What training do foster carers complete before approval?

Before approval, foster carer training usually combines structured preparation with learning linked to your assessment. It is intended to help you decide whether fostering is right for your household, understand the standards expected of carers and identify any further learning or support needed before approval.

The exact programme varies between fostering services, but pre-approval training commonly explores:

• The role and responsibilities of a foster carer: what day-to-day care involves, how decisions are made and how carers work within the expectations of the fostering service.
• Children’s development and experiences: how separation, neglect, abuse, disrupted relationships and trauma can affect a child’s behaviour, emotions, health and ability to trust adults.
• Safeguarding and safer caring: recognising concerns, reducing avoidable risks, maintaining appropriate boundaries and responding correctly if a child makes an allegation or disclosure.
• Managing behaviour: using positive, age-appropriate approaches while understanding that behaviour may communicate fear, distress or unmet needs. Physical punishment is not an acceptable fostering practice.
• Working with families and professionals: communicating with social workers, schools, health professionals and a child’s birth family, including where contact arrangements are part of the care plan.
• Recording and confidentiality: keeping clear records, handling sensitive information responsibly and sharing information appropriately.
• Equality, identity and inclusion: supporting a child’s cultural, religious, racial, linguistic, sexual and gender identity, as well as their individual interests and relationships.
• Health, safety and practical care: considering household safety, online risks, transport, medication, routines and the child’s specific health needs.

Training is normally interactive rather than purely classroom-based. You may be asked to discuss scenarios, consider how you would respond to common fostering situations and reflect on your own experiences, expectations and boundaries. This helps the fostering service understand how you approach learning and whether you can apply safeguarding and care principles in practice.

People who live in your household may also be invited or expected to take part in relevant preparation. Their views matter because fostering affects family routines, privacy, relationships and responsibilities. The service will explain who needs to attend and how the programme should be completed.

Pre-approval learning sits alongside the wider assessment. Your assessing social worker may revisit issues raised during training, ask how you would manage particular circumstances and identify subjects that need more discussion. You may need to complete additional preparation where your proposed fostering role involves specific considerations, such as caring for children with more complex needs, sibling groups or planned short-break arrangements.

Completion of training does not by itself mean that you will be approved. The assessment also considers your circumstances, health, household, accommodation, support network, experience, references, checks and ability to meet children’s needs. Your learning and participation form part of the overall evidence considered before a recommendation is made.

It is useful to prepare by asking questions, being honest about areas you find difficult and noting anything you would like to understand in more depth. You do not need to arrive with all the answers. Fostering services expect applicants to learn, reflect and develop, but they also need to see that applicants take safeguarding, boundaries and the responsibilities of the role seriously.

Training does not end at approval. Foster carers continue to complete learning as their skills develop and as the needs of children in their care change. During the pre-approval stage, the important point is to engage fully, use the opportunity to test your expectations and make sure you understand what fostering will require from you and your household.