What documents are needed for kinship foster care licensing?

The documents needed for kinship foster care licensing are not identical in every case. The local authority or fostering service carrying out the assessment will provide the forms and confirm which evidence applies to your circumstances. This is because a kinship foster carer is assessed in relation to a particular child, their family circumstances and the proposed care arrangements.

Some documents are completed as part of the assessment rather than supplied by you. These may include the fostering application, assessment records, safeguarding checks and a medical assessment request. You will normally be asked to complete forms accurately and give consent for the relevant agencies and professionals to provide information.

Documents about your household and accommodation

• Details of everyone who lives in, or regularly stays at, the property.
• Information about any previous addresses where requested for safeguarding checks.
• Tenancy, mortgage or ownership information where the assessment needs to establish your right to live in the property.
• Written permission from a landlord, housing provider or other relevant party if your housing arrangement requires it.
• Information about bedrooms, sleeping arrangements, safety equipment, pets and any other matter affecting the child’s living environment.

The assessor may also need to see documents relating to household members who are not applying to foster, particularly where their involvement could affect the child’s safety or daily care. Adults in the household may need to complete their own declarations or checks.

Documents about your relationship with the child

For kinship care, the assessment needs to establish how you are connected to the child and how you have been involved in their life. Depending on the circumstances, useful evidence may include family records, correspondence from children’s services, court paperwork, or documents that explain the child’s current living and contact arrangements.

You may not hold every relevant record yourself. The child’s social worker can usually identify information already held by the local authority and explain what can be shared with you. Do not request confidential records from relatives or other professionals independently; ask the assessing social worker how information should be obtained and used.

Health-related information

The medical assessment is intended to consider whether you can provide safe and suitable care, including any support you may need. You may be asked for details of current or previous health conditions, treatment, medication, hospital care and relevant support. It is important to disclose information fully rather than assuming that a diagnosis automatically prevents approval.

If another adult’s health is relevant to the household assessment, the service may explain what consent or information is required from them. Medical information is handled as sensitive personal data, so ask the assessing team where forms should be sent and who will have access to them.

Work, income and other practical commitments

The assessment may request evidence about employment, working patterns, self-employment or other regular commitments. This helps the assessor understand who will care for the child, how appointments and contact arrangements will be managed, and whether your routine is compatible with the child’s needs.

You may also be asked for information about household finances or regular financial commitments. This is not the same as proving that you have a particular level of income. The purpose is to assess whether the proposed arrangements are realistic and whether fostering payments or other support have been explained clearly.

Previous caring or fostering history

Tell the assessing social worker about any previous fostering application, approval, assessment, adoption assessment or relevant care role. They may ask for permission to contact a previous fostering service or obtain earlier assessment information. Supplying details of an earlier application does not by itself mean that a kinship application will be refused; withholding it can create avoidable concerns about openness.

Where you have cared for children previously, information from schools, health professionals or other services may help explain your experience. The service will tell you whether it needs formal evidence or whether your account can be explored during interviews.

What to do if a document is missing

Do not delay making an enquiry simply because you cannot immediately find every document. Tell the social worker what is unavailable, why it is missing and whether another organisation may hold a copy. They can explain acceptable alternatives, such as an official replacement, a written confirmation or an additional interview.

Documents in another language may need an approved translation. Copies may be accepted during the assessment, but the service may later need to verify an original or obtain information directly from the issuing organisation. Keep copies of anything you submit and record when it was provided.

How documents are checked

Document collection is only one part of the licensing assessment. The fostering service will consider the evidence alongside interviews, home visits, references, safeguarding information, training and the child’s individual needs. Inconsistencies, unexplained gaps or information that changes during the assessment should be discussed openly so they can be understood and recorded accurately.

Before submitting anything, check that names and dates are consistent, forms are signed where required, and contact details are current. Tell the assessing social worker about changes such as a move of home, a new household member, a change in health, altered work arrangements or a change in the child’s circumstances. The final document list should come from the local authority or fostering service assessing you, as it may differ for an emergency, temporary or longer-term kinship arrangement.