About fostering
What is the difference between fostering and adoption?
Fostering and adoption can both involve caring for a child on a long-term basis but there are some big differences between adopting and fostering a child or young person.
- Legal permanence – In long-term fostering, a child or young person may stay with you until adulthood or beyond. But in adoption, the child legally becomes part of your family.
- Legal responsibility – In fostering, the legal responsibility for a child usually rests with their birth parents and/or the local authority. In adoption, you take on full legal responsibility for the child.
Can I make decisions about the child’s life?
As a foster carer you will have some decision-making responsibility for the children and young people you look after. However, in most cases, the child’s own parents will retain legal responsibility alongside the local authority. How long the child has stayed with you alongside other factors can also play a part in the decisions you may be allowed to make on behalf of the child. Your supervising social worker will be able to provide you with guidance in this area.
Can you choose what age child you foster?
You will discuss any preferences to foster, particular age groups, as part of your assessment. If you are approved as a foster carer, the fostering panel will recommend which age groups and how many children you are approved for. As you become more experienced, undergo more training or as your own circumstances change, you may feel better suited to support different types of children. This will be reviewed on a reguar basis with your supervising social worker.
The fostering process
How long does it take to be approved as a foster carer?
We aim for all prospective foster carers applications to complete at panel stage within 24 weeks or less, and for straightforward transfers for existing approved foster carers to be completed in around 12 weeks.
What happens at assessment?
After completing the assessment report your assessing social worker will help you prepare for the fostering panel. This is a group of fostering professionals who will consider your assessment and make a recommendation regarding your approval as a foster carer. You may be asked to attend the fostering panel along with your assessing social worker. Taking into account the fostering panel’s recommendation, the relevant local authorities Agency Decision Maker will make the final decision about your approval and the age and number of children you can look after.
If your application is not successful you will be told the reasons for this and given the opportunity to appeal against this decision.
Will my family have to be assessed?
Yes, all members of a household will be included in the fostering assessment process. We speak to all adults and children within the home because we need to understand how fostering would work for you and your family. Living alongside your own children can give children who are placed with you a valuable experience of family life.
Can I foster if…
I have health issues?
Physical or mental health issues will not necessarily prevent you from becoming a foster carer. What is important is that you are fit and emotionally healthy enough to provide stable care and support for a child or young person. Each prospective foster carer must have a medical assessment with their GP. The report will be used by our medical advisor to assess whether any ongoing health issues may impact your capacity to care for a child.
I have a disability?
We welcome applications from people with disabilities and this doesn’t automatically prevent you from being a foster carer. Each application is assessed on an individual basis and it will depend on the nature of your disability. The most important thing is for you to be able to meet the needs of the children you care for. Our experienced recruitment and assessment teams will be able to help you determine whether fostering is right for you.
I am religious?
We welcome people from all religions. Many children who are in care have a religion or faith and wish to continue to practice this. Someone’s religion or faith is often a reason that people choose to foster and a reason that people remain fostering, through their beliefs and the support from those around them.
When considering fostering, it would be neccessary to think about what is important to you in terms of the practical aspects of you practicing your faith and a potential impact of fostering.
It is also relevant to consider, as for any foster carer, that the child who you are caring for may either not have a religious background or share a different faith to your own. All and any foster carer would need to consider how you may best support each child according to their own individual identity and wishes regarding faith, from a practical and an emotional / spiritual perspective.
I have pets?
You can foster if you have pets – in fact they can be considered an asset to fostering and often become trusted members of the family for the children we care for. Your pets will be assessed throughout your application process to look at things like their behaviour and temperament.
I smoke / vape?
It’s a myth that smokers can’t become foster carers. However, it’s worth noting that babies and children aged under five aren’t placed in smoking/vaping households. We will always encourage smokers/vapers to give up and attend a stop smoking course. Smoking/vaping should never happen inside the home, so if you continue you will need to commit to doing so outside.
I don’t drive?
You do not always need to be a driver to be a foster carer, but being a driver can really help for the day-to-day activities of fostering. As a foster carer, the children and young people staying with you will usually be from your local area. We recognise the value of using public transport but you will need to consider how school age children will get to school, which may be a few miles away.
You will also be responsible for transporting any babies, children or young people in your care to any medical or other appointments. Depending on contact arrangements, you may also need to help facilitate visits with a child’s birth family.
I’m not a British Citizen?
Being a British Citizen is not a requirement, but we would need you to be a full-time resident of the UK.
Still not sure you fit the bill? Visit our myth busting page to get more information on some of the most common concerns and questions potential foster carers have.
More questions?
Our recruitment team are on hand to answer any other questions you might have, so get in touch.