Who can Foster?
Virtually everyone has the right to apply to be considered as a carer. Foster Carers are as diverse as the children they look after. You can be gay or straight, single or married or be in a long-term stable relationship. You can have a high or low income. You can own your own home or you can rent. The only specific barriers to applying are these:
You cannot apply to be a carer if you have certain types of criminal record. Because of this, the application process will include police checks so as to exclude people who would not be considered suitable to be carers. A conviction will not necessarily stop you from being accepted, but it will mean that Blackpool Council will carefully consider your application.
Further information:
Age limitThere are no age limits for Fostering, what is important is that you can meet the needs of the children you care for.
Health, fitness and well-being
We are looking for people who are in reasonably good health. You will be asked to attend your GP for a Health Assessment. Blackpool Council’s medical advisor will advise the Fostering Panel about your health in relation to Fostering.
Parents that already have birth child
Having your own children means you can bring your knowledge and experience to caring for fostered children. If you have children, they may sometimes experience jealousy. However keen they may initially be to have foster, they may become anxious as they see how much attention the fostered child needs. It is important that the decision to foster is shared by everyone in the family, and that you are aware of your children’s feelings. Blackpool Council’s Fostering Service run support groups for birth children of the foster family. These can provide an opportunity to meet and share experiences with other young people in similar circumstances. It also helps if your relatives and friends support what you are doing and want to learn more about fostering.
Experience required
We would require that you have some experience of caring for a child in some capacity. This could include caring for friends or family’s children or volunteering/working with children. Having your own children or childcare experience means you can bring your knowledge and experience to caring for fostered children.
Single, married
It doesn't matter if you are single, married, living with a partner or what your sexual orientation is.
Work statusWe treat each application individually. Generally we have a least one carer at home who is available to meet a child’s needs i.e. take children to school, care for pre-schoolers at home, attend meetings and take children to contact visits with their families and appointments. We do have some foster carers who continue work and foster and will be able to discuss your situation with you directly.
Race/religion
We are keen to recruit people from all ethnicities, religions and cultural backgrounds.
Police recordMany people who have a criminal record, or who have been cautioned, can still be considered to be a foster carer. It depends on the nature of the offence, when the crime was committed and how you have lived your life since. People with convictions for violent or sexual offences against children cannot foster. Blackpool Council will carefully consider each application on an individual basis.
Smoking You can still apply to foster if you smoke, although you will not be able to foster children under the age of 5 years. We will support you to stop smoking, for your own health and as a positive role model for any child you look after.
Overweight
In most cases, being overweight will not prevent you from Fostering. Everyone who applies to foster will undertake a general health assessment. If your weight presents a very serious medical threat to your health it may prevent you from fostering. We will discuss this directly with you.