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Combining a career with fostering is possible — depending on your employment flexibility, support network, and placement type.
Over 40% of foster carers maintain employment. Options like respite care, weekend fostering, and caring for teenagers are designed specifically around working hours.
Many people assume they must quit their job to become a foster carer. While fostering babies or young children generally requires one adult available at home full-time, working full-time or part-time is entirely compatible with several fostering options.
- **Respite Fostering:** Provide weekend or short-break care once or twice a month while birth carers or full-time foster parents take a planned break. - **Fostering Teenagers:** Older children are in school full-time and have greater independence, making compatible working hours easier to arrange. - **Parent & Child Joint Placements:** Where two partners apply, one partner can work full-time while the primary carer manages placement routines.
An increasing number of UK employers are designated 'Fostering Friendly Employers' (recognized by The Fostering Network), offering paid time off for assessment meetings, training days, and settling-in periods.
Updated for DfE National Minimum Allowances & HMRC Qualifying Care Relief
Allowance + Fee
52 weeks of care
Qualifying Care Relief
For short-term or long-term care of young children, at least one partner usually needs flexible working or reduced hours. For respite care, both partners can work full-time.
HMRC treats foster carers as self-employed for tax purposes. Under Qualifying Care Relief, most foster carers pay £0 income tax on their fostering earnings.