Who in the household should attend foster parent training hours?

Attendance is normally based on the part each person will play in fostering, rather than simply their relationship to the applicant. Anyone who will share responsibility for the fostered child or have a regular, significant role in family life should be included in the relevant training and preparation.

For a couple applying together, both applicants should attend the full programme. This applies whether they are married, civil partners or unmarried partners. The assessment considers how both people understand fostering, respond to challenging situations and work together to provide consistent care. One person should not attend on behalf of the other.

Other adults in the home may also need to attend some or all of the training. This can include:

• adult sons or daughters who live in the household;
• grandparents or other relatives who provide regular childcare or practical support;
• lodgers or other adults whose presence may affect the household environment; and
• adults who will regularly transport, supervise or spend time with the fostered child.

The fostering service will usually decide what involvement is appropriate after discussing the household’s circumstances. An adult who lives in the property but has no role in day-to-day family life may not need the same level of attendance as someone who will be closely involved. The important consideration is whether their views, behaviour, availability or relationship with the applicants could affect the child’s care and experience of the household.

Children already living in the home are not generally expected to complete the same training as adult applicants. However, their age, understanding and circumstances should be taken into account. They may be given age-appropriate information about fostering and the changes it could bring to privacy, routines, belongings, shared spaces and parental attention. Their views can form part of the assessment, particularly where they will be living alongside a fostered child.

Attendance is useful because fostering affects the whole household. Training can help family members understand safeguarding, confidentiality, contact with birth families, safer caring, boundaries, behaviour that may be linked to past experiences and the importance of consistent household rules. It also gives people an opportunity to consider practical questions, such as how foster care may affect holidays, friendships, bedrooms, transport and family routines.

If a household member cannot attend a scheduled session, the applicant should tell the fostering service rather than assuming the absence will not matter. The service may arrange another session, provide an alternative learning activity or explain whether that person needs to attend at all. Missing part of the programme without agreement may leave gaps in preparation and could affect the progress of the assessment.

Before training begins, applicants should make a complete list of the people who live in or regularly visit the household, including those who provide informal support. Discussing these relationships with the assessing social worker helps the service identify who needs direct preparation and ensures that everyone with a meaningful role understands the responsibilities involved.