How does kinship foster care licensing work for relatives?

Kinship foster care licensing is the formal approval process used when a relative, or another adult already connected to a child, is to foster that child as a looked-after child. It is different from an informal family arrangement: the carer must be approved under the fostering regulations, the placement must be legally recorded, and the fostering service remains responsible for supervising and reviewing the arrangement.

What counts as kinship foster care? Kinship care can involve a grandparent, aunt or uncle, adult sibling, or another relative. It may also involve a family friend, neighbour, teacher or other adult who has an established relationship with the child. In legal guidance, these carers are often described as connected persons .

Not every child living with a relative is in foster care. A child may be cared for under an informal family arrangement, a child arrangements order, special guardianship or adoption. Those routes have different legal responsibilities and financial arrangements. Foster care licensing applies where the child is, or is going to become, looked after by the local authority and the relative is being approved to foster.

Who manages the licensing process? The local authority responsible for the child’s care normally takes the lead. It may carry out the assessment itself or arrange for a registered fostering service to do so. The relevant authority is determined by the child’s circumstances and care plan, rather than simply by where the relative lives.

The child’s social worker and the fostering service should explain:

• why fostering approval is the proposed legal route;
• which organisation will assess and supervise the carer;
• how the child’s care plan affects the approval decision;
• what support, payments and practical help will be available; and
• what will happen if approval is not granted or the placement cannot continue.

How does the process differ from ordinary fostering? The assessment is focused on a particular child and the existing family relationship, rather than on whether the applicant could foster children generally. The service considers whether the proposed arrangement is safe, suitable and able to meet this child’s needs over time.

Important issues include the applicant’s relationship with the child, the child’s wishes and feelings where appropriate, the circumstances that led to the child needing care, and any risks connected with family conflict or previous safeguarding concerns. The assessment also considers whether the carer can work with the child’s social worker, birth parents and other professionals while maintaining appropriate boundaries within the family.

The assessment will normally examine:

• the applicant’s identity, age, health and personal circumstances;
• the suitability of everyone aged 16 or over who lives in, or regularly visits, the household;
• any criminal convictions, safeguarding information or relevant social care history;
• the home environment and arrangements for the child’s sleeping, privacy, supervision and transport;
• the applicant’s ability to meet the child’s emotional, educational, health and cultural needs;
• the effect of caring on employment, finances, relationships and other children in the household;
• the applicant’s understanding of contact arrangements and the child’s family relationships; and
• references and information from people who know the applicant and can comment on their suitability.

Kinship assessments can be particularly sensitive where relatives disagree about what has happened to the child or who should provide care. A relative does not have an automatic right to approval simply because they are related to the child. The decision must focus on safeguarding and the child’s welfare, while recognising the value of an existing family connection.

What happens after the assessment? The fostering service prepares a written assessment and considers whether the proposed approval is suitable. In many cases, the assessment is considered by a fostering panel, which makes a recommendation to the agency decision-maker. The agency decision-maker then makes the formal approval decision. The precise procedure can vary according to the legal route and the circumstances of the placement, so the responsible service should explain each stage.

If approval is granted, the decision should state the terms of approval. These may identify the particular child, the number of children who may be placed, and any conditions that apply. A connected-person approval is commonly specific to the child or children concerned and does not automatically authorise the carer to foster unrelated children.

The child’s placement plan should set out practical arrangements, including who has parental responsibility, delegated authority for everyday decisions, education, health appointments, family time and contact with parents or other relatives. The carer should know which decisions can be made without asking the social worker and which require consent from the local authority or someone with parental responsibility.

What is temporary approval? Where a child needs to live with a relative or connected person urgently, the law allows a local authority to use a temporary approval route in suitable circumstances. This is not the same as full, ongoing fostering approval. It is a short-term safeguarding arrangement while the wider assessment and care planning work is completed. The approval has a fixed legal duration and may be extended only where the relevant legal conditions are met.

During temporary approval, the local authority should continue assessing the carer and reviewing whether the placement remains safe and appropriate. The eventual options may include full fostering approval, another legal order, a move to a different placement, or a revised care plan. A relative should ask what will happen before temporary approval ends, rather than assuming that it will automatically become permanent fostering.

What support and payments can a kinship foster carer receive? An approved kinship foster carer should receive supervision, guidance and support from the responsible fostering service. This may include a named supervising social worker, access to training, help with safer caring and contact arrangements, and support during reviews or difficult changes in the placement.

Fostering allowances are intended to contribute towards the costs of caring for a child, but the amount and payment arrangements depend on the responsible local authority or fostering service and the child’s circumstances. They are not the same as child benefit or every other type of kinship payment. Before agreeing to the placement, ask for written information about the allowance, eligible expenses, equipment, travel, respite and any benefits or tax issues that could be affected.

What happens once the carer is approved? Approval does not end the licensing process. The placement must be monitored, the carer must work within the approval terms and the fostering service must review the arrangement. Foster carers are expected to keep records, attend relevant meetings and training, share information about the child’s progress and raise concerns promptly.

Approval can be reviewed if the child’s needs change, the household circumstances alter, new safeguarding information emerges or the placement is no longer suitable. A carer should tell the fostering service about significant changes such as a new household member, a change of address, serious illness, a major change in work or a new criminal investigation.

What if approval is refused? If the service proposes not to approve a relative, or proposes to change or end an approval, it should provide the reasons and explain the representations or review process available. The precise rights depend on the decision and the legal status of the application. The relative can also ask the child’s social worker to explain what alternative arrangements are being considered, because a refusal of fostering approval does not by itself decide where the child must live.

Before applying, a relative should obtain independent advice if the situation involves disputed family allegations, previous social care involvement, immigration concerns, domestic abuse, serious health issues or disagreement about contact. These matters do not automatically prevent approval, but they can affect the assessment, the terms of approval and the child’s care plan.