Fostering in the UK?

Question

Over the weekend I sent a general enquiries e-mail to the council where I live about fostering a child. It's something I've always wanted to do, and my husband is quite keen on the idea too. We don't have a lot of money so I would need to keep working, plus I'm in my NQT year as a teacher so need to complete that before I'm fully qualified. My question really is do we have a good chance of being accepted? My brother and his wife were told as they both work full time they wouldn't be able to, but I wondered if really it was because they're both a bit elitist - intelligence and wealth are everything, etc etc. Me and my husband are not like that, we would just love to share our lives with a child. As a teacher I have every weekend and school holiday off, and my husband has his own business so he may be able to take the child to school before he starts work. Do you think we would be accepted?

Answer 1

Definitely, why on earth wouldn't you be.  We're crying out for foster carers in the UK and it's great that you've put yourself forward.

I don't see any reason, from what you've stated for them to turn you down at all.  Being able to spend the whole summer with the kids full time is a bonus IMHO.  My brother is a teacher and his kids enjoy more time with their dad than most kids do these days, plus the foster kids will probably spend most of their time at school so their days will be as full as your own.

I hope you hear back from them soon.  Hang in there :)

Answer 2

I would say you should be accepted and would imagine you would have no problem fostering a child...but clearly not a baby or toddler.  If a child was at school and you could show how you could arrange to be there for the child before and after school hours, and still work then that should be fine.