Fostering frequently asked questions and myths

Tax exemption

There’s a fixed tax exemption of up to £10,000 per year (less if for a shorter period) which is shared equally among any foster carers in the same household. This means you don’t have to pay tax on the first £10,000 income you make from fostering.

Tax relief

On top of the £10,000 exemption, you also get tax relief of between £200-£250 per child for every week (or part week) that a child is in your care. This means you don’t have to pay tax on some of your earnings over £10,000. Read the government advice

Benefits

Visit the government website to claim benefits while fostering.

Foster children must have their own bedrooms. The only time foster children are allowed to share a room is if they are same-sex siblings and if the carer is approved for this and has the space and with the advice of the Child Social Worker. We don't allow foster children to share a room with carers' own children and we would not be able to accept your children sharing with you or someone sleeping in the living room, in order to 'free up' a bedroom for a foster child. However, if you are fostering a baby or child less than one year old, they can sometimes share your bedroom.

You don’t need to have any formal qualifications to foster for Bromley, though we do ask that you have some experience of being around children.

All necessary training to support you in becoming a foster carer will be provided as part of your support package.

Yes, if you are living together you will both need to be assessed.

From the first time you contact us the process takes approximately six months and usually no longer than eight months.

Because of the effects of passive smoking we expect that a smoke-free environment will be provided for foster children.Those under 6 and those with breathing difficulties or health-related issues will not be placed with smokers. If friends and family carers who are smokers apply to look after the child of a relative or friend, we will have to balance the additional health risks to the child against the benefits of the placement. We would encourage and help all people who want to foster to give up smoking, not just for the impact on the child’s health but also for the model presented to children and the known impact of smoking.

Yes. You can take a foster child on holiday with the agreement of their Child’s Social Worker. However, the child will need to have their own bedroom and cannot share a room with your birth children or other Children Looked After.

Fact: Having a health condition or disability won’t stop you from becoming one of our foster carers.All we need to know is that you have the necessary fitness and stamina to take care of a child or young person.. We will work with you to discover which type of fostering would work best with your needs.

Fact: Working won’t stand in the way of becoming a foster carer for us - though it might restrict the types of children you can foster. Young children and children with complex needs will need more full-time care.If you are part of a couple, you would only need one foster parent to look after the child or children whilst the other would be able to work. Alternatively, you could foster older children of school age. Many families combine work with fostering and our team would be happy to talk to you about the different options available for working families.

Fact: As long as you can provide a safe, stable and loving home and have the energy needed to take care of a child or young person, we would love to hear from you!

Our team would be more than happy to discuss how your needs can be accommodated - why not come along to see us or give us a call?

Fact: We are not interested in how well off you are.Our main focus is whether you have the patience, energy and compassion to become one of our amazing foster carers! To recognise the hard work and costs that come with caring for a child, we offer top rates of fostering allowances and a professional foster carers’ fee.

Fact: This is wrong.Both home owners and renters are able to foster Bromley children, including both private and social housing tenants. All that we require is that you have a stable tenancy.

Fact: Having your own children, whether living at home or not, is not a barrier to fostering for us. Plenty of our foster carers have their own children living at home and if you do too, all we need to know is that they are happy to have a foster child join the family and that you have a spare room. Our team will make sure to include them in the process, taking their needs into account as well. It is also not a problem if you don’t have any children, as long as you have had some experience of looking after children or young people, and you have the time, energy and care to give to a foster child.

Fact: This is wrong. We welcome foster carers who are both couples and single people. We also don’t discriminate against foster carers on the grounds of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability or religion. We have a diverse range of children needing care and we need a diverse group of carers to meet their needs.

Fact: Our team understand that many people have been through difficult past experiences and recognise that this can be a real positive and make you a stronger foster carer.

We will be on hand to talk to you about the demands of being a foster carer and make sure that you are in the right place to take that step towards making a positive change in a child’s life.

Fact: There are many types of foster care, which means that we can work around other commitments and find the best way for you to become one of our amazing foster carers.

Why not take a look at the many different types of foster care that are available or come along to see us to find out about how we can work with your individual needs or time limitations.