Fostering is when an individual or family provides temporary care for children who are unable to live with their birth parents, for a variety of reasons such as abuse, neglect, or family breakdown.

Foster carers help provide a safe, stable, and nurturing environment until the child can return home or be placed for adoption.

To become a foster carer in the UK, you must apply through a fostering agency or local authority.

The process involves an application, a thorough assessment including background checks, interviews, and home visits, followed by training and approval before you can begin fostering. Find out more about the fostering process.

There are no formal academic qualifications required to foster, but you must be over 21 years old, have a stable home environment, and demonstrate the ability to provide a safe and loving space for children.

Relevant experience with children or a willingness to undergo training and assessments is also important. Read our guide on becoming a foster carer.

Foster carers receive a fostering allowance, which helps cover the costs of raising a child, including food, clothing, and transport.

The amount varies depending on the type of fostering and the age and needs of the child. Find out more about fostering allowances.

The approval process for fostering typically takes around 4 to 6 months.

This includes the initial application, assessment and approval stages, along with training to ensure you are prepared for the role.

Yes, it is possible to foster while working full-time, but it depends on the type of fostering you do and the needs of the child.

For example, some children may require more flexible hours of care, while others may be more independent. Our team will assess your ability to balance work and care before approving you.

Yes, many foster carers have partners at home or children of their own. However, it’s essential that everyone in the household is supportive of fostering.

As part of the fostering process, we’ll assess your home environment, and assess whether the whole family is prepared for the changes that fostering can bring.

As a Footprints foster carer you’ll receive ongoing support, including training, supervision and guidance from our dedicated local team.

You’ll have access to one of our qualified social workers, who’ll provide practical and emotional support and a 24/7 helpline for emergencies.

While you may express preferences about the age, gender and specific needs of the child, the matching process ultimately depends on the child’s needs and the skills you have.

The aim is to place children in the home that best suits them, but agencies work with you to ensure that the match is suitable and that you feel comfortable with the placement.

There are several types of fostering, including:

Short-term fostering: Looking after a child for a limited period, until they can return home or be placed elsewhere.
Long-term fostering: Providing care for children who cannot return home and are unlikely to be adopted.
Respite fostering: Offering temporary care to give regular foster carers a break.
Solo fostering: Fostering a child as the only foster child in the household, often for those with specific needs.
Sibling Fostering: Fostering siblings aims to preserve the bond shared by brothers and sisters during the challenges of a disrupted family environment.
Parent and child fostering: a specialised form of care providing a safe and supportive environment for both a parent and their child, often a mother and baby.