What is fostering to adopt?

Fostering to adopt allows adopters to welcome children into their homes before the child can legally be adopted. When a child joins a home approved for ‘fostering to adopt’, the child’s social worker has determined that the child will only need foster care for a short period and will be formally adopted soon.

Fostering to adopt benefits the child because the child doesn’t need to move homes more times than necessary; however, there’s no guarantee that the child will be adopted. An extended (or previously unknown) family member or friend of the family may make themselves available to care for the child late in the proceedings and subsequently the child may move in with them instead.

Fostering to adopt is only available to people who wish to ultimately adopt, so applications are via adoption providers.

Fostering providers such as Sparks Fostering only assess applicants who wish to foster and do not plan to adopt a child.