Can I Foster if I Am Disabled?

At Family Works Fostering, we believe that great foster carers come from all walks of life. Disabilities do not automatically prevent you from fostering. What matters most is your ability to provide a safe, stable, and nurturing home where a child can thrive.

Many people with physical disabilities, sensory impairments, learning differences, or long-term health conditions successfully foster and make a life-changing difference to children in care. Your lived experience can bring unique understanding, empathy, resilience, and emotional strength — all of which are invaluable in fostering.

Can I Foster if I Have a Disability? Absolutely.

In the UK, fostering agencies and local authorities assess your overall ability to care for a child, not your disability.
During the fostering assessment, we focus on:

• Your capacity to meet a child’s day-to-day needs
• Your support networks
• How you manage your disability
• Your home environment
• Your commitment, motivation, and resilience

A disability on its own is not a barrier. What matters most is that you can offer a child love, safety, emotional support, and consistency.

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Can I Foster?

What Disabilities Are Suitable for Fostering?

Most disabilities do not stop you from fostering, including:

• Physical disabilities (mobility issues, wheelchair users, chronic pain, arthritis, etc.)
• Sensory disabilities (hearing loss, visual impairment)
• Neurodivergence (ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia)
• Long-term medical conditions
• Learning disabilities (depending on support needs)

Every situation is assessed individually, based on your strengths and the level of fostering you are interested in.

Your Lived Experience Can Be a Strength

People with disabilities often bring qualities children desperately need, such as:

• Patience
• Empathy
• Problem-solving
• Understanding adversity
• Emotional awareness
• Adaptability

Children respond to carers who communicate warmth, resilience, and acceptance — qualities many disabled adults naturally have.

What Will the Fostering Assessment Look At?

Your assessing social worker will discuss:

1. Your day-to-day routines

How you manage household tasks, personal care, and mobility.

2. Your independence

What adaptations, equipment, or support you use.

3. Your support network

Family, friends, or professionals who can offer help when needed.

4. Your emotional resilience

Your ability to stay calm, patient, and consistent.

5. The type of fostering best suited to you

For example, you may prefer older children, siblings, respite care, or long-term placements.

The goal is not to catch you out — it’s to ensure we match you with the right child and support you fully.

Bedroom & Home Requirements

Your home must meet the same fostering standards as any other fostering household:

• A spare bedroom for the foster child
• A safe, clean living environment
• Adequate space, heating, and ventilation
• Any mobility aids or adaptations should be safe and child-friendly

Other Types of Foster Care

Examples of Disabled Foster Carers Who Thrive

Many successful foster carers across the UK include:

• Wheelchair users
• People with hearing impairments
• Adults with chronic illnesses
• Neurodivergent carers (ADHD, ASD)
• Carers with mobility issues

Their resilience and empathy often make them exceptional foster parents.

FAQs: Fostering With a Disability in the UK