Providing a home to children who don’t have guardians to look after and care for them is noble work that takes a lot of heart. If you are reading this, you already have the will to become foster parents, but you also don’t want it to be a mistake. As it happens, that’s just about the most balanced mindset which all foster parents should have. A bigger family with foster children may not always be exactly the way you picture it in your head, just like most things in life. Don’t worry though, by the time you are done reading through this post, some of your confusions should be cleared up.

General Legal Requirements

There are certain legal requirements every potential foster parent must meet. It varies in accordance with the type of foster care in question. Nevertheless, all foster parents must at least be:

• UK citizens or permanent residents.
• 18 – 21 years old, with 21 being the unofficial minimum fostering age.
• Capable of caring for the child, which varies in accordance with the child’s age and special needs (if any).
• Capable of providing as much time to the child as he/she needs.

If you believe that you do meet the aforementioned requirements, then there may not be any reason as to why you cannot become a foster parent. However, anyone being considered for fostering children must go through a 2-stage assessment first. The assessments will be carried out by a certified foster care worker near your location. If you live in Fife, Scotland, contact your local agency for more information about assessments and fostering in Fife.

Fostering Assessment: First Stage

Both assessments are essentially interviews and inspections of the would-be foster family and their home respectively. However, the first assessment will be focussed on getting as much practical info about the potential foster family and their living circumstances as possible. Expect common questions along the lines of:

• Your home (house/apartment) and immediate family (people who live with you in that home).
• If you have any children and the reason behind not having any (if applicable).
• Details about your children who are still living with you and their age (if applicable).
• Details about your children who are not living with you and their age (if applicable).
• Personal information about your relationship(s) both present and past.
• General health information about your physical state, supported by a licensed physician’s medical statement.
• History of fostering and/or adoption in the immediate family.
• Contact details of two adults who know you and will each provide a character reference in your favour.

Note that every adult individual who lives with you must also provide the contact details of two adults who can act as character references for them. However, it does not have to be two separate people every time.

Fostering Assessment: Second Stage

The next and final stage will focus more on you and your partner (if applicable). Be prepared to answer questions about your:

• Personality, hobbies, interests, activities, etc.
• Ethnicity, upbringing, and cultural background.
• Religion, spiritual beliefs, faith, etc.
• Knowledge of languages both spoken and/or written.
• Previous experience and/or training in caring for/raising children.
• Receptiveness towards fostering children belonging to other religions, ethnicities, and cultures that are different to yours.
• Receptiveness towards fostering children who have a different first language than yours.

All doubts will be cleared post the two assessments, even though the results may not always go in your favour. However, people who wish to foster children have nothing to lose by going through the assessments. Even if you don’t qualify right away, your foster care agent may let you know what went wrong and what needs to change before the next fostering assessment.