There are lots of people who think they can’t foster because they rent their home, but that’s not true. You CAN be considered for fostering if you rent your home.
We asked Esi, one of our foster carers what her experience was when applying to become a foster carer.
Did you feel the process of becoming a foster carer was different for you because you rent your home?
I didn’t feel the process of becoming a foster carer was any different for me, firstly because I didn’t know any other process and also my mum was a foster carer and I use to babysit for her.
Was there anything that made you think you wouldn’t be able to foster because you rent your home?
Nothing made think I wouldn’t be able to foster because when I checked the requirements, I don’t remember seeing anything preventing me from fostering because of my housing situation, which was a plus for me.
Was there anything you needed to do before you started your fostering process because you rent your home?
Yes, I’m a private tenant, so I had to make sure my landlord was okay with me fostering. He was worried about damage to his property but I assured him about specific insurance for foster carers, which covers damages that could be caused by foster children.
How would you describe your fostering experience up to now?
I would say fostering has challenged me personally and also taught me a lot. Before fostering, I use to think, all children are the same but now I understand they’re all different, have a past and that past affects them and they sometimes present their past through their characters and all they want is someone to be there for them.
If you’ve been thinking about fostering and want to talk to a member of our team, get in touch with us today.