If you’ve thought about being a foster carer, you might be wondering if you’d even qualify. Do you need to own a home? Be married? Have kids already? These are pretty common questions, and the answers might be different from what you expect.

 Do you need to be married? What if you’ve never had children of your own?

The requirements are actually broader than many people realise. But becoming a foster carer does take time. There are checks, training and an assessment process to make sure fostering is right for you and, most importantly, that you can provide a safe home for a child.

Who can apply?

You don’t need to own your home or be married to apply to become a foster carer in NSW. Single people, couples, renters and same-sex couples can apply.

What matters is whether you can provide a safe and stable home and have the time and ability to care for a child. You’ll also need to complete the required background checks, including a Working With Children Check.

Your health and financial situation will also be considered. You don’t need to earn a certain amount or be well-off to foster. What matters is that things are reasonably stable at home.

And if you’re not sure whether your situation would work, it’s worth asking. You can have a chat with Creating Links first and find out before going through the application process.

What happens when you apply?

Becoming an approved foster carer isn’t something that happens after filling out one form. There are a few stages to go through, and the whole process can take several months.

First, you’ll have a conversation. You can speak with the team about fostering, ask questions and get a better idea of what would be expected of you. You don’t have to make a decision during that first call.

You’ll complete training. This helps prepare you for what caring for a child in foster care can actually be like. It covers areas such as child development, trauma and how previous experiences can affect a child’s behaviour and needs.

Someone will visit your home. A caseworker will look at whether your home is suitable and safe for a child, including things like sleeping arrangements and available space.

There are background checks. These include a Working With Children Check, police checks and references.

Your application is reviewed. Once the required training, assessment and checks are complete, your application goes through the approval process. Applying doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be approved, and every household is assessed individually.

What happens after you’re approved?

Once you become an authorised foster carer, the next step is finding a placement that suits both you and the child. It isn’t simply about placing the next available child in your home. Your household, experience and what you feel able to take on are considered alongside the needs of the child.

Support doesn’t stop once a child comes to live with you. You’ll still have people you can turn to when you have questions, need advice or need some extra help along the way.

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, keeping strong connections with family, culture, community and Country is also an important part of their care.. Carers are supported in helping children maintain those connections.

Thinking about becoming a foster carer?

You don’t need to have everything figured out before getting in touch. If you’re interested but still have questions, you can start by having a conversation with Creating Links about your situation and what fostering could involve.

Creating Links has provided foster care services across Sydney and NSW since 1972.

Call 1300 254 657 or visit the Foster Care page to learn more about the process. If you decide you’re ready to apply, you can also find the Foster Care Application there.