Who can foster?
Who we look for
We accept applications from any ethnicity, single people or couples from all sexual orientation, those with children of their own or those without. We are interested in what you can bring to a child's life.
Requirements
All you need to have is:
- (an) additional bedroom(s) in your home*,
- experience of interacting with children and young people**,
- if in a relationship, you will need to show that it is stable and settled***,
- a caring personality,
- and the time and energy to devote to a child.
What you need to take into account
Many of the children and young people we work with have come from difficult background and so can be challenging or have multiple needs. TACT will give you 24 hour support, 7 days a week, but you need to be prepared to take the difficult times with the good.
What you can bring to a child or young person
Many of our young people have told us that their TACT placement has changed their life - it is impossible to underestimate the value of a stable, loving home to young people who may have moved home many times in their young lives.
What fostering can bring you
"The importance of fostering is…wow… it’s everything. Any child that has a background as challenging as some of the kids we work with, the importance of having a stable base, support and people just caring about these kids – a lot of them have never had that. And it’ll break your heart." Matt, foster carer in East Midlands
National and local fostering events
As one of the UK's largest fostering charity, and a campaigning voice on behalf of children in care and their families, TACT participates in national events to raise awareness of TACT's work across the country. TACT local fostering offices run information events to find out more about becoming a foster carer with TACT throughout the year. They also participate in and/or put on local community events to raise awareness of TACT as the local fostering children's charity of choice. To find out more about your local TACT fostering office and any local fostering events currently running, go to the "Where we work" and "Events" section of the website.
Contact details
There are different ways you can contact a member of our fostering teams:
- Call our freephone number 0800 232 1157 and a member of our administration team will put you through to the relevant local TACT fostering office.
- Find out where is your nearest local TACT fostering office and contact them by phone or email.
- Fill in our online fostering form to register your interest and a local TACT fostering staff member will contact you within no more than three working days.
Relevant links
If you're ready to apply, register your interest now by filling our online form.
Relevant publications
Read our guide to fostering, Transform a life. Become a foster carer (PDF, 8 pages). Please note that the brochure is also available for Scotland and in Welsh.
Notes (*)
* Please note that your "additional" bedroom(s) need to be separate from your own. This is a mandatory requirement.
** This doesn't mean that you need to have worked with children or be a parent.
*** TACT's guidance is that relationships should be for two or more years.