Can I Foster and Work?

One of the most common questions we receive from prospective foster carers is, "can I work and foster?". The short answer is yes, you can foster and work another job. Although, flexibility is important as some types of foster care require more of your time than others, and your priority as a foster parent should always be supporting to the child in your care.

Throughout this guide, we will cover everything you need to know about fostering and working full-time. Whether you’re a single foster carer or a fostering family, our team at Capstone Foster Care is here to help you transform lives.

Can you foster and work full-time?

Yes, you can work full-time and be a foster carer. In the UK, full-time employment often involves working 35+ hours per week. Recent flexible working legislation has made it simpler to request arrangements that suit you and your fostering capabilities:

• You can make the right to request flexible working from ‘day one’ of a new job.
• You don’t have to explain how your request would impact your employer, and you can provide less information than before.
• You can make up to two requests in a 12-month period, compared to only one before.

This means that if you can schedule your hours around caring for your foster child, whether that means working from home or working during hours that they would be at school, it’s absolutely possible to maintain a full-time job whilst fostering.

However, it’s important to note that fostering is considered a full-time career in itself. After all, the children you foster deserve a lot of time, affection and care. Because of this, you will need to demonstrate a flexible work schedule that allows you to be present with your foster child whenever they’re in the family home.

As each foster placement is different, we’re committed to making your fostering experience as positive, rewarding and enlightening as possible by taking your individual circumstances into consideration.

Your responsibilities as a foster carer

As a foster carer, your primary role is to provide a safe, secure and supportive environment for a child in need. That goes beyond creating a loving home. It means meeting their needs, no matter the day or time. So, if you are considering balancing full-time work alongside foster care, you must also fulfil the following responsibilities:

• Support your foster child or children with their daily routine, providing healthy meals, clean clothes and promoting their overall health and wellbeing.
• Take your foster child to school, follow their education closely and help them with homework when needed.
• Take you foster child to their extracurricular activities and health appointments.
• Attend meetings with social workers and fellow foster carers.
• Immerse yourself in regular training and development, with the option to attend specialist courses in addition to your mandatory training.
• Facilitate meetings and contact with their family, supporting reunification where appropriate.
• Nurture their development, teach them important life skills, and create fun and lasting memories together.

Can you foster and work part-time?

Yes, you can foster and work part-time. Part-time employment instantly offers foster carers far more flexibility than a full-time role. Freelancing and consultancy work is also popular for those looking to continue their existing career and generate some additional household income while transforming the life of a child. Again, there are no rules or prejudices against working whilst fostering, but your commitment to your foster child should always take priority, so it’s important that prospective carers (and employers) understand this.

Can couples foster and work?

If you are a foster couple, you will have greater flexibility over your careers than you would as a single foster parent. Whilst a single foster carer must always be available to tend to their foster child’s needs, as a couple, you can work together to distribute your time between fostering and working. For example, one parent may choose to stay at home as the primary foster carer whilst the other continues to work full-time, making them the secondary carer.

However, whilst fostering as a couple can make maintaining a second career more realistic, it’s also worth noting that fostering itself is a full-time job that comes with a generous fostering allowance to both fund the child in your care and renumerate you for your time, support and experience. Therefore, it may be worth evaluating both of your commitments to fostering and assessing how best to approach work. It’s crucial that you and your partner are transparent with each other and aligned with your fostering goals.

Can single people foster and work?

For a single man or woman, fostering and working full time may become more of a challenge. Balancing the responsibility of providing a nurturing home, single foster parents must also be available for meetings with foster agency social workers, teachers, and other personnel involved in protecting and maintaining the child’s well-being.

However, it is possible for single foster parents to work during school hours, depending on the age of their foster children. Flexibility is essential, so it’s important that if you are a single person and would love to foster, you must discuss flexible working arrangements with your employer. Your commitment is the key to encouraging a foster child to flourish.

Is fostering a full-time job?

Yes, fostering is a full-time career. When you become a foster carer, your first responsibility is to the child in care, which is a 24/7 job. However, you may not always have a foster placement. That’s why it’s crucial to understand that whilst fostering is a vocation from a financial perspective, payments are reliant on whether you have a placement, which is subject to demand and suitability. So, unlike a contracted full-time job, an income solely from fostering is not guaranteed.

Can you foster part-time?

Whilst you can’t apply to be a part-time foster parent, you can become a respite foster carer. Respite placements, otherwise known as short breaks, are short-term arrangements that allow foster parents to take a break whilst their foster child can gain new experiences and meet new people under the safe care of another foster parent.

Respite stays can span from as little as two days to two weeks, and are always arranged in advance, so you can adjust your schedule when your fostering services are required.

Many foster carers see respite care as a fantastic introduction to fostering, allowing them to balance their current jobs whilst still supporting children in need.

Do you get paid to work as a foster carer?

Yes, like any other job, you will receive payment for your time, skills and experience. However, unlike traditional employment, you won’t receive a fixed salary paid in monthly instalments. Instead, we pay you a weekly fostering allowance to ensure that both you and your foster child can live comfortably. Your allowance accounts for:

• Each child’s unique set of needs
• A good standard of living for both the foster family and child
• A tax-free allowance

These fostering allowances also do not impact other benefits you may receive, such as housing benefit or working tax credits. Learn More About Foster Pay

Do you have to train to become a foster carer?

Yes, each foster carer requires training before fostering. Whilst you don’t need any prior experience to become a foster parent, all our carers have mandatory training before being paired with their first foster child. Even families with their own children may see a notable difference in the needs of their foster child. This is why it’s essential that our carers immerse themselves in training and development courses to provide the best support for the foster child in their care.

At Capstone Foster Care, we offer additional training beyond our essential ‘Skills to Foster’ course to ensure our carers always feel equipped with the tools to support their foster children. We’re also available 24/7, so should you ever need us, we’re on hand to offer our help and guidance.

Looking for more information on fostering and working full-time? Contact Capstone Foster Care today or call us on 0800 012 4004 – we’re here to help answer all of your fostering and working queries.

FAQs

Do foster carers pay tax and national insurance?

Unlike most salaried roles, foster carers are eligible for a generous tax scheme called Qualifying Care Relief. As a result, foster carers pay little to no tax for their fostering placements.

To find out more regarding fostering allowance and tax rules, read our guide ‘How much do Foster Parents get Paid?’

Do you pay more tax if you foster and work?

With Qualifying Care Relief, most foster parents are exempt from paying tax on their fostering allowance. If so, you will not pay any additional tax, as your salaried income will be managed and taxed independently from your fostering pay.

Can you claim benefits if you work as a foster carer?

Yes, you are still eligible to receive benefits as a foster carer. Benefits you could be entitled to include:

• Council Tax Reduction
• Personal Independence Payments
• Universal Credit
• Carers allowance (if fostering a disabled child)
• Disability Living Allowance

Learn more about fostering on benefits

Can you progress and receive pay rises with a career in foster care?

At Capstone Foster Care, there is no hierarchy amongst our foster carers. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t receive pay rises or further develop your skills.

We regularly review our fostering allowances and have granted five pay increases to our carers over the past two years. Similarly, if you decide to specialise in therapeutic foster care or parent and child fostering, you will be able to expand your knowledge and skillset, allowing you to facilitate specialist arrangements with higher weekly allowances.

Are you entitled to holidays as a full-time foster carer?

Yes, all our foster parents are granted 14-night respite allowance to be taken together or separately. At Capstone, we understand the importance of taking time to refill your own cup, so you can be your best self for your foster children.