How to Get a Foster Care Job & Provide a Lifeline to Vulnerable Children

f you're searching for a meaningful career that changes lives, foster care jobs offer a unique opportunity. At Family Fostering Partners, we believe that every child deserves a safe, nurturing environment to thrive in—and foster parents are at the heart of this mission.

Whether you're just beginning to explore the idea or are ready to take the next step, here’s everything you need to know about becoming a foster parent with Family Fostering Partners.

Can You Be a Foster Carer as a Job?

Yes, absolutely! While foster caring is first and foremost a caring endeavour, for many it is also a full-time role. Many of our foster parents treat fostering as their primary occupation, and they are professionally trained, supported and paid to allow them to do so.

However, it’s important to understand that foster parenting is so much more than a job. You won’t clock in and out of a 9-to-5 schedule. Instead, you’ll be providing round-the-clock support, care, and encouragement to a child. There are lots of different types of foster care jobs; you can choose whether to foster on a short term, long term or respite basis to fit around your current job or commitments.

What Qualifications Do I Need to Be a Foster Carer?

You don’t need formal academic qualifications to apply for a foster care job, but you do need:

• A spare bedroom in your home
• Time, patience, and resilience
• A commitment to making a difference in a child’s life
• The ability to work as part of a team, including with your Link Worker, social workers, teachers, and the child’s birth family where appropriate

All prospective foster parents undergo thorough training as part of the application process. At Family Fostering Partners, we’ll support you every step of the way—from your first enquiry, through to being approved and beyond.

Experience with children, whether personal or professional, can be beneficial, but it’s not a requirement. What matters most is your capacity to offer care, structure, and emotional support. At Family Fostering Partners, we offer comprehensive training and ongoing support to ensure that our foster parents feel confident and capable in their role.

Foster Care Jobs Salary

When fostering with Family Fostering Partners, you’ll receive a generous fostering allowance to help cover the cost of caring for a child and to recognise your commitment and dedication. 

The amount you receive depends on several factors, including:

• The number of children in your care
• The age and needs of each child
• The type of placement (e.g. emergency or parent and child fostering)

While the motivation to seek a foster care job is not often driven by financial incentive alone, we understand the importance of being fairly compensated. Many of our foster parents find that fostering allows them to give up other work and focus solely on fostering. To help ease the transition from being approved as a foster parent to having a child or children matched with your fostering family, we have created a bespoke financial incentive scheme called ‘Be There To Care’.  This programme is available to anyone that discontinues work in order to foster with Family Fostering Partners. 

Hear from CJ, who gave up his career in Senior Management to foster on a full time basis. 

Foster Care Jobs Application Process

Here’s a step-by-step guide to how the process works when you apply to become a foster parent with Family Fostering Partners:

1. Initial Enquiry
   Reach out to us for an informal chat. We’ll answer your questions and help you decide whether fostering is right for you.
2. Home Visit
   A friendly member of our team will visit your home to get to know you and your family and answer any questions you might have. 
3. Application Form, Training and Assessment
   You will complete an application form and the assessment process begins. You will also attend a Skills to Foster training programme which will tell you everything you need to know about fostering with Family Fostering Partners.
4. Panel and Approval
   Your assessment will be presented to an independent fostering panel who will make a recommendation. This can sound quite scary, but don’t worry, your assessing social worker will be with you every step of the way! Once approved, you’ll be ready to welcome a child into your home. 
5. Ongoing Support
   The support doesn’t stop once you’re approved – you’ll be invited to regular training sessions and peer support groups, have access to 24/7 advice, meet regularly with your dedicated Link Worker and have fully paid membership to Foster Talk. 

A Career That Truly Matters

Choosing to explore a foster care job isn’t just a career decision—it’s a life-changing one, both for you and for the children you’ll support. At Family Fostering Partners, we’ve seen firsthand how the right fostering family can transform a child’s future, offering a lifeline when it’s needed most.

If you’ve got room in your heart and your home, and you’re looking for a role that’s filled with purpose, consider embarking on a foster care job. Contact us today.