Childcare Experience prior to fostering

All fostering applicants are expected to have a reasonable understanding of child development. Foster carers will develop their understanding of child development during their time as foster carers, but they are expected to have a basic understanding (via direct childcare experience and/or via education) before they apply to foster.

Fostering applicants who haven’t raised children in their home are expected to have other experiences of caring for children, for example as teachers or as close and involved family members of younger children. All fostering applicants are expected to have had significant involvement in helping to care for children.