Who can foster a child?

We’re often asked who can foster a child? At National Fostering Group we welcome applications from people of all ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds, physical abilities and the LGBTQ+ community. You can be single, married, co-habiting, a homeowner or a tenant. Your ability to care for and nurture a child is what really matters.

Minimum criteria for fostering in the UK

You’ll need to:

Be 21 years old or above
Be able to pass an enhanced DBS check
Have a spare room for a foster child

Can I foster a child?

You can foster a child if:

You are under 30: as long as you’re over 21, you’ll be eligible to foster with National Fostering Group. In fact, we’re always looking for younger carers.
You are retired: as long as you are able to meet a child’s needs, you’ll be able to be considered for fostering.
You are single: you don’t need to have a partner or spouse to foster though you will need a strong support network of friends or family around you. Single men and single women are eligible to foster.
You have children: your children will be included in the fostering assessment process, to make sure that they’re ready and happy to live with foster children.
You don’t have children: having experience with children is beneficial, but this could be as part of your job (e.g. teacher, social worker, childminder) or by looking after the children of friends or family members.
You are LGBTQ+: your sexuality or gender don’t affect whether you can be a foster parent. We welcome fosterers from a diverse range of backgrounds and identities.
You are disabled or have a health condition: as long as you are able to take care of a child and meet their needs, being disabled or having a health condition won’t stop you from fostering.
You rent your home: as long as your home is safe, suitable and has enough space for a foster child, it doesn’t matter whether you rent or own it. If you rent, all you’ll need is to get the permission of your landlord as part of the assessment process.

Here’s a quick and easy way to check if you can apply to be a foster carer. Can I foster?

How we assess potential foster carers

We thoroughly assess everyone who applies to be a foster carer, helping you to make sure it’s the right decision for you too.

Our priority is always making sure you can provide the right care for a child or young person. It’s important that you meet the fostering requirements. We assess your suitability through:

Asking for references, for example from your employer, your adult children, friends and family, etc.
Your ability to work with us as part of a professional team
Your health, background and lifestyle
Your skills, attitude and personality, including experience of parenting or caring for children or vulnerable adults
Your ability to provide a caring and nurturing environment, including an assessment of your home
Age – you must be at least 21 to become a foster carer with National Fostering Group
Your residency status – you need to have the right to work in the UK to pass our assessment process
Availability to the foster child – if you’re single, you’ll need to be at home full-time or have a flexible, part-time job. If you’re a couple, you’ll need to arrange your working hours so one of you is available at all times.

When I first met with Steven, he didn’t think he could foster due to his colourful past. However, we established often teens can relate to those that have done similar things and come out the other side - they could become a role model for troubled young people to assist them along the right path.

Stacey, Supervising Social Worker, National Fostering Group

Who can’t foster a child?

The safety and wellbeing of each foster child is the most important thing. There are some situations where you won’t be eligible to foster.

You can’t foster a child if:

You don’t have a spare room to use as their bedroom
You aren’t able to be available for school runs, parents’ evenings, medical appointments and meetings with social workers
You have a history of violent or sexual offences
You have significantly restricted capabilities due to health or disability
You have a dog that is registered under the Dangerous Dogs Act

Learn more about what disqualifies you from fostering a child.

There are many challenges that come with fostering and looking after any young person can present difficulties. As an LGBT foster carer, we were worried that we would be subject to prejudice from society. We’re glad to say that we’ve not received any such prejudice and fostering has been the most rewarding, fulfilling journey helped by the support of those around us.

Jason & Michael, National Fostering Group foster carers

Could you be eligible for fast-track fostering?

Usually, the approval process to become a foster carer takes around 16 weeks, depending on the time you’re able to commit to it. In some circumstances, it’s possible to complete the process more quickly. This usually applies to people who already have significant childcare experience.

You might be eligible for fast-track approval if you:

Have previously fostered children
You work in care, healthcare, education or the emergency services
You have a lot of time each week to dedicate to the fostering assessment process.

Learn more about fast-track fostering applications with National Fostering Group.

Take your next step to fostering

Interested in fostering? Learn more about becoming a foster parent here. Or you can contact us and one of our team will get in touch to answer your questions and tell you more about the fostering application process.