Fostering frequently asked questions

Yes. Foster children need to have a safe place they can call their own. As a minimum a spare bedroom requires; a window, a door, a bed, storage (wardrobe/drawers), desk and chair, floor space (enough to play) and radiator or wall heater. If you have a spare room but it's not quite ready to welcome a foster child please contact us, we'd be happy to help. A room to call their own.

No. During your fostering journey with Action for Children Fostering we’ll provide you with all the training and skills you'll need. All the training you receive at Action for Children Fostering is free and either online or at a place local to you. Find out about our training.

No. You can be in a rented home as long as you have a spare room but you'll need permission from your landlord. We will also carry out a home safety check which your landlord will need to be aware of and approve if any changes are required.

No. It’s not a requirement for approval in the Action for Children Fostering process to have a driving license but this does differ between agencies. It is definitely beneficial though and there may be some circumstances where not having one may prevent your ability to foster; for example, if you live in a rural area.

Yes. Foster children need to have a safe place they can call their own. Going to live in a new home with a new family can be extremely overwhelming.

Having a place where they feel secure and can go to if they want to be on their own or feeling anxious is vital. A room to call their own.

Yes. We want to make sure fostering is in your best interests as well as the children you could be looking after. This is done through your own GP and will not be invasive or unnecessarily intrusive.

Your GP will complete an assessment form which will be reviewed by our medical professionals. They will then confirm if you are “fit to foster”.

We’re not expecting anyone to be marathon runners, just to have enough energy to look after a child and general good health and wellbeing.

No. In our experience most foster carers can complete their own self-assessment tax return form. We’re here to help if you have any difficulties. Find out more about being self-employed.

Yes. Foster carers are classed as self-employed and have to submit an annual self-assessment tax return. Special tax arrangements are applied to fostering fees which means that, in a tax year, a fostering household does not pay tax on the first £19,690 that they earn from fostering. They will still have to pay tax on any money earned from a job or investment. If there is more than one carer in the household, this fixed amount is shared. Generally, because of this and as other unique tax allowances for foster carers, the amount of tax payable is usually nothing or very low and certainly less than other types of employment. Find out more about tax.

Yes. Special tax arrangements are applied to fostering fees known as the Qualifying Care Relief tax scheme. Find out more about tax.

Yes. All foster carers must become registered with HM Customs & Revenue (HMRC) as self-employed. This has to be done within 6 months of the end of the first tax year that you are approved in. Find out more about being self-employed.

Yes. NICs are payable to enable you to claim certain state benefits and the State Pension. Find out more about national insurance.

Yes. There is an appeal process but you'd need to prove that you were unaware you had to register. All foster carers must become registered with HM Customs & Revenue (HMRC) as self-employed.

This has to be done within 6 months of the end of the first tax year that you are approved in. There is also a deadline each year by which you have to file your annual tax return. Failure to do this on time could also result in a fine. You will be reminded by HMRC when your tax return is due. Find out more about tax.

Yes. All foster carers must become registered with HM Customs & Revenue (HMRC) as self-employed. This has to be done within 6 months of the end of the first tax year that you are approved in. Find out more about being self-employed.

Yes. The end of the tax year is 5 April. After this date, paper tax returns must be completed by 31 October and online tax returns must be completed by 31 January. Find out more about tax.

Yes. Foster carers are eligible for National Insurance (NI) credits, which count towards the basic and additional state pension. Find out more about pensions.

Yes. Although you will need to check with your local authority to see if fostering affects your claims. Find out more about benefits.

Yes. You may be eligible for a council tax discount but it will depend on your individual circumstances and which local authority you're with. Find about more about tax.

Yes. Receiving your fostering fees and allowances does not take away your eligibility to claim most state benefits. Find out more about benefits.

Yes. We want you to know that you can afford to care for a child. Action for Children Fostering's weekly fostering payments typically range from £429-£791. Find out more about payments.

Yes. It can be, but you could also have a part-time job while fostering, depending on where in the UK you live. There are also different types of foster care that you could do on a short-term basis. What we require is that you can be there for the child or young person when they need you. For example, when they come home from school or when they need to go to medical appointments. We'll discuss your particular circumstances with you in person. Can I work and foster? Different types of fostering.

Yes. You can work and foster but it will depend on where you live, your role and your availability to meet the needs of your foster child. We’ll discuss your specific situation when we meet with you.

It may determine the age of a child that you can foster as you will need to be home for them after school. Can I work and foster?

Yes. The appropriate amount would be dependent on their age. You also need to open a savings account for any foster child in your care for longer than one month.

Part of the pocket money you provide must be placed in the savings account. This account goes with them when they leave your care and helps them to eventually achieve financial independence.

Each child or young person should have a minimum of £5 per week lodged in their savings account. For young people aged 15 or over this should be a minimum of £10 per week.

Where a carer has not made savings, Action for Children Fostering reserves the right to deduct the appropriate money retrospectively.

Yes. Some foster children have never been on holiday. This would be a great way to show them that they really are part of your family.

You will have to ask permission from your dedicated social worker and discuss any potential risks with them - it would be rare for them to say no. They will complete a planning checklist with you.

If your foster child requires a passport and doesn’t have one you will need to give your social worker plenty of notice in order to get this done. You cannot sign a passport application form on behalf of your foster child.

You will also need to get permission from the child’s parents, social services, or the court to take them abroad. The same process will apply for any proposed school or club trips.

Yes. Unless there are restrictions detailed in the placement plan, your foster child should be given, as far as possible, the same permissions as their peers would be granted by their parents.

Make them aware that you'll be contacting the friend’s parents to confirm arrangements and you should visit the friend’s household in advance to make sure you are happy with everything.

Exchange contact details with the responsible adult and make sure everyone knows the travel arrangements and timings of getting there and back again.

Overnight stays must be recorded.

If you have any queries or concerns, contact your dedicated social worker for advice.

Yes. We will share with you all the information we have about the child. It is vitally important that you understand any trauma, abuse, or behavioural issues a child may have so you can manage this in the best possible way. You'll already have had the training you need to do this.

We wouldn't place a child with you that you don't have the skills and training to manage. We would gather as much information as possible before a young person comes to live with you and discuss everything with you in advance.

It would only be in an emergency situation where we have limited time to gather this information, that we may not have the whole picture.

We would still share what we do know with you and continue to gather any missing details. Your first foster child.

No. It depends on many things, mostly the circumstances of the child in your care. It may be that they only need to be with you for a short period of time but for some it's much longer. You can decide what type of foster care arrangement works best for you. Find out about the different types of fostering.

Yes. When we first explore fostering with you, we’ll look at who you are, what your life looks like and how a young person could be themselves in your home. We'll discuss your family and experiences and together we'll identify the best type of foster children to place with you.

We believe that it’s important to empower our foster carers and work collaboratively with you and involve you in decision-making to ensure you have the necessary resources and skills to meet the needs of the children and young people you care for. There’s zero pressure and if the fit doesn’t feel right, we’ll wait until it does, for everyone.

Factors included in the decision to place a child or young person with you will include the age of the child, whether they have any additional needs, and your preferred type of foster care arrangement, such as long-term or short-term. Find out about the different types of fostering.

No. When a child becomes a cared for child by the local authority, the local authority shares parental responsibility with the birth parents. Foster carers look after children on behalf of the local authority.

Yes. Foster carers are given delegated authority by a local authority which allows them to make day to day decisions for a child in their care – the document sets out what decisions a foster carer can make and when they need to seek further permission from the local authority. Your Action for Children Fostering supervising social worker will be happy to answer any further questions you have about this.

Yes. Family time arrangements are agreed with the local authority and are discussed with foster carers when a young person goes to live with them. Foster carers often support children and young people when seeing parents, siblings, or any other extended family members. Family time is reviewed by the local authority to see how well it is going and can be increased or decreased.

Yes. Social workers have a statutory responsibility to visit children and young people living with foster carers. This usually happens every 6 weeks (within 1 week when a young person first moves in with the foster carer) but can change over time or depending on what’s going on for that young person.

Fostering is looking after a child or young person in your home who, for whatever reason, is unable to live with their birth family. Find out more.

No. Experience in looking after children is really helpful but we will give you all the training and support you need to be a great foster carer if you have the desire to do it. Find out about our training.

No. Action for Children Fostering recognises that there are many types of mental health issue and we would discuss your particular circumstances in detail with you. As long as your condition, and any medication you may be taking on a daily basis, wouldn't affect your ability to care for a child in your home, then this would not stop you from applying to be a foster carer.

Yes. The process to become foster carer can take up to 6-9 months from your initial contact. The assessment process usually takes around 4-6 months but does depend on individual circumstances. The fostering process and timescales.

Yes. Having a record that will show up on the background checks that we carry out will not automatically stop you from becoming a foster carer.

We will look at the type of offence that was committed and will take each application on an individual basis.

There are certain offences that would prevent an application from progressing including any offence against a child and sexual offences. Who can foster?

Yes. Having a disability won’t automatically stop you from becoming a foster carer. A medical assessment is carried out on all potential carers to determine an individual's suitability to become a foster carer. This medical assessment is carried out by your own GP and paid for by Action for Children Fostering.

Yes. We need foster carers for planned breaks and short-term stays as well as long-term. Different types of fostering.

Yes. The Foster Carer Agreement includes a clause in which the carers agree to arrange adequate insurance cover for:

• Household contents insurance
• Buildings insurance
• Motor vehicle insurance
• Holiday insurance (non-UK)

Carers need to maintain appropriate levels of insurance cover, ensuring that their insurers have been informed that they're fostering. You will need to provide Action for Children Fostering with a copy of your current insurance certificates for your file.

Foster carers who rent their accommodation would need to inform the owners in writing that they are fostering so that they are able to check the adequacy of their cover.

No. There is no upper age limit to fostering but you must be fit and healthy. Every potential foster carer will need to have a medical, paid for by Action for Children Fostering.

We review all carers annually to reassess their suitability. As foster carers become older their ability to undertake more strenuous and demanding forms of care may decline.

If health issues arise we will seek advice from a medical professional to determine a foster carer’s suitability to continue the role.

Yes. We’ll need to discuss how you will be able to manage the needs of your own child/children and a foster child but it is often a real benefit for a foster child to become part of a loving and welcoming family. Fostering and my family.

Yes. If your current situation is very challenging a meeting will be arranged to include everyone concerned to discuss the best way forward for both you and the young person involved.

Termination of a current fostering arrangement would usually be the result of more than one event and the decision will not be taken lightly.

It is always preferable to plan events around when a young person is due to leave your care and not to end it abruptly. We do not expect you to commit to fostering for life but we do expect you to commit to your current fostering arrangement for its complete duration, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

The training you will receive at Action for Children Fostering should equip you to deal with many challenging situations. Our 24/7 year-round direct access to a qualified professional is there to support you whenever you need us. Find our more about our training and support.

Yes. Many people wrongly assume that their sexuality could prevent them from becoming a foster carer.

It is illegal to discriminate against foster carers on the grounds of their sexual orientation.

We welcome potential foster carers from all walks of life.

Yes. Your support network will be really important though. We’ll talk to you about your family, friends, and neighbours and also let you know what support we can give you.

Yes. Independent Fostering Agencies (IFA) are independent of local authorities (LA), although we work closely alongside them to ensure we get the best possible fit between foster carers and the children who need a safe and loving home.

No. Action for Children Fostering is a charity and does not profit from fostering services.

Yes. It’s up to you who you choose to foster through. It’s quite straightforward, we’ll guide and support you throughout the transfer process. More about transferring agencies.

Yes. Although you must provide a smoke-free environment for your young person and ensure that there is no residual smoke, smoke toxins, or smell of smoke in their clothing.

Smoking/vaping will impact on the age of the child you are able to foster. Other restrictions include not smoking/vaping around the child, in the house, or in the car.

Yes. We believe that pets can be a great source of comfort, support and a calming influence. They can also help to build confidence in children. We will look at how many and what breed the dogs are during the assessment process. Fostering with pets.

Yes. Providing this is something the young person wants to do themselves. If not, then there would be an expectation for arrangements to be made to care for the child, e.g. for them to stay with another family member, while you attend your place of worship.

No. As long as you have another family member who can take your foster child to the activity, then you can attend the service. The overarching ethos is that the young person’s needs take priority. If there is no-one else or if it is not appropriate to ask someone to take your foster child to their activity, then you would need to forego your service on that occasion.

Yes. The young person’s needs and wishes take priority. For example, if the young person follows the Muslim faith and only eats halal meat then their foster carers would be expected to support this, along with promoting other areas of culture such as clothing and religious holidays/festivals.

This is to ensure that the young person is supported in being able to form their own sense of personal identity. Wherever possible Action for Children Fostering will link a young person with carers who have a similar cultural identity, values and beliefs.

Yes. Promoting diversity and cultural awareness to a young person can be beneficial and enhance their understanding of the differences in society. It is imperative though, that the young person in question is willing and happy to be involved. Foster carers must not force their beliefs and practices onto a foster child who does not want them.

Yes. We understand that there are carers who would find it difficult to support a young person of a different faith, for any number of reasons, including their lack of understanding of what this might entail. There will also be young people who specifically need or want carers from a particular culture or faith and is why we welcome potential foster carers from all religious and cultural backgrounds.

No. Unless you’ve been made aware by the local authority, birth parents or fostering agency that the young person’s religious beliefs or faith need to be supported in a specific way, then you can invite your young person to attend a service with you. The choice is theirs and if they say no then you must not force them to go with you. The young person’s wishes, above all, take precedence.

Yes. Your designated social worker is always available to answer any questions you may have. Ultimately, the full implications of culture, faith and religious practices would be explored by your social worker during your foster carer assessment. As part of this, any necessary support needed by you, or the young person, would be clearly identified so that there is a clear understanding from the outset. We also offer a ‘Buddy’ service where we will put you in contact with other local foster carers in the same situation as you for additional support, advice and to talk about your experiences.

No. Action for Children Fostering is a charity and does not profit from fostering services.