Foster Care Bedroom Requirements Explained

If you’re new to fostering, you may find the rules regarding a spare bedroom a bit confusing. Family Fostering Partners want there to be no barriers for prospective carers who are interested in fostering, that’s why we’ve taken the time to put together this article to explain exactly why you need a spare bedroom, why it’s important, and what are the various rules and regulations surrounding bedroom sharing.

Do you need a spare room to foster?

It is an essential requirement that you have a spare bedroom in your home to foster a child in the UK. You do not need to own your own home and it’s perfectly okay to rent, but there must be a spare bedroom within your home that a foster child can use as their bedroom.

Why is a spare bedroom essential?

A bedroom acts as a sanctuary for a vulnerable child who may not ever have experienced what it’s like to have a room of their own before. Looked after children and young people will not have had a great start in life and will be experiencing upset and trauma, on top of this, the distress of being separated from the only people they know can be extremely challenging.

A bedroom gives them a safe, quiet, and dedicated place for them to call their own. It can also be very scary to live with new people for the first time so the room helps to provide privacy and also encourages them to settle into their new home.

Finally, many children will not be used to rules, boundaries, and the idea of having their own space. A room of their own helps children to learn what it means to have a routine, consistent bedtimes, and other rules that help them to get an idea of how it works to operate as a family. It also helps to avoid disruption to birth children or other foster children who are living in the home.

The overall benefits of a spare room

• Own space
• Privacy
• Sense of belonging
• Safety
• Helps build routines
• Aids in the transition
• Helps a child settle

Can a foster child share a room?

Foster children cannot share a room with other children, your birth children, or with anyone else in your family. This is for their safety and comfort. We often don’t know the full extent of a child’s history before they came into care and they could have had a range of negative experiences with other people and adults and so it’s unfair and inappropriate for them to have to share their space with someone they don’t know and won’t be able to trust straight away.

Can foster children share a room with their own siblings?

In some cases, if you are fostering siblings they may be allowed to share a room together. This will depend on the age and gender of the children and will be down to a social worker’s discretion. It’s always best to act under the assumption that every young person will require a room of their own. Find out more about bedroom sharing in our article here.

Have space in your home to foster? Or, are you moving to a new property that will have a spare bedroom you can use? We’d love to hear from you. We’re always on the look out for carers who can form part of our family. Full training and support is provided to everyone including ongoing advice and guidance from a dedicated care worker throughout your entire time with us. Please call 03300 948816 or click here to fill out our contact form to get in touch, a member of our team will be happy to help!