Can I Foster If I Rent? Absolutely!
Yes—you can foster if you live in rented accommodation. Whether you rent from a private landlord, housing association, or local authority, what matters most is that you have a stable home and a spare bedroom for a child. Many fantastic foster carers rent their homes and provide loving, secure environments for children to grow and thrive. As long as your landlord is happy for you to foster, renting is not a barrier. At our agency, we welcome carers from all walks of life—what’s most important is your ability to offer time, care, and commitment to a child who needs you.
How to become a short term foster parent
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, we’re here to help.
Match Foster Care is an independent fostering agency with various locations across the West Midlands.
To find out more about anything we’ve mentioned above, or the fostering support packages we can provide you as one of our foster carers, please get in touch.
Considerations for Renters Interested in Fostering
Rule out additional issues first
While living in rented accommodation isn’t seen as a barrier to fostering from the perspective of a foster agency, your landlord or housing association must also be in agreement.
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.
As a renter, you must also not be in rent arrears or at risk of eviction to be able to foster.
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.
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.
If you have temporary lodgers living in your property your application to become a foster parent is unlikely to be approved.
Safety and Space Requirements
From a practical point of view, foster children (with the exception of babies) will require their own bedroom.
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 and
consistent environment while they are in your care.
However, it’s 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.
Read more on this topic: Why do you need a spare room to foster a child?
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.
As a homeowner or renter, you might view a spare bedroom as nothing more than a room you aren’t currently using. However, for a young person who has already experienced trauma in their short life, that spare room will become their sanctuary.
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.
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.
Droitwich Office
Severn House, 30 – 32 Ombersley Street West,
Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire,
WR9 8QZ
Stoke-on-Trent Office
3-5 Vale Street,
Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire,
ST4 7LR
