What checks are involved when applying to foster in your 20s?

Checks for prospective foster carers in their 20s are designed to assess safety, stability, health and readiness to care for a child or young person. Being in your 20s does not usually mean you face a separate set of checks, although the assessment may explore areas such as your limited work history, living arrangements and experience of responsibility in more detail.

The assessment is normally completed in stages. You will provide documents and information, take part in interviews and home visits, and help the assessing social worker build a full picture of your circumstances. The purpose is not to expect a perfect background; it is to understand your strengths, identify any risks and decide what support or preparation may be needed.

• Identity and address history: You will be asked to confirm who you are and provide information about where you have lived. If you have moved frequently for study, work or rented accommodation, explain this clearly and provide as much accurate history as you can.
• Criminal record and safeguarding checks: Enhanced DBS checks are part of the assessment. Checks may also be required for other adults in your household, depending on their age and circumstances. A previous conviction or caution does not automatically mean you cannot foster. The assessing team will consider its nature, relevance, how long ago it occurred and what has changed since then. Full honesty is essential, including where you are unsure whether something needs to be declared.
• Local authority and employment checks: The agency may seek information from relevant local authorities and, where appropriate, current or previous employers. These checks help confirm whether there are known safeguarding concerns or other information that should be considered alongside your application.
• References: Referees should generally know you well enough to comment on your reliability, relationships, judgement and ability to manage responsibility. The agency may speak with them directly rather than relying only on a written statement. Choose people who can give an informed and balanced view of you.
• Health assessment: You will usually complete a medical assessment so that the agency can understand how your physical and mental health may affect fostering. This is not about requiring perfect health. It considers whether you can meet the practical and emotional demands of caring for children, including appointments, routines and periods of additional need.
• Financial circumstances: You will discuss income, regular outgoings, debts and financial commitments. The assessment is concerned with whether your household is financially stable and whether fostering payments can be used for the child’s care, rather than treating fostering as a way to resolve financial difficulties.
• Home and household arrangements: A home visit considers available space, privacy, safety and the suitability of the environment. If you rent, permission from the landlord may be needed. The assessment also considers how a partner, housemate, family member, pet or other household member may affect the child’s day-to-day safety and experience.

For applicants in their 20s, the assessment may also explore relationships, independence, support networks, education or employment, and the reasons for wanting to foster. You may have less employment or tenancy history than an older applicant, but this is considered in context. Evidence of consistent responsibility can come from different areas of life, such as caring responsibilities, volunteering, study, work or managing your own home.

Everyone in the household should understand how fostering could affect family life, privacy, routines and visitors. Where relevant, household members may be spoken to separately so that the assessing social worker can check that consent is informed and that any concerns are addressed openly.

It is important to disclose changes during the assessment, such as a new relationship, change of address, health issue, job change or police involvement. Omitting information can create greater concern than the issue itself because fostering depends on openness and safeguarding. If a check raises a question, you should have the opportunity to provide context and discuss what it means.

Once the assessment is complete, a detailed report is prepared and considered through the fostering agency’s approval process. You will normally have an opportunity to read the report, comment on factual inaccuracies and discuss any recommendations. Approval is based on the overall evidence rather than one isolated check, and the process may identify additional training, agreements or support that should be in place before a child is placed.

Before applying, prepare a clear address and employment history, identify suitable referees, gather requested documents and discuss the decision with everyone in your household. Ask the fostering service to explain any part of the assessment you do not understand. A local fostering team can guide you through the checks and explain how your individual circumstances will be considered.