What skills you need
The Royal Borough of Greenwich welcomes carers from different nationalities, ethnicities and all walks of life.
To be considered as a foster carer, we look for the following skills and attributes:
- the ability to care for children and young people
- the ability to provide a safe and caring environment
- the ability to work with our children's social care
- a commitment to training and personal development
You can foster if you are:
- over 18 (you will need to show us that you are mature enough and have enough energy to do the fostering task)
- married, in a civil partnership, single, divorced, or living with a partner
- from any cultural, ethnic, religious or social background
- LGBTQIA+
- living within a 20 mile radius of Royal Greenwich
- living in accommodation with a spare room
- renting or a home owner with enough space to accommodate a child
- in good health
You do not have to be a parent although experience of caring for a child would be useful.
If you or a member of your household smokes, we would expect smoking to only take place outside your home and you will not be able to foster children under 5 years of age.
What can prevent fostering
You cannot become a foster carer if:
- you do not have secure housing
- you do not have indefinite leave to remain in the UK
- your child or children are known to social care or are currently in care
- you have any offence against children
You may not be accepted for fostering if any of the following apply:
- you don't have a spare room for a child
- you are unable to show how you can manage the fostering task whilst being in a full or part time job (you need to show us that you have the time and the ability to meet the needs of foster children in your care)
- you speak limited English
- you have certain pets, including any animal registered under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 or any dog registered under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
- you have potentially unsafe equipment in and around the home