Top myths about fostering

When you begin researching fostering, it is easy to become overwhelmed by all the information available. We are here to answer any question you might have, so please give us a call, but we have put together some of the top questions you might have, and we have tried to bust some myths along the way too.

Do I need a spare room to foster?

Yes, you will need at least one spare room to foster. While children under 2 can be in a bedroom with a carer, after that age they will need to have their own space. Depending on the plan for the child, they may be living with you passed their 2nd birthday so you will need a spare room even if you plan to foster children aged 0-2.

Children who are siblings can share a room if this is safe to do so. Under these circumstances, you can foster more than one child with only one spare room.

Foster children and your own children cannot share a room. It is important to remember foster children need to have their own space.

Can I foster if I am single?

Yes! You do not need to be in a relationship to foster. You can be single, a couple or family. You will need to consider that fostering impacts everyone in your life, so if you are in a relationship or have a family, you will need to make sure those living with you want to foster too.

Can I foster if I am gay?

Yes! No matter your sexuality, you can foster.

Do I need to own my home?

No, whether you have a mortgage, own your home outright, rent from a private landlord or the council, you can foster. If you do rent your home, you will have to ask permission from the landlord, and we will request a reference from them during a fostering assessment.

If I work, do I have to give up my job?

If you already work, you will need to consider whether you can manage the demands of your employment and the commitment that is needed to care for a child too. We recommend you have a job which allows you a lot of flexibility. This might mean you can work from home or you work part-time hours only or you only work when you do not have children in your care at that time.

Children in care will often be traumatised and they need you to be there for them. They will be your main priority, so you will have to have conversations with your current employer during you fostering assessment to see if they can accommodate this.

Foster carers also have lots of training and meetings to attend as well as some social or support activities which may also impact the amount of time you have available to work.

If I have children already, can I foster?

Yes, you can foster if you have children of your own in the home. You will need to consider how they will feel about sharing their home and parents.

I have never had my own children - do I need to have parenting experience to be a foster carer?

No, you do not need to have parented before to be a foster carer. It is an advantage to have had some experience caring for children. This could be in a work or voluntary capacity or caring for children of your friends and family.

Am I too old to foster?

Definitely not. There is no upper age limit to becoming a foster carer. As long as you are over 21 and physically fit enough to foster, you should consider sharing your experience with children who need your care.

Can I foster if I have a disability?

Provided you can meet the caring needs of a child and pass the fostering medical, a disability will not hold you back. You may need to consider the type of fostering that suits you better. If you have a physical disability, it might be recommended you care for older children who will not need you to meet their own physical demands. If you’d like to talk more about it, call us.

I live outside of Newcastle - can I still foster for you?

We recruit carers within a 50-mile radius of the city. If you live in Northumberland, Tyneside, Teesside, County Durham, Gateshead, or Sunderland, we want to hear from you.