What happens after I submit my foster care application?

Once your foster care application has been submitted, it moves into the agency’s formal assessment and decision-making process. The information you provide is considered alongside information gathered about your household, circumstances and ability to meet the needs of children in foster care. You should expect further contact so that any missing details can be clarified and the next steps can be explained.

Your application is not an automatic approval. Submitting the form begins the process of establishing whether fostering is suitable for you and whether you can provide safe, consistent and appropriate care. The assessment is intended to build a complete picture of your strengths, experience, support network, household relationships, available space and understanding of the responsibilities involved.

During this stage, you may be asked to provide additional information or explain answers in more detail. This is normal and does not necessarily indicate a problem with your application. Some matters require more explanation because every household has different circumstances. It is important to answer openly and accurately, including information about previous work, relationships, health, finances, household members and any significant changes in your life.

A social worker or assessing professional will usually work with you throughout the assessment. They will help you understand what is required, discuss the practical realities of fostering and consider how fostering may affect everyone in your household. You should have opportunities to ask questions, raise concerns and discuss the types of placements that might be appropriate. Assessment conversations are also a chance for you to decide whether fostering is right for your family, rather than simply an opportunity for the agency to assess you.

The timescale can vary. It may be affected by how complete the information is, how complicated the circumstances are, whether other people need to provide information, and how much time is needed to understand the household properly. A longer process does not automatically mean that the application is unlikely to succeed. If further information is needed, the assessing team should explain what is outstanding and why it is relevant.

When the assessment is complete, a written report is prepared. This normally brings together the information considered during the process, the areas of strength identified and any issues that may need to be managed. It should also explain what types of fostering may be suitable and whether any conditions or recommendations apply.

The application then goes through the relevant approval process. For an independent fostering agency, the assessment report is generally considered by a fostering panel, which makes a recommendation about approval. The agency’s decision-maker then makes the formal decision, taking the evidence and recommendation into account. The exact arrangements can differ depending on the organisation processing the application, so ask your fostering team to explain how decisions are made in your case.

The possible outcomes include:

• Approval: you become an approved foster carer, subject to the terms of your approval and the fostering service’s procedures.
• A request for further work: the process may be paused while particular information, preparation or support is addressed.
• Not being approved: if the evidence does not support approval, you should be told the decision and the reasons for it, together with information about any review or representation process that applies.

Approval does not mean that you must accept every placement offered. The fostering service should discuss whether a proposed placement matches your approval, skills, household and available support. You can ask questions about a child’s needs and the support available before deciding whether a placement is suitable.

Throughout the process, keep a record of questions and documents that you have provided. Tell the fostering team if information you supplied becomes out of date or if an important circumstance changes, so that the assessment remains accurate. You can also ask for clarification if you are unsure why information is being requested or what a particular stage involves.

Support should continue while your application is being considered. This can include guidance about the assessment, preparation for fostering, help understanding the information requested and opportunities to discuss concerns with the fostering team. Once a decision has been made, the team should explain the outcome and the practical next steps, whether that means completing further work, preparing for approval or considering other options.