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Can I Foster While Renting?
Potential foster parents commonly ask ācan you rent and be a foster parent?ā
The answer is yes ā fostering while renting is allowed. This is so long as you qualify to become a foster parent in terms of passing the background checks, completing the assessment process and meeting any other necessary criteria.
While your home ownership status is not taken into consideration, you must be able to provide the physical living space to be able to accommodate a child. Your home environment will need to undergo a thorough assessment to determine suitability. As part of the assessment, the available space and overall safety of your home will be carefully considered.
Here is our guide to fostering while living in rented accommodation to help potential foster parents understand what to expect.
Considerations for Renters Interested in Fostering
Rule out additional issues first
While living in rented accommodation isnāt seen as a barrier to fostering from the perspective of a foster agency, your landlord or housing association must also be in agreement.Ā
Seek permission from the relevant people at the earliest opportunity, as unless the housing association or landlord permission is granted, your fostering application cannot be approved.Ā
As a renter, you must also not be in rent arrears or at risk of eviction to be able to foster.Ā
In terms of living in temporary accommodation, as children require a stable and consistent environment, it may be better to wait until you are living in a rented house before you submit your application. This is because your home and living environment will be assessed as part of the process.Ā
Another aspect to consider is if you currently rent out your home. If you have a permanent lodger, they will need to be considered as part of the assessment process and will also require background checks.Ā
If you have temporary lodgers living in your property your application to become a foster parent is unlikely to be approved.Ā
Safety and Space Requirements
From a practical point of view, foster children (with the exception of babies) will require their own bedroom.Ā
Consider that if you plan on fostering more than one child at a time, then you will also require multiple spare bedrooms to accommodate each child.
As part of the fostering assessment process, the available space along with the suitability of your property will be assessed. This is to ensure that you can provide a child with a safe andĀ
consistent environment while they are in your care.Ā
However, itās good to note that we provide plenty of support throughout the fostering process so that you know what to expect. We are also on hand to guide you so that you can best prepare yourself and your home for the requirements of becoming a foster carer.Ā
Read more on this topic: Why do you need a spare room to foster a child?Ā
Emotional Considerations and Support
What every foster child craves is a safe living environment in which they feel supported as they undergo immense change and challenges.Ā
As a homeowner or renter, you might view a spare bedroom as nothing more than a room you arenāt currently using. However, for a young person who has already experienced trauma in their short life, that spare room will become their sanctuary.Ā
How a bedroom is decorated and set up can make a huge contribution in terms of how quickly the child settles into their new surroundings, along with the overall experience they have while in your care.Ā
By considering both the physical environment and emotional needs of the child, foster carers can encourage the very best outcomes for children. Even when living in rented accommodation, it is still perfectly possible to achieve highly successful foster placements. This is especially the case when the child is always the main focus of the foster parent along with the overall environment.Ā
Match Foster Care - Need More Help With Fostering While Renting?
While fostering while renting is a common arrangement for many foster parents, there are some things you may need to consider first. If you need any more help with this topic or anything else relating to your fostering journey, weāre here to help.Ā
Match Foster Care is an independent fostering agency with various locations across the West Midlands.Ā
To find out more about anything weāve mentioned above, or the fostering support packages we can provide you as one of our foster carers, please get in touch.Ā
Areas We Cover
Match Foster Care covers all over the West Midlands, including, Birmingham, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Dudley, Sandwell, Herefordshire, Telford, Wolverhampton, Shropshire,
Walsall, Warwickshire, Stoke, Solihull, Coventry and Gloucestershire.
We have two offices: one in Droitwich and one in Stoke but our staff are located across the whole region to provide local support when you most need it.
Droitwich Office
Severn House, 30 ā 32 Ombersley Street West, Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire,
WR9 8QZ
Stoke-on-Trent Office
3-5 Vale Street, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire,
ST4 7LR
