Are statutory checks repeated after foster carer approval?

After approval, statutory checks form part of a foster carer’s continuing suitability review rather than ending when approval is granted. A fostering service must keep relevant information up to date and decide whether further checks are needed for the carer, members of the household or other adults regularly involved in the care of children.

The timing depends on the type of check and the circumstances. A fostering service will normally review the household through its regular supervisory and review processes. It may seek an updated criminal record check where its procedures require this, where a previous disclosure needs clarifying, or where information has changed. Using the DBS Update Service, where applicable, can allow an organisation to check whether a certificate remains current; this is not the same as ignoring the need for a new application when a fresh check is considered necessary.

Further checks are particularly likely when:

• an adult joins the household or a child in the household reaches the relevant age for checking;
• a partner, relative, lodger or other adult begins spending significant time in the home;
• the carer moves house or there is a change in household circumstances;
• the carer is convicted, cautioned, arrested or involved in other information that may affect safeguarding;
• an allegation, complaint or safeguarding concern raises questions about suitability; or
• the fostering service’s regulatory framework or internal checking schedule requires an update.

Checks are not limited to criminal records. Depending on the circumstances, the service may need to update information about health, household members, personal references, overseas residence, employment or other adults who have regular contact with fostered children. A new adult in the household should not normally be treated as an informal visitor: the service needs to establish who they are, what contact they have with children and whether the appropriate checks and risk assessment have been completed.

Annual review is an important part of this process. It considers the carer’s approval, the children placed, training and development, supervision, recorded concerns and any changes affecting the household. The review is not necessarily a full repeat of the original assessment, and not every check will be repeated at every review. Instead, the fostering service considers what information is current and what further evidence is proportionate to the risks involved.

Foster carers are expected to tell their fostering service about relevant changes rather than waiting for the next review. This can include a new adult living in or regularly staying at the home, a change of address, significant health changes, police involvement, or any event that could affect their ability to care safely. The precise reporting requirements should be set out in the carer’s agreement and the fostering service’s procedures.

A new or updated disclosure does not automatically mean that approval will end. The service should consider the nature of the information, when it occurred, whether it relates to children or safeguarding, any pattern of behaviour, and the circumstances since the event. It may ask for an explanation, carry out further enquiries, amend a risk assessment, provide additional support or training, or place conditions around fostering while the matter is considered.

Where information raises a serious concern, the fostering service may suspend a placement, restrict new placements or refer the matter through its safeguarding and review procedures. The carer should be told what process applies and given an opportunity to provide relevant information. A decision affecting approval is made under the applicable fostering regulations and procedures, rather than solely on the existence of a disclosure.

For a prospective carer, the practical point is that approval carries an ongoing responsibility to be open about changes. Keeping the fostering service informed helps it complete proportionate checks, assess risks properly and maintain safe arrangements for everyone in the household and for children in placement.