Who can foster?

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We know there are many myths about who can foster. You can foster as a family or on your own, as long as you are aged 21 years or over, and have the time, space and skills to support a child, fostering could be for you.

Any of us have the potential to become a foster carer and make a difference in the lives of children in Doncaster.

You don’t need any qualifications to become a foster carer. What matters the most is that you can provide a child with a safe, loving and stable home.

You can foster for Doncaster if you are:

Over 21
Have a spare bedroom
Live in the Doncaster area

Like the children in our care, our foster carers come from all ethnicities, cultures and backgrounds. Our foster carers all have different backgrounds, personalities and interests. There isn’t a tick list for a ‘perfect’ care, what’s important is that you have a real commitment, patience and a great sense of humour.

You Can Foster

There is no such thing as a ‘typical’ foster carer. Did you know you can foster if you’re:

Single: You’ll need a network of support, and our extended fostering community will be here to help too.
LGBTQ+: You can foster whatever your sexual orientation. We are proud to have supported LGBTQ+ foster carers for many years and believe having a diverse group of carers enables us to better match children to their perfect foster home.
Working: You can work and foster. Just like many parents work, so do many of our foster carers too. What matters is that you have the flexibility to be there when a child needs you.
Smoker or you Vape: You won’t be able to foster children under 5 or those with health conditions. You’ll need to smoke or Vape outside and away from children to ensure they’re not affected by passive exposure.
Renting: You don’t have to own your home, but stability is crucial.
Religious: Your religion won’t prevent you from fostering, but you’ll need to show how you can support a child with a different faith.

You can also foster if you have:

No formal qualifications, you’ll receive full training and support. Find out more on our training and development webpage.
Pets: Many of our carers have pets and say they help children settle into their new home.
Children living at home or grown-up. You don’t have to be a parent to foster, but you’ll need to demonstrate experience of caring for a child be it caring for a relatives child or through your work.
No car: You don’t need to have a car to foster. While having a car can be helpful, it isn’t essential. You’ll need to demonstrate that you can take children to and from school, attend meetings, appointments and to have time with their family.
Convictions: You can foster it all depending on what the conviction is for. If the conviction is unrelated to children or doesn’t pose a risk, you may still be eligible. Each case is assessed individually.

Ready take the first step towards becoming a foster carer? Find out more about the steps to becoming a foster carer page.