Does my employer need to know I am fostering?

There is no general rule that you must tell your employer simply because you become a foster carer. However, you may need to disclose it if your employment contract, staff handbook or workplace policies require you to report outside commitments, changes to your availability or caring responsibilities. You will also need to discuss fostering if it affects your working pattern, annual leave, training attendance or ability to respond to a child’s needs.

During the fostering assessment, your fostering service will consider whether your work commitments are compatible with fostering. This does not automatically mean your employer must be informed. The assessment is focused on practical arrangements, including:

• your usual working hours, travel and shift pattern;
• how available you can be for meetings, training and appointments;
• who will care for the child when you are working;
• how you would manage school runs, contact arrangements and unexpected changes; and
• whether your household has a suitable plan for supporting a placement alongside employment.

Your fostering service may ask for an employment reference or other information about your work. It should explain what information is needed and how it will be used. You should be open with your assessing social worker about your job, particularly if it involves frequent travel, long shifts, overnight work, working away from home or limited flexibility. This allows the assessment to identify a realistic fostering arrangement rather than creating difficulties after approval.

If you decide to tell your employer, you do not normally need to share private information about the child or the reasons for the placement. Children in foster care are entitled to privacy, and information about their history, identity, health and circumstances must be handled carefully. Tell your employer only what is necessary to explain any agreed change to your availability, leave or working pattern. Your fostering service can advise you about confidentiality before you discuss the arrangement at work.

It is sensible to check the following documents before making a decision:

• your employment contract;
• the staff handbook and absence policy;
• any policy covering secondary employment, voluntary work or outside interests;
• family-friendly, carers’ or dependant-leave policies; and
• rules about flexible working, annual leave, training and workplace confidentiality.

Some employers have specific support for foster carers, such as additional leave, flexible working or time off for training. These arrangements are not the same everywhere, so ask your employer or human resources team what applies in your workplace. If you need a change to your hours or working pattern, make the request through the employer’s normal process and allow time for the arrangements to be considered.

You may also need to tell your employer when a placement is likely to affect attendance. Fostering can involve training, reviews, meetings with social workers, health appointments, school-related commitments and contact arrangements with the child’s birth family. The amount of time required depends on the placement and your fostering service’s arrangements. Agreeing how these commitments will be managed in advance is usually more practical than relying on informal explanations after a placement begins.

If you are already employed when you apply, your fostering service should help you consider whether your current role is suitable. You do not necessarily need to leave work or reduce your hours, but the right arrangement depends on the child’s needs, the type of fostering and the support available in your household. Some placements may be compatible with full-time employment, while others may require greater daytime availability.

Do not resign, reduce your hours or disclose more information than necessary before you have discussed the implications with your fostering service and checked your employment terms. Ask your assessing social worker what information may be requested from your employer and whether a proposed working arrangement would meet the needs of a placement. Keeping both your fostering service and employer informed about relevant practical changes can help you protect confidentiality while making sustainable arrangements.