Foster Care Myths
When it comes to fostering there are many myths attached that prevent potentially excellent foster parents from even picking up the phone to discuss things, thinking that they are ineligible. Just as every child and young person is different, so is every foster parent and we actively encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and walks of life. What matters most is your desire to improve the life chances of a vulnerable young person or child and the love and time you can show them. What is NOT important is your gender, marital status or sexual orientation. With fostering, diversity is absolutely paramount so long as you can meet the key eligibility requirements below.
You are over the age of 21
You are in good health
You are a permanent UK resident, or have the right to remain
You have space and a spare room
You can dedicate your time and energy to supporting a vulnerable young person
Please read on for answers to common myths and misconceptions…
-
Not true! Children and young people need stability and consistency so we will be ensuring that you can provide this but many foster families rent, in addition to those who own their own home. What matters is that you have the space and a spare room for a child or young person to be able to relax and feel secure.
You will need to ask the permission of the property owner and there must be no rent arrears.
-
Not true! So long as you meet the key requirements (above) your relationship status will never be the deciding factor. What matters is your ability to ensure a young person or child has a safe, stable and caring environment to flourish in.
Additionally, many foster parents are also single parents, indeed what attracts many is the ability to stay at home with existing children whilst embarking on a worthwhile career supporting others.
-
Not true! Living with a medical condition or disability will not determine whether you can foster or not, so long as you are in good enough health to be able to meet the needs of a child or young person.
-
Not true! Your sexual orientation or gender will have no bearing on your application to be a foster parent.
-
Not true! Many children and young people would love to grow up in a household with a pet and share in the required responsibility and duties and having a furry or scaly friend will not rule you out of becoming a foster parent.
-
Not true! You MUST have enough space and a spare bedroom for a child or young person but the size of the house makes no difference at all to whether you can foster and good foster parents live in houses of all sizes, large and small.
Stability is far more important than the size of your house.
-
Not true! It would be fair to say that it would be difficult to hold down a full time job and be a foster parent but nothing is impossible with the help of your wider support network.
Having flexibility around your work to enable you to be there for the child to attend school, appointments etc is extremely advantageous but with fostering you are never on your own and so long as things are fully thought through there is no reason working full time need be a barrier.
-
Not true! We have many foster families who have their own children both at home and adults living alone.
It does a village to raise a child and fostering is no different
-
Not true! Your employment status will not be the deciding factor on whether you can foster. In fact, if you are currently unemployed then you are likely to be far more flexible and have a significant amount of time to dedicate to the needs of a child or young person.
-
Not true! 21 is the lower age limit for fostering but after this your youth will not be the deciding factor in your application.
Conversely, there is no upper age limit. So long as you are in good health and have the time and energy to invest in a young person, age is no barrier at all.
If you are thinking about fostering you really can change lives for the better and there has never been a better time to get involved. We are looking to support people just like you to help provide a safe, stable and happy home, to vulnerable children and young people.
if you would like to know more, please call Sarah on 01745 421669 or get in touch with us here.
