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Hertfordshire County Council

 

 

Foster with pride

Are you from the LGBTQ+ community?

You could be the difference in a child's or young person's life.

 

 

 

 

 

 



Rona, a transgender foster carer

 


 


LGBTQ+ fostering facts

 Male couple with their foster children who are holding a drawing of their family under a rainbow.

  • Nationally, 1 in 5 adopters are LGBTQ+, but there are far fewer foster carers within the community.

  • Out of 430 fostering households in Hertfordshire, only 10 households are LGBTQ+.

  • Our recent poll showed that a fifth of respondents did not know that LGBTQ+ people can foster.

  • We have LGBTQ+ foster children who would benefit from your guidance.

  • Hertfordshire has other LGBTQ+ foster carers who can advise and support you, alongside our fostering team.

 

I'm LGBTQ+, can I foster?

 lgbtq person in a tropical shirt smiling

Yes, absolutely. Anyone who can provide a caring and stable home, whether you're single or a couple is welcome to apply. As a foster carer, you can:

  • apply to foster regardless of your sexuality, culture, ethnicity, or religion.

  • continue to work, depending on the type of fostering you want to do and the needs of the children you care for.

  • be any age over 21 years, as long as you're in good general health.

Foster carers come from diverse backgrounds with various life experiences, skills, and qualities to meet the unique needs of children in care.

 

Meet some of our LGBTQ+ foster carers

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Training and support

  • We'll be there to guide you through every step of the fostering process, from preparation training to get you started to ongoing development.

  • You'll have a dedicated social worker, providing regular monthly supervision and an experienced foster carer buddy who'll offer additional support.

  • We’ll help you be the best foster carer you can be.

  • We offer 24/7 local support.

 

Pay and allowances

As a foster carer, you’ll get a weekly payment, plus a weekly allowance of up to £446 for each child you look after.

To help cover the costs of looking after a child, you'll also get:

  • a generous mileage allowance
  • a setting-up fee for furniture and equipment
  • 2 weeks additional summer payments
  • holiday and birthday allowance
  • initial clothing and school uniform allowance
  • festivities allowance
  • discounts online and in high street stores through Herts Rewards.

 

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