Can I Foster While Renting?

Many people in the UK assume that they may not be able to become foster parents due to not owning their own home. However, like most foster agencies up and down the country, we welcome those living in rented accommodation. If you are over the age of 21, have a spare room, and are passionate about making a difference, we’d love to speak to you about becoming a foster parent.

Fostering is an incredibly rewarding career, and you can foster even while renting your home. So long as you have your landlord’s permission to foster a child, there’s no reason why your rented property shouldn’t become a place of safety and security for a vulnerable young person.

4 Facet about fostering while renting

You must have a spare room

Having a spare room is an essential requirement for becoming a foster parent, whether you own your home or live in rented accommodation. A spare bedroom is required so that the child in your care has a space which they can really call their own, where they can rest, play, and relax.

Your home must be stable and suitable

To become a foster parent while renting, it’s important that you are able to provide a stable home. This means that you can welcome a child into a safe and comfortable place to live, where they can thrive in a positive family environment.

As part of your fostering assessment, your assessing social worker will complete a health and safety assessment of your home to make sure your rented property is well-maintained and safe for fostering. This is in order to identify anything that could potentially cause harm to a young person in your care. These checks cover things like fire hazards, access to garden ponds and the safe storage of medicines. If any potential risks are identified, your social worker will work with you to help resolve them.

If you have any questions or are worried about the assessment, you can always reach out to us for support. We’re here to help you in every aspect of your fostering journey and our welcoming staff will be eager to answer any questions you may have.

What about if I rent out my home?

While fostering in a rented property is welcomed, things become more complicated if you choose to rent out your home to a lodger or temporary guests. This is because we need to know who is in your home, so we can ensure the safety and well-being of the child in your care.

Any adult over the age of eighteen who lives in your home will need to have a DBS check, including any family members, short-term lodgers and long-term tenants. By completing this criminal record check, we’re able to ensure that your home will be a safe and secure environment for a vulnerable child to live.

However, if you rent out a space in your home to various renters who come and go, such as through online short stay platforms, you likely won’t be able to foster children in your property.

What if I plan on buying a house in the future?

If you’re in the process of moving or buying a new house, you can still begin the fostering assessment process. Simply speak to our friendly team of advisors, who will be able to help you start your fostering journey at a pace that feels right for you.

In case you’re interested in how your income from fostering may factor in when looking to purchase your first home, you can click here to learn more about mortgages for foster carers.

If you are interested in learning more about fostering with Orange Grove, we encourage you to complete our online form. Our team of friendly fostering advisors will be more than happy to reach out and answer any questions you may have.