Can single people become a foster carer?

Absolutely yes, you can foster while being a single parent. The fact that someone is married or single is not at all important. There is a great chance that you can become a foster carer if you are able to provide a child or a young person with a loving, caring, and secure home. The three basic prerequisites for becoming a foster carer are good mental health, having a spare room in your house, and having the time and flexibility to care for a child/YP.

Many people still believe in the myth that foster care is for couples. However, the truth is that marital status does not affect your eligibility to become a foster carer at all. In fact, single foster carers are in high demand. According to the Office of National Statistics, there are over 1.3 million people in the UK who are single and are between the ages of 25 and 44, this means there is a sizable population of people who could be interested in fostering and can make great foster carer but are allowing their single status to hold them back.

Why should you become a foster carer if you are single?

Whether you foster as a couple or alone, choosing fostering as a career is a very rewarding decision. It enables you to significantly alter the course of a child’s or young person’s life, influencing their future and providing them with new opportunities.

Fostering is a way for people to start a new and fulfilling career while providing for children who depend on you for their knowledge, skills, and love. A single person can become a great foster parent, and it is important to emphasize that this role is not gender-specific.

Our single foster carers at sunbeam fostering love their role and report extremely high levels of satisfaction.

“There is simply no greater feeling than knowing you are giving a child a chance to feel loved, nurtured, and supported”, RH(Foster Carer).

Single foster carers, prove to be really driven, focused, and capable of becoming fully committed to those in their care. They are also adaptable and may be able to provide alternative foster care options such as emergency enhanced fostering.

Fostering as a single person allows you to receive financial support for each child in your care, in addition to many other benefits. Read our fostering allowance guide for more information on the financial assistance available to our foster families.

Are you interested in becoming a single foster carer?

Having someone to support you and be there with you to talk about the difficult situations and the triumphs, sometimes minor but crucial moments that only other foster carers, or social professionals, would understand, can be the biggest challenge faced by a single foster carer. Whether you foster as a single or as a couple, as a member of Sunbeam Fostering Agency, you would be a part of a solid fostering network with 24-hour support, local social workers on hand, and locally delivered training. Visit our website to learn more about fostering.