Can I Foster in Wales if I Don’t Have a Car?

At Family Fostering Partners, we believe that every individual has the potential to make a difference, and there’s no better way of making a difference than by fostering. When people first consider becoming a foster parent, we often get asked “Can I foster in Wales if I don't have a car?”, or, “Can I foster if I do not have a driving license?". The short answer is yes, fostering without a car is possible. That said, fostering in Wales without having access to a car does present some challenges, none of which are insurmountable, but how you overcome these challenges is worth considering.

In this blog post, we'll explore the possibilities and challenges that fostering without access to a car presents, whilst also discussing the benefits that fostering offers to children across Wales.

Understanding Fostering in Wales

Fostering is about providing stability, care, and love to children and young people who are unable to live with their birth family. At Family Fostering Partners we recruit, support, and train foster parents, we then work in tandem with local authorities across Wales to match foster parents with children who need a safe and loving home. Consequently, we’re always eager to speak to people who are looking to foster in Wales, regardless of whether they have a car or are able to drive.

Fostering Without a Car in Wales

Foster parents need to be available to attend meetings, support groups, training, as well as meet the needs of looking after a child. Consequently, having a car can be convenient, however, it is not a prerequisite for fostering in Wales. At Family Fostering Partners, we understand that circumstances vary for each individual or family interested in fostering. Therefore, we're here to reassure you that not having access to a car for whatever reason should not deter you from embarking on this rewarding journey. What’s important is your ability to meet the demands of fostering, whether you attend meetings and training by catching the bus, train, or by driving is not important.

Accessible Public Transportation when Fostering in Wales

In many areas across Wales, public transportation options are readily available and accessible, this is especially true in urban areas such as Cardiff or Swansea. Whether it's buses, trains, or taxis, there are various ways to navigate within and between communities.

During the assessment process we will explore the transportation options available to you in your local area, we will discuss what is expected from you in your fostering role, and how you can achieve those expectations with your current access to transport. As previously mentioned, in many areas such as the larger cities of South Wales, accessing public transport to attend meetings will be easy. That said, fostering in rural locations where access to public transportation is not so readily available may be more difficult. If there aren’t reliable public transport options in your area, it may be difficult to attend the required training, support groups, and other meetings that are a requirement of you as a foster parent.

Transport from your Support Network

Relying on public transport isn’t the only way you can foster in Wales without a car, you may also wish to explore your wider support network. For example, would your friends or family be able and willing to provide consistent support with transport to meetings. Exploring such arrangements are all things to consider when fostering without a car.

Fostering Without a Car and Accessing Training and Support

Transitioning into the role of a foster carer can be both exciting and challenging. That's why we take considerable pride in the comprehensive training and ongoing support that we offer to all of our foster parents across Wales. We equip our carers with the tools and knowledge they need to thrive in their role.  You can click here to find out more about the training and support we offer.

Training will be held locally to your address, the venues of which will be discussed with you well in advance to enable you to plan. As long as you are able and committed to attending training, attending meetings, facilitating contact, and transporting a child to necessary appointments (e.g medical, school) then you are able to foster.  Your dedicated link worker will travel to you to complete supervision. Post Covid, a lot of meetings tend to be held online, making it easier for everybody involved to attend. Other support and advice available to you from your home can be found at Foster Talk, a membership provided to you by Family Fostering Partners.

Fostering in Wales and the importance of Embracing Diversity and Inclusion

Fostering in Wales with us at Family Fostering Partners is about embracing diversity and inclusion in all its forms. It’s important to us that our team of foster parents are as unique as the children that we help look after. That’s why regardless of your background, ethnicity, or transportation situation, there is a place for you in our fostering community. By fostering a culture of acceptance and understanding, we can create nurturing environments where children and young people can flourish and thrive.

Final thoughts on Fostering Without a Car

In conclusion, at Family Fostering Partners, we believe that everyone has the capacity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. Fostering without a car does present some challenges, however, if you don’t drive you can still foster in Wales if you’re able to demonstrate that you can attend the prerequisite meetings, training, and support groups. So, if you're passionate about fostering and ready to embark on this transformative adventure, we're here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build brighter futures for the children of Wales, one loving home at a time.

We’re always eager to speak to people who are considering becoming foster parents, you can get in touch with us by visiting our “Contact us” page, by using our fostering live chat feature (which puts you in touch with a member of our team), or, by phoning us directly on 0330 0948816.