Becoming a foster carer is one of the most significant decisions you will ever make. It is also one of the most rewarding. This guide gives you an honest account of what the journey looks like, from your first phone call to welcoming a child into your home.
Who can become a foster carer?
The short answer is: more people than you might think. You do not need to own your home, be in a couple, have no criminal record, or even have children of your own. The requirements that matter are different.
To foster with Epiphany Foster Care, you need to:
- Be at least 21 years old (there is no upper age limit)
- Have a spare bedroom for the child to have their own space
- Be resident in the UK with the right to work here
- Be able to demonstrate warmth, patience, and a genuine commitment to children's welfare
- Be willing to work as part of a professional team including social workers and other professionals
Single people, couples of all kinds, renters, retirees, people with disabilities, and people from all ethnic and religious backgrounds can and do become foster carers. What matters most is not your circumstances but your character.
Some convictions will rule you out, particularly those involving violence or harm to children. But a minor conviction from many years ago does not automatically disqualify you. Our team will talk you through your individual situation openly and honestly.
The assessment process
The assessment process typically takes between four and six months from initial enquiry to approval. Here is what it involves:
Stage 1: Initial enquiry and information event
Your journey starts with a phone call or enquiry form. We will have an informal conversation about your circumstances and answer your questions. There is no commitment at this stage. If things feel right for both of you, we will invite you to an information event where you can meet our team and learn more.
Stage 2: Initial home visit
A Supervising Social Worker will visit your home for a relaxed, informal chat. This is not an inspection. They want to get to know you, understand your household, and begin to assess whether fostering could be right for you and your family.
Stage 3: Skills to Foster training
Before your formal assessment begins, you will complete our pre-approval training programme. This covers child development, attachment theory, caring for children who have experienced trauma, safe caring, and more. It is thorough but engaging, and most prospective carers find it genuinely eye-opening.
Stage 4: The home study (Form F assessment)
Your assessing social worker will conduct a detailed assessment over a series of visits. The Form F covers your personal history, your family relationships, your parenting experiences or approach, your motivations, and your understanding of the challenges of fostering. References and DBS checks are completed at this stage. It is in-depth, but it is designed to prepare you as much as to assess you.
Training and preparation
Before you can be approved, you will complete our foundational training programme covering child development, attachment, cultural identity, safe caring, working with birth families, and the looked-after children system. Training continues throughout your fostering career.
Fostering panel
Once your assessment is complete, your case is presented to our fostering panel, an independent group that reviews your assessment and makes a recommendation. Most applicants find the panel a positive experience. Your assessing social worker will prepare you thoroughly and accompany you on the day.
Your first placement
Your Supervising Social Worker will work closely with you to find a good match. When a potential match is identified, you will receive a profile of the child with information about their needs and background. You always have the right to say no to a placement.
"I was terrified before my first placement. Three years later, I cannot imagine my life without fostering. The support from the team made all the difference in those first weeks." Epiphany Foster Carer, Birmingham
Your first days with a child will require patience. Children who come into care have almost always experienced some form of loss or disruption. Whatever their presentation, what they need most is to feel safe. Your job in the early weeks is not to fix anything. It is simply to be steady, warm, and consistent.
Ongoing support
Fostering with Epiphany means you are never on your own. You will have a named Supervising Social Worker, a 24-hour emergency support line, monthly support groups, ongoing training, specialist therapeutic consultation for complex placements, and respite arrangements to ensure you can take breaks.