Persons Disqualified from Fostering

If you’re considering becoming a foster carer, you may be worried about what factors cause people to be disqualified from fostering. The good news is that there are very few factors that bar you from fostering if you are genuinely interested! People from all walks of life, cultures, backgrounds, and upbringings can make great foster parents with the right attitude and level of commitment! 

We are always keen to attract more foster carers who are willing to provide a safe, nurturing, and loving home environment for vulnerable children and young people. The demand for foster homes for looked after children can be high and that’s why we are always recruiting new carers to ensure that all children in your local community have the opportunity to be safe and loved at home. 

Foster parent essential requirements

If you want to apply to foster, first you must meet the essential criteria to allow your application to take place. These elements are essential to becoming a carer and you will need to meet every requirement to formally start the recruitment process.

You must: 

• Be aged 21 years old or over
• Have a spare bedroom in your home 
• Be a full-time resident in the UK or have leave to remain
• Have enough time to care for the foster child 

We encourage anyone who meets these 4 criteria to contact us to receive more tailored information about beginning their application! If you don’t currently meet all of the above, you can speak to our fostering advisors for advice and guidance. For example, if you don’t currently have a spare bedroom in your home, but are going to be moving shortly, then we would still love to hear from you! Similarly, if you currently work full-time but are considering a different career path, our team of friendly staff can give you more details about the opportunities available in fostering. 

Who is disqualified from fostering? 

If you have a criminal conviction, you may still be allowed to foster depending on the severity of the offence. A person will be disqualified from acting as a foster carer if they, or anyone else in their household, has been cautioned or convicted of a specified offence. If this offence has been committed against a child, you will not be allowed to foster. Other crimes that can disqualify you include the supply of drugs, violence or bodily harm, and any sexual offences. 

What if I have a criminal record?

If you want to foster, but you have a caution or a criminal record, the best approach is to be open, honest, and upfront about it. You won’t necessarily be barred from fostering and your individual circumstances will always be listened to and considered. 

As part of the application, a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will need to be undertaken as part of your Form F assessment. This is why it is imperative that you are open about your history and discuss it at an early stage with our team. All of our social workers are open-minded and will discuss personal matters with confidentiality and professionalism, so there’s no need to feel worried or embarrassed!

Join our team

If you feel passionate about helping young people, making a difference in your local area, and changing the lives of children who need your help, we’d love to hear from you. Many different types of people love the experiences they have fostering including those who are single, married, part of the LGBTQ+ community, have a disability or mental illness, and are aged over 60! Fostering really is for everyone.