Which checks are required during the foster care licensing process?

The fostering assessment involves a series of statutory and practical checks designed to assess your suitability, your household’s circumstances and the safety of your home. The agency carrying out the assessment will explain which checks apply to you, obtain the necessary consent and consider the information alongside interviews, references and your wider assessment.

Identity and household checks

You will normally need to provide evidence of your identity, address and immigration or residency status where relevant. The agency will also establish who lives in, regularly visits or has a significant role in your household. Household members aged 16 or over may need to complete checks, because their background and attitude towards fostering can affect the safety and stability of the home.

Enhanced DBS checks

Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks are a central part of the process. They are generally required for prospective foster carers and other adults in the household. Depending on the circumstances, checks may also be relevant to people who regularly stay at the property or provide substantial childcare.

A DBS disclosure does not automatically prevent someone from fostering. The agency will consider the nature of any offence, when it occurred, the person’s age at the time, the circumstances and any evidence of rehabilitation. Certain offences involving children or vulnerable people can have serious implications, so full and honest disclosure is important. Trying to conceal relevant information can create greater concern than the original matter.

If you have lived outside the UK, additional police or criminal-record information may be requested where it is available. The precise process depends on the country involved and the records that can be obtained.

Local authority and safeguarding enquiries

Enquiries may be made with local authorities where you have lived or where children connected with your household have received services. These checks can identify relevant information relating to safeguarding, children’s services involvement or previous concerns. They are not limited to cases where a child has been removed from a family.

The agency may need to understand the outcome of any previous child protection involvement, allegations or investigations. The purpose is to assess risk fairly and in context, rather than to assume that any contact with children’s services means you cannot foster.

Health assessment

A medical assessment is usually completed by your GP or another appropriately qualified health professional. It considers whether your physical and mental health would allow you to meet the demands of fostering, including caring for children who may have complex needs or disrupted routines.

The assessment is not intended to require perfect health. Relevant conditions, medication, disabilities or periods of ill health should be discussed openly so that their practical impact can be understood. You may be asked for further medical information if the initial report does not provide enough detail.

References and employment checks

Personal referees are normally people who know you well enough to comment on your relationships, reliability, values and ability to care for children. Referees are often interviewed directly rather than being asked only for a written statement. The agency may also seek an employer’s reference, particularly where your employment affects your availability or involves work with children.

Previous fostering, adoption, childcare or other relevant experience may require additional verification. If you have previously been approved as a foster carer or adopter, information may be requested from the former agency or assessing organisation, including the reasons for any resignation or change of approval.

Financial checks

The assessment usually includes a discussion about your finances. This is to establish that your household is financially stable and that fostering payments would not be needed simply to cover unmanageable debt or essential living costs. You may be asked about income, regular expenditure, debts, benefits and housing costs. The aim is not to assess wealth, but to understand whether financial pressure could affect your capacity to care.

Home and safety assessment

An assessing social worker will visit your home to consider whether it provides suitable space, privacy and safety. The assessment can cover sleeping arrangements, fire safety, secure storage for medicines and hazardous substances, pets, outdoor areas, transport and any adaptations that may be needed.

The home does not have to be large or luxurious. Requirements can depend on the age, number and needs of the children you may be approved to care for. You may need to make practical changes before approval, such as improving safety measures or arranging an appropriate bedroom.

Questions about relationships and support

Interviews will explore your relationships, household routines, experience of caring for children, approach to behaviour, ability to work with professionals and understanding of children’s backgrounds. The agency may also ask how disagreements are managed and how fostering could affect existing children or other household members.

Your support network may be discussed, particularly if relatives or friends could help with practical tasks. People who provide regular care or transport may need to be identified and assessed according to their role. This does not mean that every visitor to your home will be subject to the same checks as a foster carer.

Information to prepare

• Identity and address documents for the adults in your household.
• Details of previous addresses, employment and significant relationships.
• Information about any criminal convictions, cautions, investigations or safeguarding concerns.
• GP details and relevant medical information.
• Contact details for suitable personal and employment referees.
• Information about pets, vehicles, childcare arrangements and home safety.

Checks can take longer when information is incomplete, when records need to be obtained from another area or country, or when an issue requires further explanation. Tell the assessing social worker about changes to your household, health, employment, address or circumstances during the assessment. Keeping information accurate and up to date helps the agency make a balanced recommendation to the fostering panel and the decision-maker.