Thinking about fostering and wondering whether your home is “good enough”? You don’t need a show home. Approval teams are looking for a safe, suitable environment where a child can have privacy, feel secure, and be part of family life. In practice, that means a spare bedroom, sensible arrangements around pets, and enough space for day-to-day living. Below is a plain-English guide to what’s expected across England (and what’s just nice to have), with links to the official standards and commonly-used policies.
The spare bedroom rule (and what “own room” actually means)
For most applicants, approval depends on having a spare bedroom set aside for fostering. The government’s overview for prospective carers states you usually need a spare bedroom, and the National Minimum Standards (NMS) for fostering set the tone for what “suitable” looks like.
Under NMS Standard 10 (“Providing a suitable physical environment”), services aim to give each child their own room. Many policies interpret this to mean children aged 3+ should have their own bedroom; if that’s not possible, any sharing must be properly assessed and agreed by the local authority responsible for each child. The assessment weighs up privacy, dignity, safeguarding history, and the individual children’s wishes.
Can foster children share a room?
- With your own child? Generally no. That boundary protects everyone’s privacy and keeps roles clear. Foster Wales’ guidance is explicit: a foster child should not share with your birth child.
- With another foster child or a sibling? Sometimes—only by agreement and after a careful risk assessment. Local policies vary, and many councils aim for each child to have their own room as best practice. Where sharing is considered, it is often limited to same-sex siblings up to a certain age (commonly around 9–11), but your service will confirm what’s allowed locally and for how long.
Babies and under-3s
National standards specify the “own room” expectation from age 3. For children under three, some services still expect a dedicated nursery/bedroom from day one; others may consider short-term arrangements if in the child’s best interests and formally agreed. Always check the policy of your local authority or agency—expect them to err on the side of providing their own space as early as possible.
What counts as a “suitable” bedroom?
There’s no national set of room dimensions written into law. Assessors are looking for fitness for purpose: a comfortable single bed, safe layout, storage for clothes and personal items, and a calm, private space. A desk or small study area helps with homework. Keep décor neutral and welcoming; let the child personalise with bedding, posters or photos when they arrive. (Several agencies publish practical “what to include” checklists—useful as guidance, not hard rules.)
Top set-up tips
- Bedside lamp and blackout blinds/curtains for better sleep.
- Wardrobe/drawers that are easy to access and reserved for the child’s belongings.
- A lockable box or cabinet elsewhere in the home for medications and hazardous items.
- Neutral paint and a clutter-free layout—offer choice later so the room becomes theirs.
Bathrooms, privacy and routines
Children in care need privacy and dignity. During your assessment, you’ll talk about bathroom access (queues before school?), shower vs bath routines, cultural needs (e.g., privacy during washing), and how you supervise appropriately without intruding. The goal is a normal, family-style routine supported by written safer-caring guidance that everyone understands.
Pets and fostering: risk assessing, not ruling out
Pets can be a strength—many children bond quickly through caring for animals—but the fostering service must complete a pet risk assessment. Expect questions about temperament, training, where animals sleep and eat, vaccination/worming history, and how you’ll supervise contact. The assessment is reviewed regularly and considered again at matching.
Dangerous or banned animals
If a pet is banned or considered dangerous, fostering is generally incompatible unless the animal is removed. Councils publish clear guidance aligned with legislation (e.g., the Dangerous Dogs Act): certain dogs and venomous reptiles/insects are not acceptable in fostering households. Your Form F will record these checks and any restrictions (e.g., animals kept in locked, separate areas).
Sensible safety measures
- Feed animals away from young children; never leave children and dogs unsupervised.
- Teach calm, predictable interactions; no rough play.
- Keep litter trays, vivariums and food bowls out of children’s bedrooms.
- Ensure dogs are microchipped and vaccinations/worming are up to date (aligning with UK law and welfare best practice).
Some services use specialist tools or independent assessors (e.g., behaviourists) if there are concerns—or if you take on a placement with specific risks such as a toddler, a child with a bite history, or a young person who’s fearful of animals. The risk assessment should be updated annually and whenever pet circumstances change.
Whole-home space: what assessors look for beyond the bedroom
Approval isn’t just about the bedroom door. Your assessing social worker will complete a home safety check and walk through your daily routines:
- Shared living space that allows a child to feel part of family life—eating together, space to relax, and a quiet corner for homework if they prefer the table to their desk.
- Storage for school kit and hobbies without tripping hazards everywhere.
- Safety: windows, banisters, pond access, tools/chemicals locked away, smoke alarms, and any adjustments for toddlers or neurodivergent children.
- Internet and devices: age-appropriate parental controls and clear ground rules.
- Guest and sleepover boundaries: how you handle visitors and overnight stays.
These points live under that same NMS Standard 10 umbrella—“a suitable physical environment”—and get revisited at reviews and unannounced visits.
Do I need a garden? What if I rent? City flats vs houses
- Renting is fine. You don’t have to own your home; you’ll usually be asked for landlord consent and confirmation of a stable tenancy.
- No garden? Not a deal-breaker. Assessors balance the home environment with local parks, safe outdoor options, and your routine.
- Flats and townhouses are common in many areas; what matters is safety and suitability for the child matched with you, not property type.
Bunk beds, box rooms and “minimum sizes”
You won’t find a single national measurement for bedroom size in the fostering regulations. Services judge whether the room is big enough for a proper single bed, safe access, storage and personal space. Bunk beds can work for siblings (where sharing is agreed), but many services prefer standard single beds for teens. If you’re preparing a small room (“box room”), your assessor can advise on layout so it still meets a child’s need for space and privacy.
The home visit (Form F): what’s checked
During your Form F assessment, expect at least one full home visit—and often more—to talk through:
- The bedroom earmarked for fostering and how quickly you can have it ready.
- Fire safety and general hazards; where you’ll store medicines and sharp tools.
- Pets: risk assessment, routines, and how you’ll supervise contact.
- Local life: schools, transport, parks, community networks.
You’ll also draft or review a Safer Caring Policy that sets practical, age-appropriate boundaries in bathrooms, bedrooms and around visitors. Your supervising social worker (SSW) will revisit these arrangements after approval and before each placement to check they still fit the child you’re being matched with.
Getting the room ready: a simple, child-centred checklist
Before approval or while you wait for your first match:
- Declutter and deep-clean the spare room; check windows, blinds and sockets.
- Put in a comfortable single bed, fresh bedding, two pillows and a spare duvet.
- Add drawers/wardrobe, a desk or small table, and a sturdy chair.
- Keep décor neutral; prepare a basket with welcome bits (toiletries, notepaper, pen, a small night light).
- Set up soft lighting; harsh overhead light makes settling harder, especially for children who’ve experienced trauma.
- If you have pets, install baby gates or create pet-free zones before a child arrives; agree household rules with everyone.
FAQs we hear all the time
Can a foster child share with my own child?
No—expect your agency to require separate rooms. It protects privacy and boundaries.
Can siblings in care share?
Sometimes, by agreement and only where the assessment says it’s safe and beneficial. Services generally aim for each child to have their own room; where sharing happens, it’s often same-sex and time-limited with periodic review.
Do I need a garden?
Not essential. Assessors look at the overall living environment and your routine for exercise, play and fresh air.
Can I foster with a dog or cat?
Yes—many carers do—but you’ll have a pet risk assessment, and banned or dangerous animals aren’t compatible with fostering. Keep vaccinations and microchipping up to date, and follow your safer-caring plan.
We live in a flat—OK?
Yes. The key is safety, space and suitability for the child matched to you, not whether you have stairs or a garden.
Final word: think “safe, personal, predictable”
If you remember nothing else, remember this: approvals teams are looking for a home that is safe, gives a child a personal space they can call their own, and runs on predictable routines that help them settle and thrive. A spare bedroom, thoughtful pet arrangements, and a calm, practical set-up will get you most of the way there.