Can I work while being assessed for foster care approval?

Having a job does not normally prevent you from being approved as a foster carer. The assessment will focus on how your employment arrangements fit with the practical responsibilities of fostering, including the type of placements you may be able to offer and the support available within your household.

How your job may be considered

Your assessing social worker is likely to look at the features of your employment rather than simply whether you work. This may include:

• whether you work full-time, part-time, on a shift pattern or on a flexible basis;
• your usual working location and travel arrangements;
• whether your work involves overnight stays, frequent travel or unpredictable hours;
• how easily you can respond if a child needs support during the working day;
• whether another approved carer or suitable adult can provide care when you are unavailable; and
• how your work may affect school runs, appointments, contact arrangements and other regular commitments.

There is no single employment pattern that applies to every foster carer. Some people continue in full-time employment, while others reduce their hours, work from home, change shifts or take a different role. The suitability of an arrangement depends on your circumstances and the needs of the child being considered for placement.

Different jobs may require different plans

Regular daytime employment may be compatible with fostering where the proposed care arrangements are clear and appropriate. Shift work, long-distance commuting, self-employment and jobs involving travel may need more detailed planning because your availability can vary. If your work is difficult to predict, the assessment may consider which types of placements are realistic and what arrangements would be needed to provide consistent care.

Some placements may involve school-age children who spend part of the day at school, while others may require more direct care at home. A child may also have appointments, education meetings, supervised contact or additional support needs. Your work pattern will therefore be considered alongside the likely age range and needs of the children you are seeking to foster.

What to discuss during the assessment

Be open about your normal working arrangements and any foreseeable changes. It can help to prepare information about your contract, shift rota, travel time, working-from-home arrangements and the flexibility available through your employer. You may also need to explain how caring responsibilities would be managed if a placement changed unexpectedly or required additional meetings and appointments.

Discuss the following with your assessing social worker:

• how care would be organised while you are at work;
• which adults could provide support and whether they would need the appropriate checks or approval;
• whether your employer offers parental, carers’ or other relevant leave;
• whether you could use annual leave or adjust your working pattern when a child first arrives;
• how emergencies, sickness and school holidays would be managed; and
• whether your preferred placement types need a particular level of daytime availability.

Your employer does not usually make the approval decision, but you should understand your workplace policies before applying. You may choose to speak with your employer or human resources department about flexibility, leave and confidentiality. You should not share a child’s personal information with an employer or colleagues unless this is appropriate and authorised.

Training and assessment commitments

Assessment involves more than completing forms. You will normally need to take part in discussions, provide information for checks, attend preparation training and contribute to visits about your household and approach to caring. These commitments should be planned alongside work so that the assessment can consider your circumstances accurately.

Keeping your job during assessment can also help you and the fostering service understand whether your proposed arrangements are workable in practice. If you expect to change roles, reduce hours or stop working, explain whether this is a firm plan or only something you are considering. The assessment should be based on an honest picture of how your household would operate.

If your work pattern changes after approval

Approval is not the end of the discussion about employment. If you change jobs, take on substantially different hours, begin regular travel or your household’s support arrangements change, tell your fostering service. The change may affect the types of placements that are appropriate or require an updated plan.

Before applying, you do not need to have every employment decision finalised. However, you should be able to explain how work and fostering could operate together, identify any likely pressure points and consider what practical support would be needed. Your assessing social worker can help you examine these arrangements as part of the wider assessment.