Foster Care Questions And Answers

If you are considering becoming a foster carer, there may be a number of questions you may have.

Read our foster care questions and answers below. Alternatively, you can contact us with any queries or questions.

Who can foster?

Is there an age limit for fostering?

There is no upper age limit for fostering, but you need to be fit enough to care for the children. There is not a defined age at which you can begin fostering but it is important that you have the life experience and maturity to cope with the responsibility.

Read more on our Can I Foster page.

Do I have to have a childcare qualification?

No, qualifications are not required, we will provide training and support during your application and throughout your fostering journey. However it would be useful if you have experience in looking after or working with children.

Do I have to own my own home to foster?

No, but you do need a stable home for a foster child with no risk of eviction and you must not have rent arrears. As part of the assessment process we will seek references from either your landlord if you rent, or the bank if you have a mortgage.

Am I able to foster if I am working?

This is something that we would assess on an individual basis. Fostering is a demanding role and it is essential that you are able to be flexible around the needs of the children in placement and are also able to attend regular meetings and training courses. Your fostering role should always be seen as a priority over any other work commitments you have, that is why it would be very difficult to balance the demands of the fostering role alongside any other jobs.

Can I foster if I have a criminal conviction?

We are passionate about ensuring that the vulnerable children and young people in our care have a safe and secure home. As such we will carry out police checks (such as DBS in England and Wales and PVG in Scotland) as part of the fostering application process to ensure we know of any convictions.

We will assess each potential foster carer on an individual basis and discuss the impact of any convictions on their ability to become a foster carer. If you have convictions you must mention these when you make your initial enquiry, early disclosure will allow us to advise you better.

Can I foster if I have pets?

Yes, many of our foster carers have pets and they can often help children to relax and settle into a new home. As part of your family, your pets will be part of your fostering assessment. It is important to ensure that they are up to date on their vaccination and they are not likely to pose a threat to any children in your care.

During the placement matching process we will also take pets into consideration, to ensure that children placed with you will be comfortable around your pets.

Can I foster if I smoke?

Smoking will not necessarily prevent you from fostering, however you will not be able to foster children under the age of 5 if you smoke.

The health of the children in your care will always be our priority and if you do smoke it will be a requirement that you do not smoke in your home or in your car.

Do I have to be able to drive?

Being able to drive isn’t essential, as long as you have access to suitable transport that enables you to fulfil the duties required of a foster carer such as getting the child or young person to and from school and appointments. This will also enable you to get to and from training and meetings with your social worker as required.

Can I foster if I am single?

Yes, you do not have to be married or in a relationship to foster. Many of our foster carers are single.

Can I foster if I am gay?

Yes, your sexuality does not affect your ability to foster. We welcome applications from people regardless of gender, sexuality, marital status, race or religion.

Can I transfer from another fostering agency?

With a national shortage of foster carers our aim is to increase the number of new foster carers and as such are always actively recruiting across England, Scotland and Wales. However, we do recognise that fostering agencies provide varying levels of support and training and as such we will consider applications from existing foster carers to transfer.

For more information, visit our dedicated Transfer To Us section.

Can I apply to foster with TACT if I have been turned down by my local authority or another agency?

Yes, we welcome enquiries from anyone interested in fostering and will assess each application on an individual basis. If you have been turned down by another agency this doesn’t necessarily mean we will draw the same conclusions.

It is essential that you let us know about any prior applications this during your initial contact, we will then work with you to understand the reasons behind their decisions and independently assess your circumstances and application.

Fees and Finances

How much will I get paid for looking after a child?

The amount you will receive as a foster carer will be split into two components, the foster carer fee and the maintenance allowance. The value of each of these will depend on variety of factors, such as the type of placement, the age of the child and the complexity of their needs. You can find out more on our fees and allowances page or request an information pack.

Will I get paid if I have no placements?

No, as a foster carer you will be self-employed and will only be paid when you have a child or young person placed in your care.

You can find out more on our fees and allowances page.

Will I have to pay extra tax if I receive money for fostering?

Foster carers in the UK are subject to special tax arrangements which mean you will pay much lower levels of tax. You can find out more on our fees and allowances page.

The Assessment Process

How long does it take to become an approved foster carer?

We often get asked this question, and the answer depends to some extent on yourself and how ready you are to move through the process, and also the availability of training. It is probably best answered by breaking it down into the stages:

Initial Enquiry: Once you contact us to make an enquiry, we aim to have a telephone discussion with you within the week. At the end of that conversation, you will be asked if you are ready to progress to the next stage which is a home visit. You may require more time to think and you can get in touch with us when you are ready.

Home Visit: This will take place within a few weeks of the enquiry. After the home visit you will receive a copy of the report. If you are ready, and TACT want to proceed, you will be invited to the Skills To Foster training.

Skills To Foster Training: This course is taken virtually over two days. You will be given a choice of dates to choose from. We also run some evening and weekend courses.

Assessment: Once you have attended the course and if you and TACT agree that you should proceed, you will be allocated an assessor. This assessment will take between 4 and 6 months until you go to panel for approval.

Panel: If you are approved at panel, we will then begin looking for a placement for you.

Read more on our Your Fostering Journey page.

Will my spouse/partner also need to be assessed?

Yes, if you are living together your partner will be a secondary carer and as such you will both need to be involved in the application and assessment from the home visit stage of the process.

Read more on our Your Fostering Journey page.

Children in Care

Who decides which children I foster?

We do this together. During your assessment we will discuss the types of fostering that you are interested in as well as the ages and types of children that you would like to foster. We encourage all prospective carers to be as open and flexible as possible, as this will help to ensure you have regular placements.

We believe that matching the right child with the right carers is one of the most important factors in ensuring a placement is successful. Once approved we will ensure that we work closely with you to match the right child to you, your family and your skills and experience. You will be fully consulted before any decision is made to go ahead with the placement.

How much will I be told about the children before they arrive?

We gather as much information as possible about each child that is referred to us, as this enables to make better matches. The more that we know about a child and the background the easier it will be to match them with a carer that can meet their needs.

When we identify you as a potential match for a child we will share the information that we have and consult with you on whether you feel the child would be a good fit for you and your family.

What age will the children be?

The children can be any age from 0-17.

During your application and assessment we will work with you to understand the ages and types of children that you would like to foster. We would encourage you to be as open and flexible as possible as this will increase the likelihood of us being able to place a child with you.

Will the children I foster have disabilities?

During your assessment we will discuss the types and ages of children that you would like to foster. We do receive regular referrals for children with disabilities and additional needs and there is a shortage of carers for these types of children. If you are particularly interested in fostering a child with a disability, TACT will support you in doing this.

Read more on our Children With Disabilities page.

Fostering

Will I have to allow the child's parents to visit them in my home?

You will be expected to work with birth families. You may be involved in facilitating or supervising contact. In all cases a full risk assessment will be carried out. You will be supported and offered training in this area.

Can foster children share a bedroom with other children?

In order to apply to be a foster carer you must have a spare bedroom, this is because foster children must have their own bedrooms. The only time foster children are allowed to share a room is if they are same-sex siblings, in this case you would need to be approved to care for siblings and have a room that has adequate space for more than one child.

Am I allowed to go abroad on holiday if I have a foster child?

This would be assessed on a case by case basis. In many cases a foster child can be taken on holiday with the agreement of the local authority responsible for placing the child. However there may be circumstances that mean a child is not allowed to be taken out of the country. Sometimes a birth family will not give permission for this. Another reason may be a young person’s immigration status.

What training will I receive?

All foster carers must complete the introductory Skills to Foster training, as well as Fostering Changes and the Fostering Standards. After approval a wide range of training is available. Most training can be taken virtually from the comfort of your home.

At TACT we passionately believe in supporting our foster carers with ongoing training and support that enables you to provide the best care possible to the children and young people placed with you. As such we arrange various training courses throughout the year and arrange bespoke training according to the needs of our carers and the children placed with them.

Read more on our training page.

How will my birth children be affected?

Fostering involves the whole family and can be a positive and transformative experience for your birth children.

Your birth children will be included in the application and assessment process, your social worker will meet with them to discuss their thoughts and feelings about fostering and to answer any questions that they may have.

Once you are approved as a foster carer, your birth children will have access to ongoing support from your social worker and our children’s resource workers to help them through any challenges that they face as a result of being part of a fostering family.

Read more on our fostering and your own children page.