What does the fostering assessment involve?

A fostering assessment is a detailed evidence-gathering process led by a qualified assessing social worker. It looks at whether you can provide safe, consistent and appropriate care, and whether fostering is suitable for everyone in your household. The assessment is not intended to judge whether you are a perfect parent or have an ideal family life; it considers your strengths, circumstances, support network and ability to reflect and learn.

1. Initial information and application

After you make an initial enquiry, you will have the opportunity to discuss your circumstances and ask questions about fostering. If you decide to proceed, the fostering service will gather basic information and confirm that you appear to meet the initial requirements. This usually includes discussion of your household, accommodation, employment, existing commitments and the types of fostering you may be interested in.

The application stage is also a useful point to disclose anything that may need careful consideration, such as previous convictions, health conditions, relationship changes or significant financial difficulties. These matters do not necessarily prevent someone from fostering, but the assessing social worker needs accurate information from the beginning.

2. Statutory and personal checks

Checks help the fostering service assess safety and verify the information provided. Depending on your circumstances, these may include:

• Disclosure and Barring Service checks for relevant adults in the household;
• local authority checks and other safeguarding enquiries;
• references from people who know you well and can comment on your reliability, relationships and ability to care for children;
• verification of identity, address and relevant employment or voluntary experience; and
• a health assessment or medical report completed by your GP or another appropriate health professional.

Checks are considered in context. A past difficulty is not automatically treated as a reason to refuse an application, but withholding information can undermine confidence in the assessment. The assessing social worker will explain what information is needed and how it will be considered.

3. Assessment discussions and home visits

The social worker will normally meet with you several times, including at your home. These meetings explore your childhood experiences, relationships, values, parenting approach, support network, work-life balance and reasons for wanting to foster. If you are applying as a couple, both applicants need individual opportunities to speak as well as time to discuss matters together.

Conversation about your own experiences is relevant because children in foster care may have experienced neglect, trauma, loss or several changes of carer. You will be asked to consider how you would respond to behaviour that is difficult to understand, maintain appropriate boundaries, work with professionals and support a child’s identity and relationships with their birth family.

Home visits are not an inspection of whether your property is luxurious or perfectly decorated. The focus is whether it is safe, suitable and able to provide the space and privacy required for a child. The service may identify practical changes, such as safety equipment, sleeping arrangements, storage or household routines, before approval.

4. Preparation training

Applicants usually complete preparation training before the assessment is finalised. This gives you a clearer understanding of safeguarding, attachment, trauma, safer caring, equality and diversity, recording, working with professionals and the impact of fostering on family life.

Training is also part of the assessment because it shows how you engage with new information and think about applying it in practice. You are not expected to know everything at the outset. Asking questions, recognising areas for development and considering alternative approaches are important parts of becoming a capable foster carer.

5. Considering the whole household

Everyone who lives in the home can be affected by fostering, so their views and understanding matter. This may include birth children, adult children, other relatives, lodgers or regular visitors. The assessment considers how fostering could affect household routines, privacy, relationships, pets, work and existing caring responsibilities.

Where there are birth children, the social worker will consider their age, needs and views in an appropriate way. Their agreement is not the same as formal approval, but their wellbeing must remain central to decisions about whether fostering is suitable and what type of placement could be considered.

6. The written assessment and fostering panel

When the information has been gathered, the assessing social worker prepares a detailed assessment report. This explains your experience, skills, household circumstances, support network, areas of strength, identified risks and any recommendations about the age range or type of fostering that may be appropriate.

You should have an opportunity to check the report for factual accuracy and raise questions before it is presented to the fostering panel. The panel is made up of people with relevant experience and knowledge. It considers the report and other information, and may ask you questions about your application. Its recommendation is then considered by the agency decision-maker, who makes the formal decision about approval.

Possible outcomes include approval, approval with specific terms, a request for further information, or a decision not to approve. If the service identifies concerns, these should be discussed with you rather than being left unexplained. You can ask how a decision was reached and what review or representation procedures apply.

How to prepare for the assessment

• Be open and consistent when providing information; the assessment is based on the full picture rather than selected details.
• Think about who could provide practical and emotional support when fostering becomes demanding.
• Discuss likely changes to routines, privacy, household rules, holidays and finances with everyone affected.
• Read the information provided during training and note questions or situations you would like to explore.
• Consider how you respond to stress, disagreement and uncertainty, and what you do when you need advice.
• Allow time for checks, references and any recommended changes to the home to be completed properly.

The assessment should be a two-way process. You are assessing whether fostering is right for your household just as the fostering service is assessing your suitability. Your assessing social worker should explain each stage, identify any information still needed and help you understand what the findings mean before the application reaches a decision.