What records should an agency keep during a fostering assessment?

A fostering agency’s assessment record should provide a clear, chronological account of how it gathered, checked and evaluated information before reaching a recommendation. It should allow an authorised person to understand what evidence was considered, what issues were identified, how the applicant responded and why the agency reached its conclusion.

Basic applicant and household details

The file should identify the applicant or applicants and record the household circumstances relevant to fostering. This normally includes details of household members, relationships, accommodation, employment or other regular commitments, and any changes that occur while the assessment is under way. Where a child or adult in the household has views about fostering, those views should be recorded in an appropriate way.

A dated record of the assessment process

Records should show the main stages of the assessment and when they took place. This may include:

• initial discussions and the application decision;
• assessment visits and interviews with applicants and household members;
• meetings with other relevant people;
• requests for information, checks and references;
• preparation work and any training attended;
• information still outstanding, delays or changes to the assessment plan; and
• communications about significant decisions or concerns.

Entries should be dated and attributed to the person who made them. A chronological record helps distinguish information obtained at different stages and shows whether new evidence was followed up.

Evidence and how it was verified

The agency should retain the material it relied on, or a clear record of its contents and source where the original cannot be kept on the case file. This can include reference responses, identity and safeguarding check outcomes, health information, financial information, employment details and other documents relevant to the assessment. The record should explain any significant gap, inconsistency or adverse information rather than simply noting that a check was completed.

Where information comes from another person or organisation, the record should identify its source and distinguish between a confirmed fact, an allegation, an opinion and the assessor’s interpretation. If information is disputed, the applicant’s response and the steps taken to clarify it should also be documented.

Assessment analysis, not just information collection

A proper record should show how the evidence was assessed against the requirements for foster care. It should address matters such as the applicant’s understanding of children’s needs, ability to provide safe and consistent care, relationships and support network, capacity to work with professionals, and ability to manage the potential impact of fostering on the household.

It should also record relevant strengths, limitations, risks and protective factors. If further training, support, safeguards or conditions are considered necessary, the reasons should be stated. The assessment should make clear whether a conclusion is based on direct evidence, professional judgement or information that requires further investigation.

Applicant participation and disagreements

Records should show how applicants were involved in the assessment and whether they were given an opportunity to comment on important information. If an applicant disagrees with an entry, corrects an error or raises a complaint, the agency should record this fairly rather than removing an earlier entry without an audit trail. A disagreement does not necessarily mean that the information is deleted; it should be clear that the point is contested and how it was considered.

Records of the recommendation and decision

The completed file should connect the evidence to the assessor’s recommendation. It should record any management review, the information presented to the fostering panel, the panel’s recommendation and the agency decision-maker’s decision. Reasons should be recorded where the recommendation or decision differs from the assessor’s view or from the panel’s recommendation.

The outcome should also identify any approval terms, conditions, restrictions, required actions or reasons for not proceeding. Relevant notifications to the applicant and any follow-up actions should be added to the record so that the file shows what happened after the decision.

Accuracy, confidentiality and retention

Fostering assessment records contain sensitive personal information. They should be factual, relevant, legible and kept securely, with access limited to people who have a legitimate role in the assessment, decision-making or safeguarding process. Information should be shared lawfully and only to the extent necessary for the purpose.

The agency should have a retention and disposal policy that reflects fostering legislation, data protection requirements and any applicable guidance. Records should not be destroyed simply because an application does not proceed, since the agency may need to retain a proportionate audit trail and evidence of how it handled the assessment. The relevant retention period can depend on the type of record and the circumstances of the case.

What an applicant can reasonably ask

An applicant can ask the agency how it records assessments, who can access the file, how long records are retained and how factual errors can be challenged. They can also ask how the agency records disagreements and communicates the final outcome. Access to personal information is subject to data protection rules, exemptions and the rights of other people whose information appears in the file, so the agency may need to redact or withhold some material.

In practical terms, a well-kept assessment record should allow the agency, the applicant and any authorised reviewer to follow the evidence and reasoning from the beginning of the assessment through to the final outcome. If important decisions are undocumented, dates are unclear or conclusions cannot be linked to evidence, that may be a sign that the agency should review the quality of its record-keeping process.