There are many obvious reasons why foster care benefits the child – providing a loving, safe home and a supportive adult figure, to name a few – but what exactly are the benefits for the foster parents themselves? There are many great reasons to become a foster parent, many of which can change your life for the better.

• Reap the Rewards of Knowing You’ve Made a Difference in a Child’s Life

A lot of foster children will come from difficult home circumstances, such as those filled with abuse and neglect. Knowing that you have not only provided a safe place for a child away from that but then also provided them with a loving, kind parental figure can be extremely rewarding. There is nothing quite like that feeling that you have made such a difference in a child’s life and helped them to build a more positive future.

• Put Your Family Home to Good Use

Some foster parents may have their own children who have grown up and flown the nest. This can leave you with a huge family house with many rooms going unused. However, hosting foster children can give your home and these rooms purpose again, not to mention give you parental purpose again after your own children have grown up and moved out.

• Financial Support

Money should never take precedence over the experience of providing a loving home to a child in need, but it certainly helps when you’re caring for your foster family. Perhaps you want to give your foster child your full care and attention by giving up any other employment, in which case a financial allowance like the one offered by agencies such as orangegrovefostercare.co.uk can certainly help with that.

• Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

Perhaps you have never considered having children in your home until now, and the idea of having a foster child (or children) in your home can completely push you out of your comfort zone – but this can be a good thing. It’s always great to try new challenges and something you’ve never done before, to learn and grow.

• Enjoy a Family Environment Without Having Your Own 

Many people may choose to foster because they can’t have children themselves, or else maybe would prefer to continually foster and support children in need rather than have their own family. Fostering is, therefore, the perfect opportunity to help a child learn and grow even if you can’t have your own children.

• You Can Meet So Many Amazing Children from Different Walks of Life 

Certain fostering types (such as short-term) will allow you to foster a large number of children over the years. This means you can make a difference in so many different young lives, as well as meet a huge variety of people, helping you to build a different outlook, build compassion, and socialize.

• It Can Be a Valid and Long-Term Career Plan

If no other work appeals to you and you love the idea of building a life and income through providing love and support to children who need it, foster caring can be an incredible career move. It’s a great way to make an income if you don’t have other work and want foster care to be your sole focus.