How are previous addresses verified during statutory checks for foster carers?

Previous addresses are verified by establishing where an applicant lived, the dates of each residence and whether that information is consistent with the records available for statutory checks. The purpose is to give the assessing team a reliable history, not to penalise an applicant for moving frequently or for having difficulty recalling an old address.

During the fostering assessment, each applicant is asked to provide an address history covering the period requested by the fostering service. This normally includes:

• the full address, including the postcode where known;
• the month and year that the applicant moved in and out;
• any periods spent living outside the UK;
• an explanation for gaps, overlapping dates or uncertainty; and
• details for any other adults whose circumstances must also be considered as part of the household assessment.

The information is then considered alongside the records generated by the relevant checks. For example, previous addresses can help confirm identity when a Disclosure and Barring Service check is submitted and can help identify the correct local authority areas for enquiries about an applicant’s history. Other information supplied during the assessment, such as employment, personal reference and household details, may also help the assessing team check that the overall chronology is coherent.

Verification does not always mean that an applicant must produce a document for every address they have ever occupied. Records may be incomplete, particularly where a move took place many years ago, an address was short-term or the applicant lived with someone else. If a record cannot be located or the dates do not match exactly, the assessing team will usually ask the applicant to clarify the circumstances and provide any further information that is reasonably available.

Common points that may need clarification include:

• an unexplained period between two addresses;
• dates that overlap because of a temporary move or a property kept during a relocation;
• a previous address recorded differently by an official organisation;
• time spent in student accommodation, military accommodation, rented rooms or temporary housing; and
• an address that has been remembered by its house name, flat number or shortened form rather than its full postal format.

An inconsistency is not automatically a safeguarding concern. The significance depends on the explanation, the available records and whether the information affects another part of the assessment. However, the fostering service must be satisfied that the history is sufficiently clear before making a recommendation, so unresolved discrepancies may need to be followed up before the assessment can be completed.

Applicants should give honest information even if they are unsure about an old address or are concerned that a previous living arrangement may raise questions. Guessing can create a larger inconsistency later. It is better to identify uncertainty at the outset and explain what is known, what is not known and how the information might be confirmed.

Become a Foster Family can explain what address information is needed, help applicants work through their history and discuss any gaps with them during the assessment. The information is handled as part of the fostering assessment and statutory checking process, with relevant details shared only where required for those checks and safeguarding decisions.