Do you have what it takes to foster?
What is needed to be a foster carer?
Many of us don’t realise that we already have the experience and life skills required to care for a child and give them a loving and safe home. There is no such thing as a perfect foster carer, but there are people who have skills and experiences that make them great at what they do.
Our foster carers come from all walks of life. What they all share is having a commitment to children in care, a willingness to learn new skills and wanting to work as part of a team.
We look for people who are:
- patient, committed, empathetic and understanding
- can provide a settled and stable environment for a child
- have time, availability and practical means to support a child, such as taking them to school, activities and time with their birth family.
- willing to learn and attend training
- have some relevant experience through previous employment, voluntary work or personal experience
- can work with professionals
Myths around fostering
Many people would love to become foster carers but believe wrongly that they wouldn’t be accepted. We understand that each person’s circumstance and life experiences are different, therefore we assess every applicant on an individual basis. We want our foster carers to reflect the diversity of our Luton children.
You can apply to foster whatever your cultural, ethnic, religious background or sexuality. However, you would need to demonstrate that you could support a child from a different background to yours.
Eligibility to foster is quite simple, but here are some of the most common reasons (and myths) we hear for why people think they cannot foster:
Legally, there is no upper age limit for fostering providing you are fit and healthy. In Luton, we ask that our foster carers are over 21 years of age.
Children living at home are an asset to a fostering household and also tell us that they enjoy being part of a fostering family. We would encourage you to involve your children (adults or under 18) in your discussions around fostering and that they share their thoughts and feelings. We would support you all to adapt to your life as a fostering family.
Whilst it is possible to foster with a criminal record, keeping Luton children safe is our first priority. Therefore, you cannot foster if anybody in your household has a conviction related to safeguarding children.
The most important thing is that you are honest with us from the start about any police history you may have. This is so we can think about how this may or may not affect the children that are placed into your care.
Having your own children can give you valuable experience for fostering, but it is by no means essential. Foster Carers bring experience from all areas of their life and we would talk to you about your experience and how this would support you to meet the needs of a child.
Being single won’t prevent you from fostering, we have many great foster carers who are single. We would encourage you to think about the support network around you, who will be with you on your fostering journey.
Having pets doesn’t disqualify you from fostering. In fact, it can enhance a child’s experience of their fostering family. We know pets provide added companionship, love. Your pet would be part of your overall assessment, as we would need to make sure your pet is safe.
You do not need to give up work to foster, we will work with you to find out what type of fostering would fit with your existing commitments.
Whilst most types of fostering require foster carers to have a spare bedroom for the child, in some circumstances it may be possible to foster a child under two years without a spare bedroom. We would encourage you to speak to us about your circumstances if you are unsure.
Luton is a proudly diverse town, with over 100 languages spoken. Luton children need families who speak different languages, matching their home circumstances. English does not need to be your first language to foster, but it is important that an adult within the fostering household is able to engage in the fostering tasks. You will need an adequate level of spoken and written English to be able to communicate with professionals, support a child’s education and to make notes and keep records on the child's day to day life.
There is no requirement to be a British citizen to be a foster carer in Luton. Children from a wide range of backgrounds need foster families, so we need carers from all backgrounds. But either you or your partner, if you are fostering as a couple, must be resident in the UK, with indefinite leave to remain.
Examples may be that you are soon doing some home renovation works, moving home or are welcoming a baby to your family. We would be happy to talk about your individual circumstances and what this may mean for fostering. At the point that you begin your journey, is important that you have time to dedicate to the assessment process and that we reduce any potential for instability for a child you care for. Sometimes it might be that whilst you know fostering is right for you, the timing may be something we explore.
Contact us
Please reach out to us if you have any questions at all. Our team are available to answer your questions 8am to 8pm Monday to Sunday
Phone: 01582 547633
Online: Express an interest: A member of our team will be in touch within 24 hours