Eligibility Criteria

At Team Fostering we take pride in recruiting foster carers from all walks of life. Our carers have an extensive range of backgrounds and experiences which contribute greatly to the support we provide to young people. The children and young people that are referred to us each have unique circumstances, and so a diverse range of foster carers helps us to be confident that the matches we make between foster carers and young people will work well.

We welcome all enquiries and we do not discriminate against anyone because of their age, race, beliefs, gender or sexual orientation. It is important to us that the foster carers we recruit share our attitude towards equality with zero-tolerance of discrimination.

There are basic criteria that foster carers need to meet, which you can find below. However we do take time to consider all circumstances should you not meet these at the moment, so please do get in touch even if you think your situation may not be suitable at present. If you feel that you are eligible for becoming a foster carer, or have some questions and would like to have a discussion with a member of our team, you make an enquiry here or call us on 0800 292 2003.

The basic criteria we're looking for is:

You have a spare bedroom
You are available to care for a child or young person 24/7 (we do consider applications from those who are self-employed or employed part-time)
You live within in the North East, Yorkshire or East Midlands
If in a relationship, you and your partner have been together for a minimum of 2 years
You are over 21 years of age
You have access to regular, reliable transport to take children or young people to school, appointments, activities or visits to friends and family, etc.
If you have your own children, we would welcome an enquiry and would discuss this further depending on your individual circumstances.

In addition, you should be able to:

Be committed to making a positive difference in a child’s life
Be able to provide a child or young person with a nurturing family environment, where they are valued, nurtured, loved and encouraged to achieve their full potential
Enjoy looking after children and young people, able to meet their needs and adapt well to different situations
While it is not essential to be a parent, it is important to have some relevant experience that may have prepared you for fostering
Promote a zero tolerance attitude towards discrimination and enjoy working as part of a team
Understand the challenges of foster caring and be prepared for the hard work that is required

The criteria for eligibility are pre-determined by the needs of the local authorities that place children and young people with Team Fostering. Therefore, it may be possible that there are slight differences to criteria depending on your area of residence. This is something that will be discussed in initial conversation if applicable.