Fostering Wales: Who Can Foster and How to Get Started
If you have ever thought about fostering, you may be wondering whether you are suitable and what the process involves. Fostering Wales brings together local authority fostering services across Wales as part of a national network. The aim is simple: to help children and young people grow up in safe, stable homes and receive the best possible care.
This guide is written for you. It explains who can foster, what foster care involves, what support you can expect, and how you can begin your fostering journey with clarity and confidence.
What is Fostering Wales?
Fostering in Wales is delivered through your local council, not for profit, and is focused on children’s well being, safety, and long-term security. Services are overseen by Care Inspectorate Wales, which helps maintain consistent standards and clear guidance.
When you foster, you help keep foster children and local children close to their schools, community, and support networks. You become part of a professional team that works together to improve children’s lives and build better futures.
Who Can Foster?
Many people rule themselves out too early. In reality, fostering needs foster parents, foster carers, and foster families from many backgrounds.
You can usually foster if:
- You are over 21 and live in the UK.
- You have a spare bedroom.
- You can offer a stable, safe home.
- You are ready to make a life changing decision for a child.
You can foster whether you are single or in a couple, a homeowner or a tenant, working or not working. What matters is that you are committed, patient, and open to learning.
Children and young people, including teenagers, need carers with different experiences and perspectives. Your expertise, culture, and values can help a young person feel understood and supported.
What Makes a Good Foster Carer in Practice?
You do not need formal qualifications. You do need the right approach.
Good carers are people who:
- Can stay calm when situations are challenging or complex.
- Can accept advice and expert advice without taking it personally.
- Can work with a social worker and other professionals.
- Can keep routines and boundaries even when things feel hard.
You cannot change a child’s past. You can, however, offer stability, care, and consistency. That can make a real difference to a child’s life.
A Quick Self-Check: Is Fostering Right for You?
Ask yourself:
- Do you have time for school runs, meetings, and appointments?
- Can you work as part of a team and follow plans?
- Can you cope when progress is slow or behaviour is difficult?
- Do you have space emotionally as well as physically?
- Are your circumstances stable enough right now?
You do not need to be perfect. You do need to be honest with yourself.
What Types of Fostering Are There?
There are several types of fostering. You can explore these options during early conversations.
Common types include:
- Short-term fostering: Care while long-term plans are made.
- Long-term fostering: A stable home until adulthood.
- Respite fostering: Short breaks for families or other carers.
- Emergency fostering: Support at very short notice.
Your home, skills, and family life will help decide what is right for you.
What Is Fostering Really Like Day to Day?
Fostering is about ordinary life, done with extra care.
Your days may include:
- School routines and homework.
- Meetings with teachers and social workers.
- Contact arrangements with birth family.
- Paperwork, reviews, and planning.
- Building trust through small, everyday moments.
Some days will feel tiring. Some progress will be slow. Stability and patience matter more than big gestures.
The Assessment and Approval Process
The assessment process is thorough. This protects both you and the children.
It usually includes:
- An initial talk and home visit.
- A formal application.
- Checks and references.
- Preparation training.
- A full assessment report.
- A panel decision.
This takes time, often several months. You will be supported and kept informed throughout.
Your First 90 Days: What to Expect
Many people worry about the unknown. A simple way to think about it is:
- First weeks: Learning, training, and checks.
- Next months: Home visits, assessment, and preparation.
- After approval: Matching, planning, and a careful transition into your first placement.
You are not rushed. The aim is to create the right match, not the fastest one.
What Support Will You Receive?
You are not expected to do this alone.
As a foster carer, you will usually have:
- Your own supervising social worker.
- Ongoing training and development.
- Access to support groups and other carers.
- 24-hour advice and a professional team around you.
You will also receive financial support. In other words, foster carers receive money to help cover everyday costs. There may be other benefits and other benefits available too, depending on your local authority.
This dedicated support is there to help you care for the child and protect your own wellbeing.
Practical Benefits, Access, and Everyday Realities
Alongside the personal impact, there are practical benefits to fostering. You will have access to training, advice, and local services, and you may be able to use discounts or support schemes offered in your area. These are not the reason to foster, but they can make day-to-day life more manageable.
Many carers talk about the sense of connection they feel with other carers and professionals. You become part of a welcoming network that shares experience and offers support. This matters, especially during more challenging periods.
If you offer respite care, or when a placement ends, you may also get some rest before the next step in your fostering journey. That space helps you learn, reflect, and prepare.
Fostering Wales works across the whole country, from north to south, with the same aim: to improve children’s lives and help them achieve safer, more secure futures.
Common Worries and Honest Answers
“What if I get too attached?”
Attachment is part of good care. You will be supported through endings as well as beginnings.
“What if behaviour is very difficult?”
You will not be left to manage alone. Support, training, and guidance are there to help.
“What if it affects my family?”
Your parents, partner, and wider family should be part of the conversation from the start.
“What if I make mistakes?”
Everyone does. Fostering is about learning, reflecting, and improving.
The Impact You Can Have
Fostering is often described as hugely rewarding. You may not see results straight away, but over time you can:
- Improve a child’s confidence and stability.
- Help them feel safe and valued.
- Play a real part in shaping their futures.
You may hear real stories from other carers. They are different for everyone, but the shared theme is simple: ordinary care can change lives and create a lasting difference.
Questions You Should Ask Before You Apply
- What types of placements would suit my home?
- What support is available out of hours?
- What training will I receive?
- How are matches decided?
- What happens if a placement struggles?
Having these conversations early gives you clarity and confidence.
How to Get Started
If you are interested, the first step is to ask for information.
You can contact your local Fostering Wales service to:
- Ask questions.
- Talk through your circumstances.
- Get a clear message about what to expect.
- Find out about information events.
There is no obligation. This is simply the start of learning and deciding.
A Final Word
Fostering is not always easy. It can be emotionally demanding and sometimes complex. It also offers something rare: the chance to enrich a child’s life, strengthen your community, and achieve something that truly matters.
If you can offer time, care, and commitment, then Fostering Wales could be the start of a journey that changes a child’s life, and yours too.