What checks are needed to become a foster family?

The checks involved in becoming a foster family are part of a wider fostering assessment. They help the fostering service understand your circumstances, relationships, health, experience and home environment, then decide whether you can offer safe and consistent care to a child or young person.

Identity and household information

You will usually need to provide proof of your identity, address and family circumstances. The fostering service will ask about everyone who lives in your household, including children, adult relatives and lodgers, as well as anyone who regularly spends significant time in the home. This helps build an accurate picture of the environment in which a child would be placed.

You should also give details of previous addresses, employment, relationships and any periods spent living abroad. Gaps or changes in your history are not necessarily a problem, but they should be explained openly so the assessment is complete.

DBS and safeguarding checks

Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks are normally completed for prospective foster carers and other relevant adults in the household. These checks identify convictions, cautions or other information that may be relevant to safeguarding. A criminal record does not automatically mean that you cannot foster. The nature of the offence, how long ago it happened, your age at the time and evidence of changed circumstances may all be considered.

Fostering services also make safeguarding enquiries with the local authority. These may identify previous involvement with children’s social care, child protection concerns or other information that could affect an assessment. The purpose is not to look for a perfect past, but to assess any potential risks carefully and fairly.

Health assessment

You will normally complete a health form and attend an assessment with your GP or another appropriate medical professional. The information is considered by the fostering service’s medical adviser, who looks at whether your physical and mental health would allow you to meet the demands of fostering.

A health condition or disability does not automatically prevent someone from fostering. The relevant questions are how it affects your daily life, whether you can care for a child safely and what arrangements would be needed to manage any limitations. You should disclose ongoing conditions, regular medication and significant past health issues accurately.

References and employment history

Personal references are usually requested from people who know you well and can comment on your reliability, relationships and ability to care for children. An employer or previous employer may also be contacted, particularly where fostering could affect your working arrangements.

Where relevant, the assessment may include references from a former partner or information about previous caring responsibilities. Referees are generally asked to provide factual, balanced information rather than simply confirm that they support your application.

Home and safety assessment

A supervising social worker will visit your home to consider practical matters such as sleeping arrangements, privacy, household routines, pets, transport and general safety. The property does not need to be luxurious, but it must provide a suitable environment for the child’s age and needs. The assessment may identify improvements needed before approval, such as safer storage, a suitable bedroom arrangement or additional equipment.

The social worker will also explore how your household manages boundaries, visitors, online safety, confidentiality and emergency situations. If you have children of your own, their views and needs form part of the discussion.

Interviews and the fostering assessment

Checks are combined with detailed conversations with you and, where appropriate, members of your household. These discussions usually cover:

• your reasons for fostering and your understanding of the role;
• your childhood, relationships and significant life experiences;
• how you respond to stress, conflict and challenging behaviour;
• your ability to work with birth families, social workers, schools and other professionals;
• how you would manage contact arrangements, confidentiality and safeguarding concerns; and
• the support available from relatives, friends and other people close to you.

The assessment is not based on one answer or one document. The social worker considers the information as a whole, discusses any concerns with you and records the evidence in a formal report.

What happens after the checks?

Applicants generally complete preparation training during the assessment. The training helps you understand trauma, attachment, safeguarding, behaviour, identity and the impact of separation on children. It also gives you an opportunity to ask questions and consider whether fostering is right for your household.

Once the assessment is complete, the report is considered through the fostering service’s approval process, which normally includes a fostering panel or an equivalent decision-making arrangement. You have the opportunity to comment on the assessment before a final decision is made. If information is missing or concerns arise, the service may request further evidence, additional checks or a clearer plan for managing a particular issue.

Honesty is important throughout the process. Disclosing a conviction, health condition, previous relationship difficulty or period of instability does not automatically end an application. Withholding information can create greater concern because the assessment depends on openness and accurate safeguarding information.

A fostering agency should explain which documents it needs, who must complete each check and how information will be handled. Become a Foster Family provides guidance, training and ongoing support while applicants work through the assessment, helping them understand what is required before they decide whether to proceed.