Could you foster? Information for public sector professionals

If you work in education, local government, or another public service, you already make a difference every day. But what if you could extend that impact even further?

Fostering offers a unique opportunity to support children and young people in a deeply personal way, drawing on the skills, values, and experience you’ve built throughout your career. Whether you’re still working or thinking about what comes next, fostering could be a meaningful next step.

Teachers, school staff, and council workers bring structure, empathy, and a deep understanding of children’s needs. These are the very qualities that help foster children feel safe, supported, and ready to thrive.

Many already support children through challenges and celebrate their wins; they know how to build trust, provide routine, and advocate for young people. As part of a system that cares, fostering offers them the chance to extend that care into their own homes, making a lasting difference in a child’s life.

For education, teaching and school staff

Your passion can extend beyond the classroom.

Whether you’re a teacher, teaching assistant, school leader, or support staff, your daily work already reflects the values and skills that foster children need. You understand how to build trust, offer structure, and guide children through challenges. Fostering is a new way to keep doing what you do best, just in a different setting.

• You work with children from diverse backgrounds, including those who may have emotional or behavioural needs. This experience helps you connect with foster children who may have challenging behaviour and need patience and understanding.
• You’re skilled in praise, routine, and expectations. These qualities help children in care feel safe, supported, and ready to thrive.
• You know how to advocate for children within the education system. That insight is invaluable when supporting a foster child’s learning journey.
• You’re passionate about child development and care. Fostering allows you to continue shaping futures, even outside the classroom.
• You see the potential in every child. Fostering gives you the chance to guide, teach, and inspire in a new setting.

For Council and Local Authority staff

You’re already part of the support system.

As someone working in local government, you will have a strong understanding of local communities, you’re already committed to public service and making a difference to the lives of those in the local area.  Fostering is a natural extension of that commitment; it allows you to offer stability to a child who needs it most.

• You understand safeguarding, child protection, and the importance of wraparound support. These insights make you well-equipped to foster.
• You may be eligible for flexible working or fostering-friendly policies. Some councils offer paid leave for training and meetings related to foster care.
• You’re already part of the child support system. Fostering lets you deepen that role in a personal and transformative way.
• You already make a difference in your role. Fostering lets you extend that care into your home, where it can change a young person’s life.

Check out Rohima’s Story

Rohima has been fostering for over 14 years, and working in local government for more than 20. Her role supporting families and communities has given her a unique perspective on what children need to thrive, and it’s one of the reasons she became a foster carer.

“I first got involved through the adoption panel at my council. I saw how hard it was to find foster carers and adoptive families, and I wanted to help. I called the local authority to adopt, and they suggested I try fostering first. Since then, I’ve fostered 36 children and seen how they’ve grown and changed. It’s a proud and rewarding feeling.”

“My job helps me understand how to support children and work with professionals like schools and social workers. Sometimes children come with difficult experiences, and we need to be their voice. Fostering is an amazing experience. You welcome a child into your home, and they think: ‘This is going to be my home.’ That moment means everything.”

“There’s a lot of support available: training, financial help, and a dedicated social worker. Other foster carers are there for each other too. If I can do it, I believe you can too. Please come forward and help support vulnerable children in our community.”

Read the full story

Considering fostering after retirement?

A new chapter, a lasting impact.

Retirement is a new chapter and for many, it’s also a time to reflect on what comes next. If you’ve spent your career supporting others, whether in a classroom, a council office, or a community setting, fostering could be a fulfilling way to continue making a difference.

• Your experience, patience, and emotional insight are invaluable to children who need stability and care.
• Fostering offers flexibility, allowing you to shape your time around what matters most.
• You’ve already helped others grow. Fostering gives you the chance to keep doing that in a new and deeply personal way.
• You’ve made a difference throughout your career. Fostering lets you continue that legacy, one child at a time.