Do fostering regulations require applicants to complete preparation training?

In England, the fostering regulations place responsibility on the fostering service to ensure that prospective foster carers are properly prepared for the role. The preparation must be relevant to fostering and form part of the agency’s wider assessment and approval process, rather than being treated as an optional information session.

The legislation does not set one national course, fixed number of hours or single examination that every applicant must complete. Each fostering service decides how to deliver its preparation programme, provided it meets the required standards and gives applicants a suitable understanding of the responsibilities involved. Training may be delivered through group sessions, online learning, individual discussions or a combination of approaches.

Preparation commonly covers:

• the legal responsibilities of foster carers and the role of the fostering service;
• safeguarding, safer caring, confidentiality and recording information;
• how trauma, loss, neglect and disrupted attachments can affect children’s behaviour and development;
• supporting children’s health, education, identity, culture and relationships with their birth family;
• managing behaviour without using inappropriate punishment;
• the possible impact of fostering on relationships, work, privacy and other household members;
• allegations, complaints and professional boundaries; and
• the practical demands of caring for children with different needs and backgrounds.

The agency should use the preparation process to help applicants decide whether fostering is suitable for their household. Attendance alone is not the only consideration. The assessing social worker will also consider whether applicants have engaged with the material, reflected on what they have learned and shown that they understand the practical and emotional demands of fostering. Applicants may be asked to discuss scenarios, complete learning activities or identify areas where they need further support.

Preparation training is separate from the full assessment, although the two processes overlap. The assessment still considers matters such as health, household circumstances, relationships, safeguarding awareness, home conditions, finances and the applicant’s ability to meet children’s needs. Training gives the applicant an opportunity to explore these issues in more depth and to raise questions before a recommendation is made.

If an applicant misses sessions, does not participate or needs additional preparation, the fostering service may arrange further training or postpone the next stage of the assessment. This is not necessarily a refusal. The appropriate response will depend on why the training was missed, what knowledge is still required and whether the applicant can demonstrate that they are ready to proceed.

Applicants should ask the agency how its programme is structured, which subjects it covers, whether everyone in the household needs to take part and what happens if adjustments are needed. Household members may not have the same formal preparation requirements as the main applicants, but their understanding and support can be relevant to the assessment. Reasonable adjustments should be discussed where a disability, caring responsibility, language issue or other circumstance affects participation.

Preparation does not end with approval. Approved foster carers normally continue learning through ongoing training and development, with subjects linked to the needs of children placed with them. The initial programme is therefore the foundation for fostering, not a substitute for the supervision, guidance and further training provided after approval.