Can I foster?

One of the most common questions we are asked is, “Can I foster?”

Our foster carers come from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures and ethnic groups. We believe the most important criteria for becoming a foster carer is your ability to listen and empathise, to provide a stable and loving home and to speak up for the children you care for. Your sexuality, marital status, age and whether you own a home do not determine your suitability as a foster carer, therefore will not impact your fostering application.

Many people automatically rule themselves out when they consider what an ‘ideal’ foster carer looks like. The truth is, there is no ideal foster carer. Diversity and inclusion are top priorities for TACT, and the more diverse our foster carers are, the more equipped they will be to provide care and support to more children and young people. Many of our current foster carers have brought across skills from other vocations that have complemented their foster carer training.

To be able to begin your fostering journey with TACT we do ask that you meet the following criteria:

✔ You must be over 21 years old (there is no upper age limit)

Being aged 21 or over will ensure that you have the emotional capabilities and life experience to fully care for a child or young person. Additionally, it helps to ensure that there is a sufficient age gap between older children and yourself.

However, there is no upper age limit! As long as you have the energy and capacity to make a difference to young people’s lives, it is never too late to start your fostering journey.

✔ You must have at least one spare bedroom

Fostering standards state that all young people in foster care should have their own bedroom.

This is to provide children with a space that they can call their own. A place of calmness and privacy to help them recover from any past trauma they may have experienced.

There are a few exceptions around sharing a bedroom, but only for same-sex siblings. This would be agreed on a case-by-case basis. If you have your own children, they would not be able to share a bedroom with any young person in your care.

You would need at least one spare bedroom in your home before you could apply to be a foster carer.

✔ You must be a full-time resident in the UK or have indefinite leave to remain

Being a full-time resident in the UK, or having indefinite leave to remain ensures that there is a commitment from you to provide continuity of care.

At TACT, the best interests of children come first. It would be disruptive for young people if their foster carer was required to return to another country. This would require them to move to a new foster home that may not be as beneficial to them as the care that you were providing.

✔ You must have good spoken and written English

When you become a foster carer, you join a team of support around a child.

That team will include social workers, engagement and activity practitioners, teachers and medical practitioners. Being able to communicate verbally with a variety of professionals is essential.

You would also be required to keep records detailing the progress of any young people in your care, so good written English is vital.

✔ You must have the time and availability to dedicate yourself to fostering

Fostering is very rewarding, but it also requires time, commitment, empathy, patience and skill.

Aside from personal qualities, there are also practical aspects – such as school drop-offs, training, meetings and medical appointments. Having the time and availability to dedicate yourself to fostering is essential.

Still unsure? Take our quiz!

If you’re still unsure about who can foster, why not take our short quiz. Some of the results may surprise you!

“I always knew that I wanted to give a child the same stability. I thought it unlikely that I would ever foster because I wasn’t sure of the impact on my new-born son. I cried when TACT agreed to let me foster – my dream was about to become a reality.”