Who can foster?

We welcome people from all walks of life.

Everyone has different life experiences and skills that they can bring to fostering. There are a few requirements that ensure children and young people in our care are always provided with the best care.

Requirements of a foster carer:

• You must be at least 21 years old. There is no upper age limit.
• You need a spare bedroom.
• You need to be fit and healthy to meet the needs of a child placed with you.
• You need to be honest and open. The assessment process is very thorough and you will be asked about many different aspects of your life.
• You have the time to commit to your fostering assessment and training.
• You need to have indefinite leave to remain in the UK.

Qualities of a foster carer

We welcome people who:

• have a down-to-earth attitude
• are able to take things in their stride and find solutions to problems
• have a good sense of humour
• are confident, a good role model for children and able to nurture confidence in others
• are patient and can build trusting relationships with children
• are good at listening and can respond kindly
• are committed to their own learning and development. Training is a crucial part of fostering
• are able to communicate well share information sensitively
• are open-minded to change
• want to be a part of a friendly, local fostering community

Additional qualities from a child’s point of view:

• Be good at listening - have at least one ear for me
• Be non-judgemental - I’m in care, so does that make me a problem?
• Focus on the person not the process - get to know me for who I am, accept me and help me grow
• Be consistent and stable - are you going to stick with me, will you be there for me long term? Will you give me clear, fair rules and will you stick to them?
• Be empathetic - try to understand me, but don’t feel sorry for me
• Be honest - don’t beat around the bush, just tell me
• Be genuine - don’t hide behind your role, no jargon please
• Be a good time keeper - it is good manners, you should set a good example if you expect it of me
• Be contactable - how will I get hold of you?
• Be resourceful and flexible - I deserve the best you can give
• Help me feel I belong – I need to feel I am part of your family, but remember I have a birth family too
• Be able to negotiate - can we discuss the rules and agree to compromise on some things? All young people are not the same, one size does not fit everyone
• Be kind - listen to me
• Let me try things out and be there when it goes wrong
• Cook the food I like