Foster carers come from all different walks of life. Our main concern is that you can offer a child a safe and secure environment and can understand some of the child's feelings and worries.

The basic requirements are quite general:

• You can be any age.
• You can be single, married or in a long term relationship.
• Your sexual orientation is not an issue.
• You may already have children of your own.
• You can be from any ethnic group or religion.
• You do not need to live in York, but you should live within reasonable travelling distance.
• You cannot become an foster carer if you have been convicted of a serious crime.

But we also look for special qualities in people that make them ideal foster carers. If you want to become a foster carer, you should:

• Be patient, tolerant and be able to provide a warm and secure home.
• Have the extra time and energy a foster child would need.
• Be willing to develop new skills.
• Be able to communicate effectively and work positively with a child's family and social work staff.
• Be able to bounce back and overcome problems you may meet.
• Have enough physical space in your home - preferably a spare bedroom or proper sharing arrangements.
• Be prepared for us to learn more about you and your family. By law this involves an assessment process including training, personal and medical references, police and statutory check.