart and open your home, you will have transformed a child’s life and given them something very precious…a future!
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    Call now 0330 311 2845 or 020 8427 3355