{"id":378,"date":"2025-10-08T12:13:37","date_gmt":"2025-10-08T12:13:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.togethertrust.org.uk\/foster-together\/?page_id=378"},"modified":"2025-11-24T14:46:31","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T14:46:31","slug":"faqs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.togethertrust.org.uk\/foster-together\/faqs","title":{"rendered":"FAQs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Your questions answered<\/mark><\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Read some of our most frequently asked questions about fostering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Who can foster<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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What skills do I need to become a foster carer?<\/summary>\n

Parenting experience is helpful but not essential. You will need plenty of patience, enthusiasm, often humour and always kindness.

You need to be adaptable and need to demonstrate an understanding of the complex needs of the children and young people who are looked after.

Commitment to children and young people is key \u2013 stickability.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

I am single and have never had any children of my own, will I be able to foster?<\/summary>\n

Our fostering family includes foster carers with a wide range of experiences and situations, including a number of single carers. We will talk to you about your experience of caring for children. The important factor is that you have friends and family to support you.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

We are in a same sex relationship. Can we become foster carers?<\/summary>\n

We’re proud to support LGBTQ+ individuals and couples wanting to foster.

We are a New Family Social member and take pride in making sure every individual or family going through the fostering process with us is treated equally and with respect.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Am I too old to foster?<\/summary>\n

There is no upper age limit for fostering but you do need to be at least 21 years old.
Foster carers need to have reasonable health and have a positive outlook. The assessment will look at your individual skills and situation.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Can I foster if I have my own children? How will they be affected by volunteering?<\/summary>\n

Fostering involves the whole family and it is important that you talk to your children, whether living with you or not, and ask their views. Becoming a foster carer means sharing your home and family life with children or young people who have had very different life experiences.

If you decide to continue with your interest in fostering, the home visit by a social worker will include a discussion with your family.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Do I need a car?<\/summary>\n

Foster carers sometimes need to transport children and young people to contact sessions with their birth families and appointments, plus travel to meetings about the child or young person. It would be challenging to do this without a car.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

I am a member of a church\/faith group. Will this affect me becoming a foster carer?<\/summary>\n

We welcome applications from people of all faiths and religions and those without.

Faith can be a very positive factor meaning people have strong support networks. It is important that you can promote equality and diversity, and think about whether any strong beliefs may conflict with fostering and supporting children or young people in whatever situation they may be in.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

I am already approved with another fostering agency, can I transfer?<\/summary>\n

We welcome applications from people already approved to foster with another agency. You would have to be reassessed but this should be fairly straightforward as you will have all your experience in fostering. Visit our transfer page<\/a> if you’d like to transfer to fostering with us.

Please note that carers are not able to foster with more than one agency at a time.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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About fostering<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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What is a foster carer?<\/summary>\n

Foster care, or fostering, is the term used to describe an approved foster carer offering a home to a child or young person who can\u2019t live with their own family.

Sometimes a child or young person will stay for a very short time before returning to their family, others may need to live with a foster family for a long time.

Some children and young people may have regular contact with other members of their family, even if they cannot live with them.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

What kinds of fostering are there?<\/summary>\n

There are different types of fostering, depending on the child and their situation. A foster child may stay with you for just a weekend or over a number of years \u2013 we work hard to match the child to the right foster carer. Below are some of the ways you could foster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Short term fostering<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Short term fostering is when a foster family provides care for a child until the decision is made by the local authority about the child\u2019s long-term care. These placements can last for days, weeks or months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long-term fostering<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long-term placements may be suitable for children or young people for whom adoption is not an option. In this situation, the foster carer cares for a child or young person as a member of their family up to, and into, adult independence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emergency \/ unplanned placements <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These placements happen where a child or young person needs somewhere to stay at short notice. This could be for a few nights or longer, depending on the circumstances. Placements are provided at short notice and our fostering service offers a 24-hour emergency response service to support such requests from placing authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Family group placements<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Family group placements are for siblings who are placed together in foster care. We advocate keeping family groups together within a family environment, unless it is deemed inappropriate by the placing authority. We specialise in caring for family groups and provide additional support to foster carers to assist them in the task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Short break \/ respite fostering<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Short break \u2013 sometimes known as respite \u2013 placements are provided to give families a break or offer additional support. This could be for a child\u2019s birth family or for a foster carer and can be anything from an overnight stay to a couple of weeks.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

How much do foster carers get paid?<\/summary>\n

Foster carers receive two aspects to their payments: a child allowance <\/strong>(to cover the costs of caring for a child) and a reward payment<\/strong> (for your skills, training and experience). The combination of both varies depending on the age of the child you care for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll also receive additional financial support if the child you care for has additional support needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Payments are made fortnightly. On average, our carers receive approximately \u00a3500 per week<\/strong>. Approximate example payments could include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n