Who can foster

Being a foster parent means caring for a child as part of your family.

To become a foster parent you must:

  • have the right to work in the UK
  • be able to take care of a child or young person, often on a full-time basis

You must also be at least 18 years old, though most foster service providers will require you to be at least 21.

How long you care for the child depends on the type of foster care. It can range from one night to many years, or until the child is an adult.

If you바카라 사이트™re already fostering a child, there바카라 사이트™s more information about help and support for foster parents.

You may be able to work and foster. Whether you can depends on the child바카라 사이트™s circumstances and the fostering service you apply to. This can be your local council or an independent fostering agency.

You do not need to own your home, but usually you바카라 사이트™ll need to have a spare bedroom.

Before you can foster, you must pass a fostering assessment to check that you바카라 사이트™re able to care for a child.

You do not have a statutory right to time off work to care for foster children.

This guidance applies to England. There바카라 사이트™s different fostering guidance if you:

Your responsibilities

If you become a foster parent you바카라 사이트™ll need to:

  • care for the child as part of a team - this could include a local authority, schools, health professionals and the child바카라 사이트™s birth family
  • keep records and write reports about the foster child
  • attend meetings and advocate for the child
  • help the child manage their behaviour and feelings
  • attend training

Support from Fosterline

Call Fosterline for free to get advice on fostering. You can also on the Fosterline website.

Fosterline
Telephone: 0800 040 7675
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (except bank holidays)
Find out about call charges