Fostering a disabled child
The role of an independent fostering agency
Can I choose who I foster?
How to foster
What are the benefits of fostering with an independent fostering agency?
What happens when a child is taken into care?
Fostering process: what happens on an initial home visit?
Can you foster if you have mental health issues?
Fostering with local authority vs independent agency
Interview: Life as a foster parent during the pandemic
Becoming A Foster Carer
Benefits of becoming a foster parent
What is a Care Leaver?
What is a Foster Carer?
What is Foster Care?
Do I become a Foster Carer?
Fostering Regulations
How much do Foster Parents get paid?
How to Foster a Child
How long does it take to become a Foster Carer?
How to foster – everything you ever wanted to know
Facts about Foster Care
What are the Foster Care requirements?
Foster Care Handbook
Foster Carer Job Description
Changing IFA - Transferring to Capstone
Fostering Definition
Foster Care Statistics
Fostering Assessment
Fostering Outcomes
Fostering Stories
Fostering Children UK
Children needing Fostering
8 reasons why a child may be taken into care
Fostering as a Career
Looked after Children
Top transferable job skills to become a foster carer
Fostering as a same sex couple
Fostering while renting
Can I foster if...?
Mythbusting the top 10 Foster Care Myths
Can I foster if I am disabled?
LGBT Fostering Mythbusting
Can I foster if I have pets?
Can I Foster A Child?
Can you Foster and Work?
Can you Foster with a Criminal Record
Fostering as a Single Parent
LGBT Family and Foster Care
Fostering across Cultures
Muslim Fostering
Christian Foster Care
Sikh
Empty Nest Syndrome and Foster Care
10 things you can do when your Children fly the nest
Can I Foster?
Fostering Babies - Myths
Focusing on Parent & Child Fostering
Fostering Siblings
Fostering Teenagers
Fostering Teenagers - Breaking down the Myths
Fostering Unaccompanied and Asylum Seeking Children
Mother and Baby Foster Placements
Private Fostering
Therapeutic Fostering - Multi-disciplinary Assessment Treatment & Therapy Service (MATTS)
Young Children Fostering Placements
Difference between short and long-term fostering
How to prepare a child for becoming a care leaver
Children who foster: impact of fostering on birth children
How to prepare your home for a foster child
10 tips for foster children’s education
How to prepare your foster child for secondary school
Tips for coping when foster placements end
Tips for foster parents during Coronavirus
What happens if foster parents get divorced?
5 ways to manage Mother’s Day with foster children
Tips for managing foster children’s bedtime routines
How to handle foster child bullying
Fostering allowances and the gender pay gap
Tips for keeping foster children safe online
How to adopt from Foster Care
5 ways to manage Father’s Day with foster children
8 most common fostering challenges
Supporting foster children’s contact with birth families
How to deal with empty nest syndrome
How to recognise signs of depression in foster children
Can you take a foster child on holiday?
Tips and advice on fostering with a disability
10 tips on connecting with your Foster Child
Fostering versus Adoption - What's the difference?
How Fostering can change a future
How to adopt from Foster Care
How to encourage children to read in Foster Care
How to prepare a Foster Child's bedroom
Online grooming - unwanted contact and how to identify it
Reading and storytelling with Babies and young Children
Supporting Children's Learning
Technology and Internet Safety advice
The 20 most recommended books Foster Carers and young people should read
The impact of early childhood traumas on adolescence and adulthood
Tips for coping with attachment disorders in Foster Children
Tips for supporting reunification in Foster Care
Together for a better Internet - Web Safety for Foster Children
What is sexual abuse and sexual violence
Foster Child behaviour management strategies
Foster Parent Advice: What to expect in your first year of fostering
Capstone's twelve tips at Christmas
10 celebrities who grew up in Foster Care
Celebrating our Children and Young People
Could Millenials be the solution to the Foster Care crisis?
Do you work in Emergency Services?
Form F Assessor and Assessment Training
Foster Care Fortnight
Improving Children's Welfare - Celebrating Universal Children's Day
It's time to talk about Mental Health and Foster Care
New Year - New Career - Become a Foster Carer
Promoting the rights and wellbeing of persons with Disabilities
Refugee Week
Young people and Mental Health in a changing world
Young People Charities
However, this is simply a myth – having pets does not prevent you from fostering at all. In fact, having pets can be seen as a positive influence, as they can be an asset to a foster family and promote positive behaviour. Learn more about fostering with pets from our detailed guide.
Fostering with pets is possible, as long as you adhere to some simple guidelines. In line with BAAF (British Association for Fostering & Adoption) guidelines, Capstone Foster Care have a duty to ensure that their our foster carers know about, and adhere to, the following:
Of course, every animal is different – and every child is different. So, it’s important to understand that, as well as the foster family, the pets will also have to be assessed too, to be able to bring a foster child into an environment with animals. The pet assessment process will take into account factors such as the animal’s temperament, their behaviour and their ability to adapt to strangers in their home.
The child’s needs will also have to be taken into account when considering fostering with pets. It might be that a child is allergic to cats or has a strong fear of dogs – in which case, it will be unlikely that this child would be assigned to you on a foster placement.
When considering fostering with pets, it’s also important to consider the safety of your pet. Sometimes children in foster care can come from very troubling backgrounds, hence leading them to develop certain behavioural or social problems. It might be that they’ve never lived with pets before, and they aren’t sure of how to act with them – so boundaries will need to be established early on between how the child can interact with your pet.
FosterTalk have put together an article which explains that, actually, fostering with pets can be extremely beneficial for young children in care. This research highlights that: “Animals can perform a positive role in the wellbeing and outcomes for children in care. They can aid the child to explore companionship, affection, care and have a positive therapeutic effect for children.”
The article continues to explain that pets and animals can also be the common ground for opening communication lines between children and the existing foster family. In dogs especially, it’s thought that animals can aid the attachment behaviour of children by teaching them how to form strong and secure relationships.
On rare occasions, a foster child may bring a pet with them into care. This pet can be seen as a comfort blanket and consistency for the child, so it is recommended that foster carers welcome this pet into their home as they would do the child.
If you have a pet of any kind, this will be notified on your initial Form F assessment and at subsequent foster carers reviews – however, please also inform your social worker if you have any pets. You will also be asked in your initial fostering process whether you are willing to foster animals that come with foster children, too.
If you need any further information fostering with pets, please get in touch with a member of our expert team here at Capstone Foster Care. Alternatively, learn more about the fostering process now.
If you’ve got any questions or would like to find out more about fostering with Capstone, fill out the form below.
An experienced fostering advisor from your local area will then be in touch.
Start the conversation today. Our team of friendly advisors are on hand to answer any foster care questions you may have. We can offer you honest and practical advice that can help you decide if becoming a foster carer is the right path for you.
