Fostering is a diverse profession, and we’re always eager to welcome more amazing people to join us in our mission to improve children’s lives across the UK. Let’s explore some common queries we receive about what might disqualify a person from fostering.
Who can foster in the UK?
Here in the UK, it takes 3 things to foster a child:
- You must be over the age of 21
- You must have a spare room available
- You must have the right to work in the UK
You can foster regardless of your relationship status or whether or not you own your own home. There’s no upper age limit for foster parents, and we welcome people of all genders, sexualities and faiths— what we’re looking for is amazing personal qualities like patience, empathy, determination and kindness. Those are what make a person a great candidate to foster.
Learn more about who can foster, and what it takes to become a foster parent.
Can I foster if I have a criminal record?
Deciding whether someone is eligible to foster is an in-depth process, which requires a 4-6 month fostering assessment. Every person who wants to foster in the UK must undergo a DBS criminal records check along with a variety of other checks and references.
Having a criminal record does not automatically disqualify a person from becoming a foster parent, particularly if the offence was minor and happened a long time ago. We don’t judge anyone’s past, and we understand that mistakes in a person’s life do not define who they are now.
In order to keep children safe, we carefully consider each and every application and will seek to understand the details of a person’s conviction, as well as discussing those experiences at length during the fostering assessment. We’ll look at an applicant’s current lifestyle, the severity of the offence, and will also ask to speak with key figures in their lives such as relatives and long-term partners to get a better understanding of their experiences.
We do not accept applications from anyone who has a conviction for sexual offences or any type of offence against children.
Can I foster if I have pets?
The simple answer is, yes! Having pets at home can be amazing for foster children, and when you apply to foster with us we’ll conduct a pet assessment to make sure your furry family members will be safe around children and young people.
However, for the safety of everyone, we can’t accept applications from anyone who owns a dog breed which is banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act (1991). Banned breeds include:
- The Pit Bull Terrier
- Japanese Tosa
- Dogo Argentino
- Fila Brasileiro
- In England and Wales, it is also illegal to own an American Bully XL, better known as an ‘XL Bully.’
If you have any questions about the suitability of your pet in a foster home, reach out to our team for advice on 0800 023 4561, or learn more about the benefits of fostering with cats or dogs.
Can I foster if I smoke or vape?
Because the effects of passive smoking pose a particular risk to infants, our policy states that applicants who smoke cigarettes may only foster children over the age of 5. If you vape, you may foster children of any age; however, as with smoking, we ask that you don’t use your vape around children.
Can I foster if I have a health condition?
During the fostering assessment, you’ll be asked to undergo a health assessment with your GP to ensure that you’re in the right place to welcome a child home. Fostering can be a demanding role which can involve running after little ones and taking children to lots of different appointments. We’ll need to make sure that you’re able to meet the demands of fostering while also managing your own health needs.
Your GP will work with you to help you to determine what kind of impact fostering will have on your life, and whether you’ll be able to meet all the demands of caring for a child. Learn more about fostering as a person with a disability or health condition, or take a look at how fostering may impact your benefits.
Can I foster if I live with a mental health condition?
Having a mental health condition such as depression, OCD or BPD does not disqualify you from fostering a child— what matters is how well you are able to manage your condition, and that you’ll be able to consistently meet a child’s needs. Each person’s mental health needs are different, so you will be assessed on an individual basis.
Here at FCA we invest in our foster parent’s mental health. Your wellbeing is important to us, and we encourage everyone to enquire with our team to see if fostering could be the right choice for you.
Fostering doesn’t discriminate— learn more about becoming a foster parent today!
We hope our FAQ’s have been useful in helping you to understand what fostering might look like for you and your family. If you’re interested in learning more about the support we offer to foster parents or how you can get started with fostering, contact our friendly team today.
