Fostering Skills
Why professions make good foster parents
What professions make
great foster carers?
If you're looking for a career change, or would like to be able to help a child in need, then fostering could be exactly what you're looking for. First of all, let's be clear, you don’t need to have worked with children to become a foster parent. All you need is to be over 21 years old, have a spare bedroom that’s always available to a foster child, and have the legal right to live and work in the UK.
There are some professions, however, that provide key transferable skills and experience which can be exceptionally relevant to fostering. These professions can help give a good grounding to becoming a foster parent, but you do not have to have a profession in order to foster.
Great transferable skills for foster parents
Often, the type of experience that transfers well into fostering is from the public sector, or in other organisations where you work as part of a team to achieve the best possible outcomes. Having the experience that gives you opportunities to use skills such as resilience, commitment and empathy can be of great benefit when caring for looked after children.
Being a foster parent also requires skills such as:
- Administration and report writing
- Collaborating with different professionals and teams
- Having good listening skills and empathy
- Being perseverant when things get tough
- Flexibility and adaptability
- Stability and consistency
Why fostering can change lives
Fostering is one of the most deeply rewarding and equally challenging jobs around. It will test your patience and energy, but also bring you many amazing moments that will stay with you forever. Not only do you get to change a child's life, learn new skills, and contribute to your community, but you also get to build a fantastic career.
You will find many skills needed to be a foster carer in everyday life. As long as you meet the basic requirements, we can teach you the rest.
In addition to life skills and experience, there are some professions that have great transferable skills that can lend themselves to foster care.
Professionals that make great foster carers
Let’s take a look at some of the jobs with transferable skills for foster care. As there are so many, we will focus on the jobs that link to the wellbeing of children and young people, with examples of how these roles provide the skills needed to foster.
Jobs within the educational sector
From teachers, teaching assistants and nursery assistants to school counsellors and lunchtime supervisors, working with or around children certainly helps build resilience and a good sense of humour.
If you’re thinking about what to do after a teaching career, or are looking to foster and keep working, then you already have the skills you need to take the next step.
Medical professionals and
care work
Care workers, nurses, doctors and speech therapists are just some of the professionals that transition to foster care.
Most medical professionals have incredible listening and empathy skills, as well as the ability to take on more complex cases with an understanding and caring that can take others a while to master.
Jobs within the hospitality sector
Whether you worked in the food and beverage sector or travel and tourism, there are a lot of fantastic skills you have learnt that would transfer well into foster care.
If you’re working in a job that requires you to look after others, then you are naturally building the skills needed to provide a safe and caring home. With strong problem-solving, listening skills and adaptability, you will be able to apply your skills to caring for a looked-after child.
Can fostering be a career?
Fostering children can be a great career choice. You receive generous fostering payments, rewards and benefits, you'll be able to work flexibly as well as from home, you'll benefit from ongoing training and development, and you'll work alongside a team of professionals.
It is also worth considering the many different types of fostering that can help you progress in your career. For example, fostering sanctuary-seeking children and parent and child fostering are both specialist placements that require advanced training in return for a higher fostering allowance.
What is Skills to Foster training?
When you start the fostering assessment, you'll attend our Skills to Foster training course which is a 3-day programme for potential foster parents like you.
This course will cover a number of things, including safeguarding and the role and responsibilities of a foster parent, as well as give you a chance to talk to real-life foster parents. This will offer you a real head start in your career.
So, if you need a career change, or fancy a job that challenges you and will make a difference, then why not complete our online enquiry form (or call us on 0800 369 8512) to find out about fostering.
It’s quick and easy to do, and just lets us know you’re interested. Once we’ve received it, we’ll give you a quick call for a short informal chat – just to say hello, introduce ourselves, ask you a few questions and answer any of yours. There’s no pressure and no obligation for you to take things further. But if you want to, we’ll set the ball rolling and get you started on your journey to a rewarding career in foster care.
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By phone
One of our team is available to talk to you over the phone to answer any of your fostering queries.
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