SWINDON Borough Council wants more people to sign up to become foster parents for its looked-after children.

And it wants to explode some common misconceptions about who might be eligible.

Manager of the council’s fostering team Theveshyra Fletcher said: “Age, parenting experience, marital status or sexual orientation, whether you own your home or rent, religious beliefs and whether you smoke or have pets are no barriers to becoming a foster parent in Swindon.”

If you want to foster you will be obliged to go through a DBS background check – although a criminal record does not automatically disqualify you and will have to show council officers that you have the space to give a child his or her own bedroom, as well as discussing your personal family circumstances, to ensure you are ready to take in a child or children.

Theveshyra said: “That is quite a detailed check and it can be intrusive, but obviously the safety of the child is the most important thing.”

The final step is appearing before the fostering panel, in person, and then a decision will be made.

It shouldn’t take much more than six months between application and decision.

Foster carers are paid between £150 and £260 per week per child depending on the age of the child or children they are looking after, and there is an additional payment depending on their level of experience and skill.

Tracey said: “You don’t do it for the money, though, and you shouldn’t be. I think you probably end up spending more than you make, but it’s useful to have it. But this isn’t a job you do to get rich.”