Can I foster as a single foster carer?
Yes, we welcome foster carers who are single! No matter your relationship status, sexual orientation or gender identity, you can foster a child with us.
Depending on your current skills and life experiences, you can choose to be a full-time, part-time or specialist foster carer.
All we ask is that you have a passion for looking after children and meet our minimum fostering requirements.
“All the carers that I have come into contact with are really nice and happy to share their experiences” - Tracy, foster carer
Minimum requirements to foster
If you think you could foster a child, you probably can! Though there is no such thing as a typical foster carer, there are a few minimum requirements to foster with Bradford Fostering:
You need to be aged over 21 to foster a child
You should be fit enough to care for children and young people
You need to live in, or close to, the Bradford district
You need a spare bedroom in your home for a child, which is big enough to hold a single bed, a wardrobe, a desk or a chest of drawers
You may have the skills from your day-to-day life to help you thrive in a fostering role, including teamwork, communication and listening skills. We also advise potential foster carers to gain childcare experience before becoming a foster carer.
It is important that you have a strong community and support network around you, both outside of your fostering role and with members of our fostering community. Through our support groups, you will quickly become friends with other carers facing similar life experiences as you.
Book a call back today and speak to a member of our team about fostering a child in the Bradford district.
“The most rewarding thing is seeing the children becoming independent and gaining self-esteem and confidence” - Louise
Expectations as a foster carer
As a foster carer, you will need to make a child feel safe and welcome in your home. You will need to commit to caring for a child or young person, so need to act flexibly to meet their needs.
If you are working alongside your fostering role, you can only foster children of school age, and will need to consider any arrangements for before/after school care and holiday care.
It may be beneficial to ask your current employer about their fostering policies, which may include flexible working.
Once your fostering application is approved, you will complete a series of initial training courses, so you’ll feel confident and prepared to care for a child before a placement agrees.
“If you want to do it then you should - as it's very rewarding” - Catherine
Would you like to learn more? If you would like to learn more about fostering in Bradford, please book a call back with one of our friendly and knowledgeable team today via the link below.
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