What to think about if you are employed
Learn more about balancing your employment with foster care.
Balancing employment with foster care
We understand that some people will still need, or want, to work. Becoming a foster carer does not mean having to give up employment.
With nearly 40% of foster parents working and fostering at the same time (The Fostering Network), it is possible to continue to work, but it will need to be in the best interests of the child.
Foster carers are expected to be available to care for children, support contact between a child and their family and to attend meetings, training and support groups. You will need to demonstrate that you are able to balance these commitments.
If you do currently work, you might want to consider:
- how flexible your employer is.
- how many hours do you currently work
- whether you foster as a single carer or with a partner, and if you have a strong support network
- how you will manage during school holidays
- what type of fostering you are interested in and the age of the children. Younger children will need more time and attention whereas teenagers and older children can be more independent
Considering your foster child's needs
Because of their age or needs, some children will require their foster carer to be at home and available for them all the time. This is likely to be the case for those fostering babies or pre-school children, or children with extremely complex needs or challenging behaviour.
However other children, for example children who are school age or teenagers who are more independent, may be able to manage if their foster carer works. There are many carers within the Brighton & Hove fostering community who manage this successfully.
What to consider when fostering as a couple
If you are fostering as a couple, only one of you needs to be at home. This means that the other can work full time. Or you may both work part time and fit the needs of the child around your working hours. Ultimately, you would need to demonstrate flexibility and show in your assessment that other paid work is not a financial necessity.
Every case is different, and the most important factor is that the needs of the child or children in your care are met. We would look at the type of foster care you hope to be approved for, the number of children in your home, the overall commitments of you as a foster carer and the flexibility of your employment.
Don't hesitate to contact us about fostering so we can talk to you in more detail about your individual circumstances. It is also worth talking to your employer about becoming Fostering Friendly.
Darren and Fiona
"If we had our own children, we would work, so it’s important to us to be able to work and foster because we’ve both built up good careers. For children, it’s normal for them to see parents or foster parents go out to work.
I was amazed when I started asking my employer what was available. There was a range of options there including being able to work flexibly. You might be surprised so don’t be afraid to ask.
As with any working family, juggling commitments and responsibilities is a challenge but we manage it with careful forward planning. I will do the drop off and go into the office bit later. My husband will do the pick up and go into the office early. We work things around the school run. If I’ve got a meeting where I need to be in early, then we’ll switch around."