How long do foster care checks remain valid?

Foster care checks are point-in-time checks, so their practical validity depends on the type of check, the fostering agency’s procedure and whether your circumstances have changed. A check completed during an assessment may need to be revisited before approval if the process takes longer than expected or new information becomes relevant.

The important distinction is between a document having a formal expiry date and an agency deciding that updated information is needed. Most fostering checks are used to establish whether the information was accurate and relevant when it was obtained. They must also give the assessing social worker a current picture of your household, health, relationships, employment and any safeguarding matters.

DBS checks do not display a formal expiry date on the certificate. However, the certificate only records information available at the time of the search. A fostering agency may therefore ask for a new enhanced DBS check, or seek an appropriate update, if a significant period has passed, if you move into a different role or household, or if its safeguarding procedure requires a further check. You should tell the agency if you receive a conviction, caution or other relevant police outcome after the original check.

Where someone is registered with the DBS Update Service, the agency may be able to check whether the existing certificate remains suitable for the same type of workforce and role. This is not automatic: the agency still has to confirm that the certificate is the correct level and type, obtain the required consent and consider whether a new application is more appropriate.

Medical information can become out of date when your health changes, when treatment or medication changes, or when the demands of fostering need to be considered again. A medical assessment is not simply a pass or fail document. It helps the agency understand whether you can meet the day-to-day responsibilities of fostering and whether any reasonable support or adjustments should be considered. You should report a material change in your health rather than waiting for the agency to discover it during a later review.

References reflect the referee’s knowledge of you at the time they respond. An agency may contact a referee again if the assessment is delayed, a referee’s circumstances change, the reference is incomplete or further clarification is needed. A new referee may also be required if the original person can no longer provide an independent and sufficiently informed account of your suitability.

Statutory and local authority checks can also need updating. These may include checks connected with previous addresses, household members, children, employment or other agencies. If you move home, someone joins or leaves your household, a child reaches a relevant stage of the assessment, or you begin working with children or vulnerable adults, tell your assessing social worker. The change may affect which checks are required and whether earlier results still provide enough information.

Checks are most likely to be reviewed when:

• the assessment has been paused or substantially delayed;
• you change address or another adult joins or leaves your household;
• there is a change in your health, relationship, employment or caring responsibilities;
• you receive a criminal record or police-related outcome after the original DBS check;
• a referee’s circumstances change or the reference no longer reflects your situation; or
• new information is identified during the assessment or before approval.

An updated check does not automatically mean that your application will be refused. Its purpose is to ensure that the agency and fostering panel are making a decision using complete, relevant and current information. If a check raises a concern, you should be given an opportunity to explain the circumstances and provide supporting information. The significance of the issue will depend on factors such as its nature, date, pattern and relevance to caring for children.

If you are unsure whether a document or result is still acceptable, ask your assessing social worker before arranging another check yourself. They can confirm which checks need repeating, whether existing evidence can be verified, whether consent is required and whether any change in your circumstances should be recorded. Keep copies of certificates and correspondence, but do not assume that keeping the paperwork means the agency can treat every check as current.

The same principle applies after approval. Foster carers should notify their agency about relevant changes and take part in any reviews or rechecks required by fostering regulations and the agency’s safeguarding procedures. This helps maintain an accurate assessment of the household throughout your fostering career, rather than treating the original approval checks as permanently valid.