Do you have to have a spare room to foster?

Do you need a spare room
to foster?

It’s not just common sense that children in care need their own room – it’s also a legal requirement for any child over the age of 3 - so you will need a spare bedroom to foster a child. 

A child or young person's bedroom is a place they can call their own and it acts as their special ‘safe-haven’ - somewhere they can go to get a sense of quiet and privacy, or even to play and be creative.

It’s also a really important part of helping a child in foster care feel like they belong. Importantly, it also acts as a kind of ‘stepping-stone’ into their new foster family, helping them acclimatise and settle in. For these reasons, local authorities won't generally allow them to share a bedroom with other children (except with their own siblings depending on age and space available).

For foster parents, there’s another practical reason why a separate room is important. It’s a place where children in care can learn boundaries and routines, such as regular bedtimes, or spend time without disrupting other members in the household.

Foster care bedroom

Foster care bedroom requirements

The minimum requirement for a foster child's bedroom is that it’s safe, secure and well-maintained, and has enough space to fit a single bed, desk and chest of drawers or a wardrobe.

The spare room for fostering must always be available for a child in your care. For example, if you have children living away at university, there must be another bedroom for them to come to over the holidays.

1. Keep walls neutral

It's best to keep the walls a fresh but neutral colour when a child arrives at your home. Instead, perhaps stick up some posters of their favourite pop star, animals or cartoon characters - depending on their age of course. You should be able to find out this information from your supervising social worker or from one of our dedicated referrals officers.

2. Decorate with posters

We’re not necessarily talking new wallpaper, but all the other things that turn a room into something special. Maybe it’s posters, or a bookcase, or streamers from the ceiling. Perhaps it’s somewhere special to keep the child’s toys. The important thing is to take time to do it and to involve children in the process. That way they’ll make the room their own and be happy to be there.

3. Add soft furnishings

Cushions, bean bags, throws and blankets can make a bedroom feel cosy and homely and will be a real source of comfort during those first few days and weeks while a child is adapting to living in your home. 

4. Keep a night light

Many children are afraid of the dark, even teenagers, and so it's a good idea to put a night light in the child's room, as they may not feel comfortable telling you to begin with.

Preparing for your first child

As well as getting the bedroom ready, there are lots more things you can do to prepare for your first child. Read some of the advice from our foster parents.

Read more

How to create a happy room for children in care

While there are minimum requirements your spare bedroom in order to foster, there’s much more you can do to prepare it so that it is a safe and welcoming place that actually helps build a child’s confidence and becomes somewhere they love and want to be.

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