I'm not the right age

Twenty-one is the youngest age that we'll consider for foster carers but we do not have any upper age limits.

I do not own my own home

You do not need to own your own home to foster. If you're looking after a child aged 2 or over then you'll need to have a spare bedroom.

I do not have a spare room

You only need a spare room if you're looking after a child aged 2 or over. You can still foster a child aged 0 to 2 if your bedroom can fit a cot.

I'm single

Marital status and sexuality are not barriers to fostering. Foster carers can be single, married, in a civil partnership, divorced or living with a partner. They can be straight, gay, lesbian or bisexual. We are an inclusive authority and welcome applications from all walks of life.

I do not have children

Having your own child is not a requirement. You may be good with children thanks to working with them, through your family and friends, or volunteering. If you do have children of your own, we carefully match foster children to your family and circumstances.

I have not worked with children or young people

We're happy to have foster carers from all sorts of backgrounds so we can offer a variety of homes. We offer excellent training, support, and development so you're ready for the rewards and challenges fostering brings. If you have not worked with kids, we only ask that you've got some experience caring for them through family or volunteering.

I'd love to foster but I work

There are different types of fostering so you can still do it whilst working. For example, many of our working foster carers offer short-break or respite foster care.

I'm a disabled person

People with disabilities do become foster carers and make a valuable contribution to fostering. As part of the approval process for all foster carers, your GP will need to verify that you are physically able to look after children and not putting your own health at risk.