Can I afford to foster?

[Waytooearly]

I have had the initial appointment with a fostering agency tonight.

Has anyone kept a full time job and been a foster carer?

I work in a law firm and I could potentially go to consultant work if I had a Foster placement, to give myself flexibility. But then even a log-term placement could brea dwn, and I'd be left with consultant hours and a reduced income.

I asked the social worker, "Is it possible to work full time 9-5 and be a Foster carer?" and she was pretty negative.

My office does have a family friendly workplace and plenty of single parents too but a foster child would need much more time off than the average child.

She seemed a bit nonplussed that I was single and that my family were all in another country. (I do have good friends though).

Should I even bother continuing with the application process?

There is a fostering and adoption board which maybe more helpful.

I think you will find they will expect you to at least have a period of leave to settle a child in, which might be problematic unless you were planning on long term fostering?

You could try respite care which is just weekends.