Do self-employed foster carers need a medical assessment?

A medical assessment is normally a required part of the fostering application for self-employed applicants. It is used to understand whether your current health, any ongoing conditions and your ability to manage the practical demands of fostering are compatible with caring for a child or young person.

Being self-employed does not remove this requirement or create a separate medical standard. The same broad health considerations apply whether you work for an employer, run a business or have several clients. However, your working arrangements may be discussed because fostering has to work safely alongside your existing responsibilities.

The fostering service will usually arrange a health assessment with your GP or another suitably qualified medical professional. You may be asked to provide information about:

• your general physical health and any long-term conditions;
• your mental health and emotional wellbeing;
• medication, treatment and relevant medical history;
• any condition that could affect mobility, stamina, sleep or daily functioning;
• your ability to respond to a child’s needs, including appointments, routines and unexpected changes; and
• any factors in your work or home life that could affect your capacity to foster safely.

The assessment is not intended to require perfect health. Many people with medical conditions, disabilities or previous mental health difficulties can foster. The important issue is how a condition affects you in practice, whether it is appropriately managed and whether you can provide consistent care. The medical adviser may recommend further information, adjustments or specialist advice before the fostering service reaches a decision.

For a self-employed applicant, it is sensible to explain how your business operates rather than assuming that working for yourself will be viewed negatively. The assessment and wider fostering evaluation may consider matters such as:

• whether your work involves long, irregular or physically demanding hours;
• how much control you have over appointments, travel and daily commitments;
• what would happen to your business if a child needed your attention during the working day;
• whether your work takes place at home and how you would separate work activity from fostering responsibilities; and
• how you would manage your own health alongside the needs of a child in placement.

These points do not mean that you must stop being self-employed. They help establish whether your working pattern is realistic and whether any changes would be needed. You may need to demonstrate that you can attend meetings, training, health appointments and school-related activities, while also remaining available for the day-to-day care arrangements agreed with the fostering service.

Be open and accurate when completing health information. Omitting a diagnosis, medication or previous treatment can cause difficulties later if the information emerges during the assessment. It is usually more helpful to explain how a condition is managed, how stable it is and what support or adjustments enable you to function well.

Health information is handled as part of the confidential fostering assessment process. The fostering service needs enough relevant information to make a safe and properly informed decision, but a medical history is not automatically shared in full with every person involved in assessing your application. Ask the service how the assessment is arranged, who completes it and whether any medical-assessment costs are covered before booking or paying for an appointment.

A medical assessment is one part of the wider fostering assessment. It does not by itself approve or refuse an application. The fostering service will also consider your skills, household, support network, motivation, available space, safeguarding understanding and ability to meet the needs of children and young people. If further medical information is requested, provide it promptly and discuss any concerns with the fostering service so that the situation can be considered in context.