Do statutory checks differ for family and friends foster carers?

Family and friends foster carers are assessed through a connected-person or kinship fostering process, which takes account of the existing relationship with the child and the circumstances that led to the proposed placement. The assessment is usually more specifically focused on the child’s immediate needs, the carer’s relationship with them and the support available to make the arrangement work safely.

The legal route matters. A family member or friend may be considered for:

• Approval as a foster carer: this applies where the child is being placed under the responsibility of a fostering service.
• Temporary approval: in some urgent situations, a connected person may be temporarily approved while a fuller assessment takes place.
• Another form of kinship care: an arrangement such as a child arrangements order, special guardianship order or informal family care is not the same as foster care and follows different legal and assessment requirements.

Where the proposed arrangement is foster care, the fostering service must still establish that the placement is suitable. Being related to the child, or already knowing them well, does not remove the need for formal safeguarding enquiries. The service will consider information about the prospective carer, other people in the household and the home in which the child would live.

The assessment is adapted to the relationship between the child and the prospective carer. For example, the assessor may explore:

• how long the carer has known the child and the nature of their relationship;
• what the child already knows about the carer and how the move may affect them;
• the child’s wishes and feelings, where these can be established;
• how the carer will respond to the child’s history, identity, culture and family connections;
• whether the carer can manage contact with parents and other relatives appropriately;
• how existing family disagreements could affect the placement; and
• what practical help is available from relatives, friends, schools, health professionals and the fostering service.

This means the assessment may look different from one involving applicants who have no previous connection with the child. A connected-person assessment may need to examine established family dynamics, loyalties and expectations in greater detail. It may also consider whether the carer can move from being a relative or family friend into a professional caregiving role, including setting boundaries and following the child’s care plan.

Checks relating to other people in the household remain important. The fostering service will need to consider adults who live at the address, frequent household members and, where relevant, people who may have regular contact with the child. The purpose is to identify any safeguarding issue that could affect the proposed placement, rather than to assess the applicant in isolation.

There can also be differences in timing. If a child needs somewhere safe to live urgently, temporary arrangements may be considered while enquiries continue. This does not mean that the permanent assessment is skipped. The fostering service must still gather the information required to decide whether the connected person should be approved and whether the placement can meet the child’s needs over time.

A family or friend who is being considered for care should ask the social worker to explain:

• which legal route is being considered and whether the proposed arrangement is fostering;
• which parts of the assessment have been completed and which remain outstanding;
• what information is needed from household members and personal referees;
• how the child’s views will be included;
• what training is required before or after approval; and
• what financial, practical and emotional support will be available if the placement proceeds.

If the outcome is not approval as a foster carer, that does not automatically mean the person cannot play a role in the child’s life. The child’s social worker should explain whether another legal arrangement may be appropriate, although this would involve a separate process and should not be treated as an alternative without proper professional assessment.

In short, family and friends carers are not assessed on the same assumptions as unrelated applicants: the existing relationship and the child’s circumstances shape the assessment. However, the fostering service must still obtain enough reliable information to make a safe, lawful decision about the proposed placement.