Fostering with pets

Pets can play a vital role in any household. They can provide physical and mental health benefits, such as reduced blood pressure, lower anxiety and increased comfort. In a fostering household, they can also provide a child who has experienced trauma with comfort, connection and unconditional love.

An assessment of the suitability and safety of the pet you own would be carried out during one of our visits to your home.

We would be assessing the risk of harm to a child from your pet but also the other way around.

Pets can be a great source of comfort to children. See what Nicky has to say about pets and her top tips.

Children and young people who need foster homes have often experienced trauma in their lives. This can make it hard for them to express their emotions and show affection. Pets can really help them with this. Playing, laughing and being tender with animals can help young people develop kindness, understanding and respect for living things.

Dog companionship can improve a child's social skills with people, while caring for a pet can encourage responsibility and provide valuable life skills such as making routines for feeding, grooming and walking.

To ensure the safety of the child or young person, you must maintain adequate training, hygiene, health care and supervision of the animal.

It is your responsibility to demonstrate the pet's ability to cope with a child or young person who is placed with you.

Your young person and the pet you own both need time to get to know each other. Never leave a child unsupervised with an animal that could potentially bite or scratch them. Equally be mindful of a young person who may want to rush at an unfamiliar animal, in order to pet it, but this may be overwhelming for the animal.

Any pet that would be considered as dangerous would not be suitable in a home with a foster child.

These would include certain dog breeds that have been identified as being potentially aggressive, including German Shepherds, Bulldogs and Dobermanns.

Action for Children Fostering has significant expertise in finding the best possible fit between children and foster families.

We always put the child’s best interests first. We would not place a child in a home that has pets if we know the child is afraid of animals or has an allergy or sensitivity to pet hair.

Our assessment would also consider the number of pets a potential foster carer has.

More than two dogs, for example, would require an additional safety assessment as well as an understanding of the time and cost these pets need.

We would not approve a foster carer who had a breed of dog that is registered under the Dangerous Dogs Act.