Do You Fit The Fostering Criteria?
- The requirements an individual needs to meet to become a foster carer can be split into two categories: personal circumstances and the fostering assessment
- What personal circumstances are required to become a foster carer?
- What requirements must be met during the fostering assessment?
The Requirements An Individual Needs To Meet To Become A Foster Carer Can Be Split Into Two Categories: Personal Circumstances And The Fostering Assessment…
One of the most significant myths about any fostering journey is that there is a strict set of requirements that you must meet to become a foster parent. Whilst, on the one hand, there are important requirements that focus on the safety and welfare of children and young people in care, there is no perfect formula or exhaustive list to tick off. As long as you meet the personal requirements, have financial stability, a good support network, including family, friends, and social workers, and pass the fostering assessment and the fostering panel, you meet the criteria to foster.
What Personal Circumstances Are Required To Become A Foster Carer?
Once you have filled out our online enquiry form, we will set up a meeting to discuss your personal circumstances and your interest in fostering. Whilst sexual orientation, marital status, religious backgrounds, home ownership, previous experience, pets, certain health conditions and certain criminal records don’t impact your chances of becoming a foster parent, there are other essential criteria and initial requirements that will. To find out more about debunking the myths about the above personal circumstances, please also visit our ‘Who Can Foster?’ page. Your personal circumstances will be considered using the following categories:
- Age: To become a foster parent, you must be at least 21 years old. Whilst there is no upper age limit, it is important that you are healthy and energetic enough to look after a child or young person. Some foster parents are in their 60s and 70s.
- Residency: You must be a British citizen or have indefinite leave to remain in order to become a foster parent in the UK.
- Available Space: As a minimum fostering requirement, you must have at least one spare bedroom or spare room with either a single bed or a double bed, that is suitable for a child or young person.
- Transport Accessibility: To become a foster parent, you must drive or have consistent, easy access to a car.
- Location: To foster with us, you need to live in or around Middlesbrough, Darlington, Stockton, Sunderland, Washington, Hartlepool, Newcastle or Durham.
- Personality: At Changing Futures, we believe the 5 most important character traits of any foster parent are compassion, resilience, connection, commitment and patience.
What Requirements Must Be Met During The Fostering Assessment?
The fostering assessment focuses on collecting information about you, particularly in regard to child safeguarding and welfare. Any fostering agency or local authority will have the legal right to carry out these checks. The checks that make up the assessment process include:
- DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service Check): Any individual over the age of 18 living in your home must undergo a DBS check to ensure the safety and welfare of young people. This also applies to anybody in your support network, i.e. a friend or family member who may have regular contact with your fostering family and the child or young person in your care.
- Medical Check: This is a process completed by your GP, who will check that you are in good health and decide whether there are any health conditions or issues that may impact your ability to foster.
- Evidence Of Citizenship: You may have to provide evidence of your citizenship, depending on your situation.
- Local Authority Check: This involves enquiries to the local authority, including their child protection records.
- Home Assessment: Our independent fostering agency will carry out a home assessment to ensure it is a safe environment for a vulnerable child or young person.
- Pet Assessment: To ensure your pet is safe around foster children, a questionnaire is filled out just to be on the safe side.
At Changing Futures Fostering, we’re an agency that provides a fostering service, all about giving our foster parents the information and support they need to really make a difference in a vulnerable child’s life. If you need any more information about foster care requirements, or about foster care in general, or if you have any other questions or queries, please click here to contact us, or send us an email at admin@changingfuturesne.co.uk to talk to our brilliant fostering team! Alternatively, feel free to call us on 01429 363 127.