Can I Foster? A Quick Rundown

With the number of children and young people in care currently being significantly higher than the number of foster placements available, now more than ever more foster carers are needed. But there are still many myths and wrong assumptions about who can foster.

Am I too old to foster?

There is no upper age limit to becoming a foster carer. The minimum age is 21 years because, by this time, most people have made strides to become financially settled and with a home of their own.

Foster carers are needed from all walks of life, and that includes people of all ages! Foster children and young people have a range of complex needs, and sometimes, the ‘older’ foster carer can be the person that they need.

I am disabled. Can I foster and will by application be viewed differently?

Yes, you can foster as disability is no bar to becoming a foster carer. A fostering agency needs to be sure that all of its foster carers are able to offer a stable, loving and respectful home to a foster child or young person.

I am not a parent, is it possible for me to become a foster carer?

Being a parent is not a prerequisite to becoming a foster carer. Fostering applications are welcomed from anyone over the age of 21, parent or not.

I don’t own my home. Is this a problem?

No. You can privately rent your home or be a social housing tenant, as well as a homeowner with or without a mortgage.

What it is important in terms of your home is that it is suitable for children or young people. This usually means having a spare room for a foster child so that they have a private space to call their own.

Are there automatic exclusions to people who can become foster carers?

There are few exclusions to who can become a foster parent as it is recognised that foster carers across the spectrum of age, ethnicity, sexuality and so on, are needed.

What would be a bar to becoming a foster carer are;

• Not being a British citizen or not being granted the right to stay permanently in the UK.
• Having a criminal record for violence and/or sexual crimes. Honesty is the best policy when it comes to any criminal record. Thus, a caution for shoplifting in your youth is not an automatic bar.

What about LGBT fostering applications? Are they welcomed?

Yes, applications from people who are married, single, heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bi and transgender or disability are all welcome.

There is a growing body of evidence that confirms children and young people who live with two dads, two mums, or a gay dad or a lesbian mum, are not adversely affected.

Like foster children living with a ‘traditional’ shaped family of “mum, dad and two kids”, foster children in a loving home with a disabled foster carer or two foster dads and so on, thrive and grow just as well.

Do I need professional qualifications to become a foster carer?

You don’t need qualifications of any kind because fostering is a way of life that comes with all kind of training opportunities.

From the initial training that all new fostering applicants receive to the ongoing training and development opportunities offered by a fostering agency, training is an important support mechanism.

How long does it take to become a foster carer?

It takes a couple of months from the very start of the process to the point where you welcome your first foster child.

There are forms to complete, questions to answer, discussions to have and initial training to attend. Once approved to foster, you can begin a career that will bring many rewards for the children you look after, yourself and your family.

Do you have more questions about becoming a foster carer? If so, contact Foster Care Associates, a leading fostering agency currently recruiting foster families and carers.

This is a collaborative post