WHO CAN FOSTER

Anyone with an interest in making a positive difference for vulnerable children and young people can foster.Just as there is diversity in fostered children, foster carers need to come from a variety of backgrounds and have different life experiences, skills and qualities to help meet the needs of children and young people in foster care. There are, however, some common criteria that most fostering services need from you:

• You must be at least 21 years of age (the law permits you to foster from 18) ,
• You must have a spare bedroom large enough for child/young person to live in ,
• you must be a full time resident in the UK or have the leave to remain ,
• You must be able to have the time to look after a child/young person usually on a full-time basis ,

You don’t have to be a homeowner or any formal qualifications or a parent. As a foster carer, you will need:

• Enjoy the company of children and young people
• Be willing to learn
• Have the energy, patience and resilience to stick with a child
• Develop trust with a child by listening and talking to them
• Be consistent and confident in your decisions
• Work as part of a team with families, social workers, teachers and health workers
• Bring enthusiasm and a sense of fun
• Most importantly, you will make a child feel part of your family.

You will be expected to attend training courses to gain skills to knowledge to help you foster you can foster if you are middle aged or older - some foster carers are in their seventies. It is important that you are physically fit and have the ability to care for a child/young person.

If you require more information please call us on 0203 488 5464 or email us on info@risingstarsfostering.co.uk