Can I foster?

Your first step on becoming foster carer is to understand if you can foster and if it is right for you.

Beacon Fostering welcomes foster carers from all backgrounds, ethnicities and religions. There can be a misunderstanding on fostering as you don’t need to be married, own your own house or have your own children.

There are criteria to meet overall, but these are specific, and other areas summarised below are preferred areas or skills.

Photo by Patricia Prudente
Photo by Patty Brito
Photo by Sun Lingyan

Selection criteria

To be able to be a foster carer, you would need to meet the following criteria:

Have a spare room for a child or young persont

Be aged 21 or above

Have time, commitment and energy to care for a child or young person

Have a secure home and safe environment

Photo by Vianney CAHEN

Preferred skills, experience or knowledge

These are areas that would help your application and process to become foster carers overall. Please do not exclude yourself from fostering, however, as we can provide the relevant training or support where needed.

Experience of parenting or working directly with children and young persons

Experience in the health care or childcare sector – for example, employment as a nurse or in a nursery

Time for fostering overall if you are working or employed

If living with a partner or spouse, the relationship is secure and positive overall

Ability to support children with challenging needs or that have experienced trauma

Ability and time to transport children or young persons to school and contact meetings

Particular experience in specific areas, such as learning difficulties, disabled needs or medical challenges

Ability to reflect on life experiences and learn from these

Good communication skills to work with others, engage with birth parents and take day-to-day recordings for each child or young person on their progress

Please contact us to discuss your suitability and questions you may have on fostering.