What checks are needed to become a foster parent?

The checks form part of a wider fostering assessment, which considers your identity, health, personal history, relationships, household and ability to care for a child. They are not intended to look for a perfect background. Their purpose is to identify any safeguarding concerns, understand your circumstances and decide what support or preparation may be needed.

Criminal record and safeguarding checks

An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is normally required for each applicant. Checks may also be needed for adults who live in, or regularly spend significant time in, your household. The fostering service will explain exactly who must be checked, as this can depend on the household arrangements.

The assessment may also include checks with local authority children’s services and other relevant safeguarding records. These help establish whether there has been previous involvement with children’s services, allegations, investigations or concerns that could affect fostering. A past conviction or historic concern does not automatically mean that you cannot foster. The assessing social worker will consider its nature, how long ago it occurred, the outcome and what has changed since then. Being open and providing accurate information is important; withholding relevant information can create greater concern than the matter itself.

Identity and background checks

You will usually need to provide documents confirming your identity, address and other personal details. The fostering service may ask about previous names, addresses, time spent living abroad, immigration status where relevant, and significant events in your personal history. If you have lived outside the UK, additional criminal record or police checks may be requested where these are available.

You should also expect detailed questions about your childhood, relationships, family network, employment and reasons for wanting to foster. These discussions are not simply formalities. They help the assessor understand how you respond to stress, change, disagreement and difficult behaviour, as well as the experiences that have shaped your approach to caring.

Health assessment

A medical assessment is normally completed by your GP or another suitably qualified medical professional. You may be asked to give consent for relevant health information to be shared with the fostering service’s medical adviser. The assessment considers whether your physical and mental health would allow you to meet the needs of a child, including appointments, routines and the demands of caring.

Having a health condition, disability or history of mental ill health does not necessarily prevent you from fostering. The relevant questions are usually how the condition affects your daily life, whether it is managed effectively and what adjustments or support might be appropriate. The medical adviser provides an opinion to the fostering service; they do not make the final fostering decision.

References and employment checks

References are normally requested from people who know you well and can comment on your reliability, relationships and ability to care for others. Depending on your circumstances, these may include personal referees, current or previous employers and people who have known you in a caring or professional capacity. A previous partner may also be contacted where their knowledge of your family life is relevant.

If you work with children or vulnerable adults, the service may need information about your role and any safeguarding procedures that apply to it. You should tell the assessing social worker about relevant employment, voluntary work and caring responsibilities so that the assessment is complete.

Home and household checks

A social worker will visit your home and speak with household members. The assessment usually considers whether there is suitable sleeping space, adequate privacy, safe access and a stable environment. It may also look at practical risks such as medicines, cleaning products, pets, smoking, firearms, swimming pools, stairs and arrangements for transporting children.

Everyone in the household has a part to play in the assessment. Children may be spoken to in an age-appropriate way, and their views will be considered. The service will also ask about regular visitors, family support and anyone who may have unsupervised contact with a child placed with you.

Financial and relationship information

The fostering service will discuss your finances to check that fostering allowances would not be needed to meet existing debts or essential household costs. It may ask about work, benefits, housing and regular commitments. This is different from requiring a particular salary. Your relationship and household stability will also be explored, including how adults communicate, share responsibilities and manage disagreements.

What happens if a check raises a concern?

A concern does not always end the application. The assessing social worker should discuss it with you, consider the evidence and record how it affects the assessment. You may be asked for further documents, an explanation, additional references, a medical opinion or practical changes to the home. Some information may need to be assessed by a fostering panel before a final recommendation is made.

It is sensible to mention potential issues at the beginning, including old convictions, previous involvement with children’s services, health conditions, overseas residence, relationship breakdowns or people in your household who may need checking. Early, honest information allows the fostering service to explain what is required and prevents avoidable complications later in the assessment.

The exact checks vary according to your household and history, but the assessment should give you a clear opportunity to provide information, ask questions and understand how each issue is being considered. Your fostering service can explain which documents and consents it needs and how the checks fit into the wider assessment process.