Open your heart. Transform a life. Foster with Love and Imaan.
Foster for West Sussex County Council
Every child deserves to grow up surrounded by love, faith, and understanding. Across West Sussex, there are currently more Muslim children in our care than we have Muslim Foster Carers to support them. Many of these children would benefit from a home where their culture and religion are nurtured – a place where they can pray, celebrate, and feel proud of who they are.
types of fostering
What types of fostering help support Muslim children?
Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children
(UASC)
Most of our Muslim children are unaccompanied asylum-seekers, having fled war, persecution, or trafficking, arriving in the UK from countries such as Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Eritrea, Vietnam and Albania.
View MoreSupported Lodgings
Due to a shortage of Foster Carers and Supported Lodgings Hosts, more than half of our Muslim young people are living in block accommodation. You could provide them with practical and emotional support, helping them access education and health, and learning the skills they need to live independently.
View MoreMainstream Fostering
Of the Muslim children we care for who aren’t seeking asylum, the majority come from the north of the county. This is unsurprising, given that Crawley is where we enjoy the richest diversity of heritage, culture and religion in West Sussex. But we urgently need more Foster Carers for children of all faiths and none.
View Morereligious fostering benefit
How your faith can support meaningful matching for children
Muslim foster carers are needed
Why are more Muslim Foster Carers needed?
Across West Sussex, 80 of the children we care for are Muslim
Yet we currently have just 3 approved Muslim Foster Carers. This means that some children are living with families of different faiths who, while caring deeply, may not fully understand or be able to meet, all the child's spiritual and cultural needs.
Children can stay connected to their faith and identity
Fostering is about supporting children in offering their daily prayers, sharing halal meals, celebrating the joy of Ramadan and Eid, and encouraging their religious learning. This nurtures their sense of belonging, so they grow up proud of who they are and where they come from.
Give every child the chance to grow up with the love of a family
With more Muslim carers, we can give every child the chance to grow up surrounded by the warmth of community, the guidance of faith, and the love of a family. Your kindness can bring peace, joy, and Imaan into both your life and theirs.
Foster Carer STORY
Read Annie's journey to becoming a Foster Carer
Your fostering journey
Why foster with us at West Sussex County Council?
We're not-for-profit
We operate as a strictly not-for-profit fostering service. Unlike Independent Fostering Agencies, all our resources are dedicated to supporting the lives of the young people in our care and our foster families across West Sussex.
We keep children in their local community
By fostering with us, you help ensure that local children can remain in West Sussex, maintaining important relationships with friends, family and school, accessing after-school clubs and much more.
Financial Support
We offer a competitive financial package of up to £32.3k a year (for each child in your care), including a £750 welcome bonus for those who join our fostering family. Plus additional payments for specialist roles, as well as allowances.
Matching Process
It’s our job to work closely with you to find the most suitable match between you and a foster child. We understand that every child is unique, and we strive to find the best possible match to ensure a successful relationship.
Comprehensive Training
We provide comprehensive training and opportunities for ongoing professional development to equip you with all the skills and knowledge you need to be an exceptional Foster Carer.
Professional and
Peer Support
With your own dedicated Supervising Social Worker, access to out-of-hours assistance, support groups and peer mentoring, there are many ways we support our Foster Carers.
Commonly asked questions about fostering from people of Muslim faith
Is fostering allowed in Islam?
Yes. However, scholars emphasise that certain rules still apply – such as preserving the child’s family name and observing mahram boundaries once the child reaches puberty – but within those guidelines, caring for an orphan or vulnerable child in your home as a Foster Carer is encouraged as a good deed.
Can I still practise my religion properly if I foster?
Yes. You keep your usual worship and lifestyle; we support your need for prayer time, mosque attendance, and Islamic routines at home. Please let your Assessing Social Worker or Supervising Social Worker know what your support needs are and we will explore this with you.
If the foster child follows a different faith or has no religion, how do I handle that in line with Islamic principles?
Islam teaches you to respect the child’s own beliefs without forcing yours on them, while keeping up your own religious practices at home in a considerate way – scholars say this upholds justice and kindness toward the vulnerable. You provide a loving, stable environment, support their cultural or spiritual needs as outlined in their care plan (by taking them to church, and meeting any dietary preferences).
Can the child celebrate Eid with us?
Usually yes, as long as it is in the child’s best interests and does not conflict with any specific guidance from their birth family or Social Worker.
Will I be matched with Muslim children only?
We will try to match Muslim children with Muslim carers, but this is not always possible and depends on which children need families at the time. Please bear in mind that 85% of our Muslim children are unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, who are aged 16+. It’s worth considering your preference for which age group you would like to care for, and the team can discuss this with you as part of your assessment.
Even if you are not fostering a Muslim child, we highly value the richness your faith and experiences will bring to our wider fostering community. By building relationships and sharing your insights with non-Muslim carers caring for Muslim children would provide a different way of supporting our Muslin children. For example, perhaps you could invite them and their children to celebrate Eid with you.
No, you don’t have to provide non-halal food. You can offer suitable alternatives like vegetarian or halal sausages, turkey bacon, burgers, etc. You are responsible for ensuring that the child’s nutritional needs are met and you follow their care plan. Obviously, children could eat non-halal food when dining out with you as a family, or for school dinners, etc.
Ready to change a child's life together?
There's never any pressure from us, so whether you're at the early stages of considering fostering, or eager to take the next step, our fostering team is here to support you.