Can I foster as a single parent if I am LGBTQ+?

Being LGBTQ+ does not prevent you from fostering as a single parent. During assessment, the focus is on the care you can provide, your household circumstances and your ability to meet the needs of a child or young person, rather than on your sexual orientation or gender identity.

Fostering services should assess LGBTQ+ applicants fairly and consider their application individually. Your assessor may discuss your personal experiences, relationships, support network and the ways in which your identity has shaped your life. This is not intended to judge you or require you to fit a particular family model. It helps the assessment understand your strengths, circumstances and any support that may be useful.

As a single applicant, you will need to show that you can manage the practical responsibilities of fostering. This normally includes having:

• a safe and suitable home with appropriate bedroom space;
• the time and emotional capacity to care for a child, attend meetings and work with professionals;
• reliable people who can provide practical or emotional support when needed;
• plans for emergencies, illness, appointments and childcare arrangements; and
• the financial stability to manage your household, alongside the fostering allowance and any other agreed payments.

Your assessment will also cover the standard checks and information required for all applicants. These can include identity and criminal-record checks, health information, references, home safety checks, financial circumstances and discussions with people in your household. If you have children, their views and needs will be considered. A former partner or another significant person may also be discussed where their involvement could affect fostering or the child’s safety.

If you are transgender or non-binary, you can discuss with the fostering service how you would like your name and pronouns recorded and used. You should provide the information needed for formal checks, but relevant personal information should be handled respectfully and sensitively. Your assessor can explain which documents are required and how any differences between current and previous records will be managed.

Your LGBTQ+ experience may help you understand some of the issues faced by children who are questioning their identity or experiencing prejudice. However, you do not need to have a particular identity or personal experience to foster a child with those needs. A fostering service should not assume that you will accept a placement solely because you are LGBTQ+. Matching considers the individual child, your skills, household circumstances, preferences and the support available.

Before approval, you will complete preparation training covering areas such as safeguarding, attachment, trauma, behaviour, safer caring, working with birth families and equality and identity. Training can help you think through how to respond if a child is exploring their sexuality or gender, facing bullying, or needs support to express themselves safely. You will also consider how your household privacy, the child’s confidentiality and respectful language will be managed.

After approval, you should receive ongoing supervision, training and support from your fostering service. This may include help with placement planning, education, contact arrangements, identity-related concerns and working with other professionals. It is sensible to ask how LGBTQ+ foster carers are supported, how matching decisions are made and what practical help is available if a placement becomes challenging.

Approved foster carers generally receive a fostering allowance intended to contribute towards the costs of caring for a child. The amount and structure vary according to the fostering service, the child’s needs and the type of placement, so these details should be confirmed during the application process. Being LGBTQ+ does not create a separate allowance category.

If you are considering applying, an initial discussion with a fostering service can clarify whether your home, work, family arrangements and support network are suitable. You can also ask how the service approaches LGBTQ+ applicants, identity-affirming care and confidentiality before deciding whether to proceed.