About CanIFoster.org | Independent Fostering Guidance for England

Why this site exists

Most people who could foster never enquire. Not because they are unsuitable, but because they assume they are. They rent their home, or work full time, or have debt, or a dog, or a health condition and they talk themselves out of it before they ever speak to anyone.

Fostering agencies are not well placed to solve this problem. Their websites are built to convert people who have already decided to enquire, not to answer the honest questions of people who are still on the fence. There is a conflict of interest: an agency that tells you the full picture, including when fostering might not be right for you, is taking a commercial risk. Most choose not to.

CanIFoster.org exists to fill that gap. We have no agency to recruit for and no placement targets to meet. Our only job is to give you the clearest, most honest picture of whether fostering could work for your circumstances and what to do next if it can.

Who is behind this site

CanIFoster.org is built and maintained by Colin Baptiste, a foster carer with over a decade of experience caring for children in England. Colin has fostered children across a range of ages and needs, and has direct, first-hand experience of the fostering system the assessment process, the agency relationships, the paperwork, the challenges, and the rewards.

That experience shapes everything on this site. The content is not written from a textbook or copied from official guidance. It is written by someone who has lived it.

Colin also runs CompareFostering.co.uk, an independent directory of over 530 fostering agencies across England.

A note on independence: CanIFoster.org is not affiliated with any fostering agency. We do not receive payment from agencies in exchange for positive coverage or recommendations. When we link to CompareFostering.co.uk, it is because it is the most comprehensive independent agency directory available and we built it.

Our principles

Everything on this site is guided by four principles.

Honesty over optimism

We tell you when something is likely to be a problem, not just when it is not. If smoking significantly limits your placement options, we say so clearly. If having a baby at home makes fostering very difficult right now, we say that too.

Plain English always

Fostering guidance is full of jargon. Form F assessments, Qualifying Care Relief, UASC, NMS standards. We explain everything in plain English without talking down to you.

No sales pressure

We will never pressure you to enquire before you are ready. The eligibility checker gives you a result with no obligation. We would rather you make the right decision slowly than the wrong one quickly.

Experience-led content

Everything on this site is informed by real fostering experience, not just research. When we describe what an assessment feels like or what agencies actually look for, it is because we have been through it.

What this site covers

CanIFoster.org focuses on the questions people have before they decide to apply. Eligibility, finances, types of fostering, what the process involves. We are not a news site, a forum, or a resource for existing foster carers, though some of our content may be useful to them.

For finding and comparing fostering agencies, we direct visitors to CompareFostering.co.uk, which holds detailed listings for over 530 agencies across England.

Keeping the content accurate

Fostering rules, allowance rates, and government guidance change over time. We review and update our content regularly to keep it accurate. If you spot something that appears out of date or incorrect, please let us know at info@comparefostering.co.uk and we will look into it promptly.

A word on official sources: For the most up-to-date statutory guidance on fostering in England, the authoritative sources are GOV.UK and Ofsted. Our content is designed to complement official guidance, not replace it.

Get in touch

If you have a question that is not answered on this site, or if you have feedback about our content, we would genuinely like to hear from you. You can reach us at info@comparefostering.co.uk.

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