Who can foster?

How long you care for the child depends on the type of foster care. It can range from one night to many years, or until the child is an adult. If you’re already fostering a child, there’s more information about help and support for foster parents.

You may be able to work and foster. Whether you can depends on the child’s circumstances and the fostering service you apply to. This can be your local council or an independent fostering agency.

You do not need to own your home, but usually you’ll need to have a spare bedroom. Before you can foster, you must pass a fostering assessment to check that you’re able to care for a child.

You do not have a statutory right to time off work to care for foster children. This guidance applies to England. 

There’s different fostering guidance if you:
• live in Scotland
• live in Wales
• live in Northern Ireland

Your responsibilities
If you become a foster parent you’ll need to:
• care for the child as part of a team - this could include a local authority, schools, health professionals and the child’s birth family
• keep records and write reports about the foster child
• attend meetings and advocate for the child
• help the child manage their behaviour and feelings
• attend training

Types of foster care
There are many types of foster care. The application process is the same for all types.

Long term
You foster children who cannot go back to their birth family but do not want to be adopted. Usually, you’ll be their foster parent until they’re an adult.

Short term
You look after children for a few weeks or months while plans are made for their future.

‘Family and friends’ or ‘kinship’
You care for a child who you know or is part of your family - for example, your grandchild. Contact your council for information about becoming a ‘family and friends’ or ‘kinship’ carer.

Emergency
You give a child somewhere safe to stay for a few nights. This is usually unplanned and you could get less than 24 hours’ notice.

Respite and short breaks
You care for children who have disabilities, special educational needs or behavioural issues while their parents or usual foster carers take a break.

Remand
You take care of young people who’ve been remanded by a court. You’ll usually need specialist training to be this type of foster parent.

Fostering for adoption
You foster babies or young children who you may go on to adopt. If you’re fostering for adoption you’ll be entitled to adoption pay and leave from when the child comes to live with you. You need to have been approved as an adopter by a local council or agency to do fostering for adoption.

Specialist therapeutic
You provide specialist therapeutic care to children and young people with complex needs or challenging behaviour. This is for experienced foster parents or those with certain skills.

Help with the cost of fostering
All foster parents receive a foster care allowance to cover the cost of caring for a child.

The minimum is usually between £165 and £289 a week. The total amount you get depends on:
• where you live
• which fostering service you use
• the child’s age
• if the child has specific needs
• your skills and experience
• The fostering service you apply to will tell you how much you can get.

Tax arrangements when you foster
When you start fostering, you’ll need to register as self-employed and file tax returns.

You’ll also be entitled to qualifying care relief which means you’ll:
• earn £18,140 from fostering before you have to pay tax
• get tax relief for every week you foster a child
• There’s more information about paying tax in the guide for foster parents.

Claiming benefits
Being a foster parent can affect the benefits you get. If you’re claiming benefits you’ll need to tell the organisation that pays you that you’re also getting foster care allowance.

Use a benefits calculator to check what benefits you’re eligible for.

For more help on how your benefits may change:
• contact the organisation that pays you
• get free fostering advice from Fosterline