An Introduction to Fostering
What is Fostering?
Fostering provides children and young people with a safe and stable home when they cannot live with their birth families. This may be for a few days, several months or longer, depending on the child’s circumstances.
Foster Parents work as part of a team alongside social workers, schools and other professionals. They offer care, structure and encouragement, helping children to feel values and secure during a time of uncertainty.
Why do children come into care?
There are many reasons why a child may need foster care, and every story is different. Some families may be facing temporary challenges, such as illness, mental health issues or financial difficulties. Others may involve concerns about neglect, abuse or unsafe living conditions.
Fostering gives children a safe place to live while plans are made for their future, whether that’s returning home, moving to a permanent family, staying with you long term or another arrangement.
Why people choose to foster
People choose to foster for a variety of reasons. Some have personal experience of fostering, others want to offer a safe space to a child in need, and many simply want to make a positive difference in their community.
Foster Parents often talk about the joy of watching a child grow in confidence, achieve milestones and feel safe. While fostering can have its challenges, it is also deeply rewarding and can change lives — both the child’s and the carer’s.
Roles, Responsibilities and Requirements of a Foster Parent
Becoming a Foster Parent is a shared commitment between you and the fostering service. While your role is to support and care for a child, you’ll never be left to manage alone. You’ll receive training, guidance and ongoing support from experienced professionals at every stage.
The Role of a Foster Parent
Foster Parents are at the heart of a child’s daily life. Their responsibilities include:
- Providing a safe, stable and caring home
- Supporting the child’s physical, emotional and educational development
- Encouraging friendships, hobbies and interests
- Working alongside social workers, teachers and other professionals
- Supporting contact with birth families where appropriate
- Advocating for the child and helping them build confidence and resilience.
Contact with Birth Families
Whenever it’s safe and appropriate, children in foster care are encouraged to maintain contact with their birth families. This might involve face-to-face visits, phone calls, video calls or letters.
Foster carers play a key role in supporting this contact. It can help children maintain a sense of identity and connection with their families, and it’s often an important part of planning for their future. Foster carers are supported by social workers to manage this contact in a way that is safe, structured and in the child’s best interests.
Essential Requirements to Foster
Fostering is open to people from many different backgrounds. You don’t need to be married, own your home or have children of your own. What matters is that you can provide a safe, supportive and nurturing environment.
To foster, you need to:
- Be over 21 years old
- Have a spare bedroom for a child or young person
- Be in good health and able to meet their needs
- Have time, patience and commitment to support their development
- Be willing to work as part of a professional team.
All potential Foster Parents go through an assessment and training process. This ensures you feel prepared and supported, and that fostering is right for both you and the children you may care for. Find out more about who makes a good Foster Parent and who can foster.
If fostering has ever crossed your mind — or if this is the first time you’re hearing about it — we’d love to talk with you.
Enquire now to have a friendly, no-obligation conversation with our team.
Get in touch to find out more about fostering.
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We’d love to hear from experienced foster parents too. Find out more about transferring fostering agencies.