Requirements for becoming a foster carer

Foster carers come from all backgrounds and bring a wide range of life and work experiences and receive training before being approved to foster. This training gives you the tools, and complimenting skills and experience, to help meet the needs of any child in your care.

To become a foster carer, you need to be:

• A UK resident or have indefinite leave to remain.
• Have the tine to 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.
• You do not need to own your home, but you will need to have a spare bedroom.
• 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.

As approved foster carers you commit your time and energy to children in your care. Being someone for them to trust, talk to and celebrate achievements is important, as is having the patience, resilience, and confidence to deal with situations with situations presented by the children placed in your care. It is important that foster carers are observant in order to recognise when they need to step in or seek assistance to help deal with a particular situation. Having or developing the ability to reflect on your actions and to learn from experiences and continuously develop your skills is vital as a foster carer and throughout your career as foster carer, there will be opportunities and expectations to complete further training, as well as ongoing support.

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