We’re a diverse and welcoming fostering agency, so we open our foster carer applications to everyone. Your race, culture, sexual orientation or income don’t affect your chances. In fact we need foster carers from a wide range of backgrounds, races and religion. This is because all children have their own unique and individual background and heritage. You do not need to be married, own a house or have children of your own.
We believe the diversity of the foster parents we work with is a positive thing when finding the best possible family for a foster child.
The most important thing we look for in a potential foster parent is that they can offer a safe, caring and supportive home for a child or young person who might have had a difficult life so far.
Here’s an idea of some of the qualities we might look for in potential foster carers.
- You have a spare bedroom for each foster child.
- You genuinely want to help children and young people.
- You can cope in difficult and sometimes stressful situations.
- You’re patient – it might take time for your foster child to accept your care and point of view.
- You have an empathy for and natural ability to nurture children traumatised by separation from their birth families.
- You have a strong network of family and friends who will help with the pressures of fostering.
- If something goes wrong, you can accept it, learn from it and move on.
- A willingness to accept teenagers
- You are comfortable with parents potentially visiting your home.
- Previous employment or experience in children’s services – paid or unpaid.
- If living with a partner/ spouse, your relationship should be established and secure.
- You are willing to work towards meeting care standards for fostering.
- You have experience of previous fostering and/or close involvement with someone who has already fostered.
Sometimes there are other things we need to consider when looking for the right foster parent for a child or young person. Applicants with particular skills and experience in specific areas such as learning difficulties, medical problems etc. will occasionally be sought for specific placements.
Still Interested?
Considering fostering but not sure if you are eligible?
Just answer a few simple questions and start your journey to becoming a foster carer today.
