Am I too old to foster?
There's no upper age limit for fostering a child or young person, so long as you're fit and healthy enough to care for them.
Age limit for fostering in the UK
There's no age limit for fostering children in the UK, so long as you are fit and healthy enough to meet the needs of the young people in your care.
We believe that if you’re passionate about offering vulnerable children a safe and happy home, then age shouldn’t matter, provided you’re in good health and have enough energy to meet the demands of young people.
We have foster parents in their twenties, as well as some who are in their seventies and older, and each bring different skills and life experiences to the children in our care.
MEDICAL EXAMINATION
As part of your fostering assessment, you’ll need to undergo a medical examination with your GP. This is to simply check that you’re fit and healthy enough to meet the demands of fostering and will highlight any potential issues that may affect your ability to foster.
You won’t necessarily be ruled out from fostering if you have an underlying physical or mental health condition. We’ll look at the nature of the condition, your approach to managing it and how it may impact your ability to meet the needs of a child.
How old do you have to be to foster?
Foster carers must be at least 21 years old – this is a requirement that’s shared across all fostering services in the UK.
I’m now retired; am I able to foster?
Absolutely, there’s no age limit to start your fostering journey, so long as you’re fit, healthy and have enough energy to meet the needs of a child in care.
We have foster parents in their late 60’s and 70’s still fostering with us and making a huge difference to the lives of vulnerable young people.
We’ll expertly match you with children and young people who suit your skills and experience and surround you with a professional team of social workers, education specialists, therapists and more. Plus, you’ll have 24/7 access to our helpline, so you’re never on your own.
As with everyone wishing to foster, you’ll need to undergo a full fostering assessment where we’ll look at your suitability to foster. This includes a medical examination by your GP, who will assess your health and highlight any potential issues that may affect your ability to foster.
Who can apply to become a foster parent?
We welcome individuals from all walks of life to join our team of foster parents. You can be:
- Male or female;
- Single, married, divorced, co-habiting;
- Straight, gay, bisexual or transgender;
- From any ethnic group or religion;
- Any age over 21 – so long as you’re fit and healthy, and able to meet the needs of a child in care.
Of course, you’ll need to meet the initial criteria to foster, which are that you’re over 21 years old, have the legal right to work in the UK and have a spare bedroom that’s always available for a child in care.
Do I need any experience to become a foster parent?
While experience with children is beneficial, it’s not essential as our preparatory training course will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to care for a child. Plus, with our professional circle of support - including social workers, therapists, fostering advisors, advisory teachers and other foster carers - you’re never more than a phone call away from specialist advice.
Some of our foster parents have previous experience with young people, either through work or bringing up children of their own. Others don’t have any previous experience but hold a strong desire to make a difference.
I have a disability and I’d like to become a foster carer. Is this possible?
Having a disability won’t automatically disqualify you from becoming a foster carer. It’s much more about how you manage your health condition or disability and how it may affect your ability to meet the needs of a child, and whether the challenging nature of fostering may negatively impact your health.
The fostering assessment will, therefore, check that your health condition or disability won’t hold you back from fulfilling your duties as a foster carer and also that the role won’t have a detrimental impact on your health.
We always recommend that you speak to one of our fostering advisers, so we can understand your condition a little more.
I can’t drive; does this mean I can’t foster?
One of the important duties of a foster carer is around transporting a child in your care to various meetings, including contact with their family, therapy sessions (if needed) and school, which isn’t always nearby. In addition, you’ll also need to attend regular meetings and training at your local ISP centre. Therefore, having access to transport is vital for you to be able to fulfil the role of a foster carer.
Whether you can make it work as a non-driver will completely depend on your personal circumstances. For example, you may have a partner who will be able to do the school run, transport to contact and therapy and you can make alternative arrangements to get to the ISP centre for training and meetings, or you may have excellent public transport links within your area – for example, London and other major cities.
We always recommend that you speak to one of our fostering advisers, so we can understand your personal circumstances and see if we can find a way to make it work.
How to become a foster parent
Becoming a foster parent is one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do – you’re giving a child, who may not have had the best start in life, a chance to flourish with your love, care and understanding.
The fostering process may not be as difficult as you think – we’ll aim to complete your fostering assessment within 4-6 months. However, we’ll always move at a pace that’s right for you.
Founders of therapeutic care
Established over 30 years ago, our therapeutic fostering approach has helped thousands of vulnerable children and young people in care to achieve extraordinary outcomes.
With the support of a large, multidisciplinary team of social workers, therapists, education experts and fostering advisors, our foster families are able to provide a therapeutic family environment to the children in their care.
As well as standard foster care placements, we also provide a range of specialist placements, including fostering a child with learning disabilities, parent and child fostering, caring for an unaccompanied asylum-seeking child, and more.
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