This is one of the most common misconceptions about fostering and a question many people search before making an enquiry.
Can I foster if I’m single?
Yes. You can absolutely become a foster carer if you’re single. You don’t need to be married, in a relationship or living with a partner to foster. Many successful foster carers are single people who provide safe, stable and nurturing homes for children and young people in care.
At South Gloucestershire Council, we welcome applications from people from all walks of life. What matters most is your ability to meet a child’s needs and provide them with a caring, supportive home.
Do you need to be married to foster?
No. One of the biggest myths about fostering is that you need to be married or part of a couple.
Children in care need foster carers from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures and life experiences. Many children thrive with single foster carers who can provide consistency, patience and support when they need it most.
Can single men foster?
Yes. We encourage enquiries from single men as well as single women.
Children and young people in care benefit from having a diverse range of foster carers available. Some children may benefit from having a positive male role model in their lives, while others may simply connect well with a particular carer’s personality, interests and approach.
The most important thing is your ability to provide a safe, loving and stable home.
What support do single foster carers need?
While you don’t need a partner to foster, it’s important to have a support network around you.
This could include:
- Family members
- Friends
- Neighbours
- Other foster carers
- Community groups
During the assessment process, we’ll talk with you about the support available to you and how you would manage day-to-day responsibilities as a foster carer.
Will being single affect my application?
No. Your relationship status is not something that determines whether you can foster.
Instead, we’ll look at factors such as:
- Your motivation to foster
- Your experience and skills
- Your home environment
- Your support network
- Your ability to meet the needs of children and young people
Every assessment is individual, and our focus is always on finding the right carers for the children who need them.
What support will I receive?
When you foster with South Gloucestershire Council, you’ll never be on your own.
You’ll receive:
- A dedicated supervising social worker
- 24/7 support, 365 days a year
- Ongoing training and development
- Access to our Mockingbird support network
- Therapeutic support through WAYPOINT
- Regular coffee mornings and support groups
- Family events throughout the year
Many of our foster carers tell us that the friendships and relationships they build with other foster carers become one of their greatest sources of support.
Mockingbird: An extended fostering family
Many of our foster carers are part of the Mockingbird programme, which creates an extended family-style support network.
Mockingbird brings fostering families together to provide:
- Practical support
- Friendship and encouragement
- Sleepovers and stayover care
- Shared activities and events
For single foster carers, having a strong fostering community around them can be particularly valuable.
What do our foster carers say?
Our foster carers come from many different backgrounds and family structures.
As foster carer Wes explains:
“Whether you’re single, partnered, LGBTQ+, or part of any diverse background, you belong in fostering. Children need carers who reflect the world around them. They need homes where they feel safe, accepted and loved.”
What children need most is someone who will care, listen and support them.
Could you foster as a single person?
If you’ve been thinking about fostering but assumed being single would rule you out, think again.
Many single people make exceptional foster carers. If you have a spare bedroom, room in your heart and a desire to make a difference, fostering could be right for you.
More questions about fostering?
This article is part of our Fostering FAQs Hub, where you’ll find answers to common questions including:
- Can I foster if I work full-time?
- Can I foster if I have children?
- Can I foster if I rent my home?
- Can I foster if I have pets?
- How much do foster carers get paid?
- What support do foster carers receive?
View all Frequently Asked Questions
Find out more about fostering
If you’d like to find out more about fostering with South Gloucestershire Council, we’d love to hear from you.
Call: 01454 866423
Email: foster@southglos.gov.uk
All fostering enquiries are handled first by our partners, Fostering South West (also known as the regional hub). The hub brings together enquiries for all local authorities across the South West. They aim to contact you within two days of your enquiry for an initial chat to help you decide whether fostering is right for you. If it is, the hub passes your enquiry to us (South Gloucestershire Council), and we support you through the rest of your fostering journey.
