Can I reduce my working hours after becoming a foster carer?

Reducing your working hours after becoming a foster carer may be possible, but it is not an automatic right linked to fostering. You will need to agree the change with your employer and make sure the proposed pattern gives you enough time to meet the child’s needs, attend required commitments and maintain a stable household routine.

Fostering does not always require you to stop work. Many foster carers continue in employment, while others reduce their hours, change shifts or move to a more flexible role. The appropriate arrangement depends on factors such as the child’s age, background, health, education, contact arrangements and level of support required. A placement involving frequent appointments or significant emotional or behavioural needs may require more flexibility than a placement with fewer daytime commitments.

Check your employment position before making a decision. A reduction in hours normally changes your employment contract and may affect your salary, pension contributions, annual leave, bonuses, benefits and other workplace terms. Speak to your employer or HR department about whether the change would be permanent or temporary, how much notice is needed and whether there is a formal flexible-working process. You may be able to make a statutory flexible-working request, although your employer can refuse a request for recognised business reasons.

Consider whether an alternative would meet your needs better than a permanent reduction. Options may include compressed hours, a different start or finish time, a fixed working pattern, job-sharing, occasional home working where suitable, or a temporary arrangement during the early part of a placement. Any arrangement must be practical for both your role and the child’s care plan; working from home does not automatically mean you can supervise a child while carrying out your job.

Review the financial effect carefully. A lower salary may affect your household budget and borrowing capacity, while fostering payments are intended to contribute towards the costs of caring for a child rather than replacing employment income in every household. Work out how reduced earnings could affect regular bills, pension planning, tax, travel and any employer benefits. Your fostering service can explain the financial support available under its arrangements, but you should base your decision on the terms that apply to you and your own financial circumstances.

If you are considering reducing your hours during the assessment process, explain the proposed change clearly. The assessment will look at how your household can provide consistent care, who will be available during the working day, how school runs and appointments will be managed, and what arrangements are in place if you are unexpectedly unavailable. A clear plan is more useful than assuming that a reduction in hours will solve every practical issue.

If you are already approved and believe your working pattern needs to change because of a placement, discuss it with your supervising social worker and employer before agreeing to a new arrangement where possible. The fostering team may help you think through the placement’s requirements, transport, meetings, contact sessions, training and support network. You should not make promises about your availability to a child or placing authority until the arrangements have been properly agreed.

A useful plan should cover:

• the days and hours you would work;
• who will care for the child while you are working;
• how school transport, appointments and contact arrangements will be managed;
• what happens if a meeting, placement need or unforeseen event falls during working time;
• how your partner or other household members will contribute, where relevant; and
• how the arrangement will be reviewed if the child’s needs change.

It is also important to consider your employer’s response if the request is not accepted. You may need to decide whether to continue with your existing hours, explore another working pattern or reconsider which types of placement would be realistic. Do not assume that a fostering service can require your employer to change your contract.

In practice, reducing hours can make fostering more manageable, but the decision should follow a proper discussion with your employer, a realistic household budget and advice from your fostering team. The strongest plan is one that protects the child’s stability while remaining sustainable for you and your household.