Fostering - Your questions answered

Foster carers come from all different walks of life.

Our first considerations are that you can offer a safe and secure environment and can understand some of the feelings and worries.

How old must I be?

There is no age limit and all cases are reviewed on an individual basis. We do ask that younger foster carers are emotionally mature and have experience of being around children and that all foster carers are fit, healthy and to cope with the pressures of becoming a foster carer.

Do I have to be married?

No we have foster carers who are single and divorced as well as unmarried and married couples.

Do I have to have a job?

No. Carers can be employed or unemployed. You must however be able to meet the needs of the child (for example transporting to school, contact and activities and attending relevant meetings).

Do I need a family of my own?

Many carers are parents with children of their own, whether they are still at home or have grown up and left. However, it is not a necessity and many people who have not had children have become successful foster carers. However it is important that if you have a family, that the whole family are committed to becoming a foster family.

We assess families rather than individuals and everyone must be enthusiastic about their role in a foster child's life. We are not looking for a specific family set up or sexual orientation. You must be able to offer a secure and supportive environment during a difficult time in a child or young persons life.

Can I foster if I smoke?

We aim to provide children with a smoke-free living environment and this is particularly vital for young children or children with health needs. If you are looking to foster children up to 11 years of age, or parent and child placements, you will not be able to smoke at all. If you do smoke and wish to foster older children, it is still expected that your house is smoke free.

What if I have a criminal record?

Minor offences committed a long time ago may not affect your application, however there are certain offences which DO prevent someone from fostering. These include any offence of causing harm to a child, some serious offences of violence and sex offences.

You MUST let us know of ANY convictions or cautions that you have, regardless of the age when committed. If you haven't provided this information from the start we will be unable to proceed with your application.

Do I have to own my own house?

It doesn't matter if you own or rent your home, but foster carers do need to be either the legal tenants or owners of a property. You must be able to offer a foster child or young person their own room and private space.

Can I foster if I am gay or lesbian?

Yes you can, we welcome applications from everyone.

The fostering task

The National Minimum Standards, Fostering Services Regulations 2011 and the National Standards for Foster Care ensure that we meet high standards when it comes to looking after children. As part of this, all foster carers need to be assessed to demonstrate their abilities in four main areas:

• caring for children
• providing a safe and caring environment
• working as part of a team
• their own development (this includes ability to build up a support network and use training opportunities)

Deciding to foster affects the whole family. Foster carers have to balance the needs of the foster child with the needs of their own children. If you have children of your own, you have to consider how they will cope with sharing their toys, their home and their parents with a foster child.

Checks

• we do carry out an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS) to make sure we do not approve people who have a history of violence or crimes against children. A DBS check will also be carried out on all members of the household aged 16 and over
• you will have a medical to ensure you are fit enough to care for children
• there is a Council check to see if you have had any previous involvement with a social services department
• if you have children living at home, we will also need school references, and a health visitor reference if you have children under six years old
• references are sought from your employer, friends who have known you for some time and other family members including children and young people not living at home
• you will also need to consent to your previous partner(s) being contracted

These checks are necessary because we must make sure that foster children are kept safe whilst in our care.