Preparing to Welcome a Foster Child: What to Do Before They Arrive

The call can come with a fortnight’s notice or with four hours’. Here is what is worth sorting out before a foster child arrives, from the questions to ask on the phone to the first night, and what really does not matter.

Men in Fostering: Why We Need More Male Foster Carers

Fostering households in England have fallen for four years running, and children in care need men in their lives as well as women. Here is what male foster carers bring, the awkward parts nobody mentions, and whether you would actually qualify.

Can You Foster If You Have Pets?

Cats, dogs and the occasional chicken are welcome in foster homes across London. Here is what actually gets assessed, and the one exception: GLF cannot approve a household keeping one of the five banned dog breeds, even with a Certificate of Exemption.

Do You Need a Spare Bedroom to Foster?

For a child aged three or over you will need a bedroom that is theirs, but for a baby a cot in your own room is often enough. Here is what the national standard actually says, what we check when we visit, and what happens to your Housing Benefit while a spare room sits empty.

Can Single People Foster? An Honest Look at Fostering on Your Own

No law in England says a foster carer needs a partner, and single people are approved as foster carers every year. Here is what fostering on your own actually involves, from the support network question and the spare bedroom rule to the pay, with the hard parts left in.

Can You Foster in a Rented Home or a Flat?

Renting does not stop you fostering, and neither does living in a flat. Since 1 May 2026 your landlord cannot use a tenancy clause to block a foster child. Here is what that means, and how the bedroom rules actually work.

Can You Foster If You Work? An Honest Answer

No law stops a foster carer from having a job, and availability matters far more than the hours on your contract. Here is what fostering really takes out of a week, which jobs fit around it, and where you stand on pay, tax, employment rights and childcare in August 2026.

Could You Be a Foster Carer? Common Myths About Who Can Foster

Age, postcode, renting, being single. People rule themselves out of fostering over things that simply are not true. We unpick the most common myths so you can judge your own situation on the facts.

What Does Fostering Actually Involve Day to Day?

Most of fostering looks like ordinary family life: school runs, shared meals, homework at the kitchen table. An honest picture of what a foster carer does from one day to the next.

Starting Your Journey as a Foster Carer: What to Expect After Approval

What actually happens once you are approved: the induction, the first placement, the meetings, and the team of people whose job is to support you as well as the child.