What happens to your fostering approval after a placement ends?

Fostering approval is linked to your ongoing suitability, capacity and agreed approval terms, rather than to one individual child. This means a completed placement is normally followed by a period of review and planning, not an automatic end to your role as a foster carer.

After the child has left, your supervising social worker will usually discuss how the placement affected you and your household. This may include the child’s needs, the support provided, any safeguarding or behavioural concerns, what worked well and what could have been handled differently. The discussion helps the fostering agency decide whether your existing approval terms still reflect your circumstances.

Your approval terms may specify matters such as:

• the number of children you can foster;
• the age range or age group you are approved for;
• whether you can care for children with particular needs;
• whether you can offer emergency, short-term, long-term, respite or other types of care; and
• whether there are household or accommodation arrangements that affect the placements you can accept.

Those terms may remain unchanged if your circumstances and skills continue to match them. However, you might decide that a different type of fostering would be more appropriate. For example, you may want to request approval for a different age group, reduce the number of children in placement, take a planned pause, or stop offering a particular form of care. Any proposed change should be discussed with your supervising social worker so that its effect on approval, training and future matching is clear.

If you remain approved

You can remain an approved foster carer even when you do not currently have a child placed with you. Your agency should explain what it expects during this period, including supervision, training, recording and participation in reviews. You may also use the time to reflect on the previous placement, complete relevant learning and consider what type of placement would be suitable next.

Remaining approved does not mean that you have to accept every referral. A proposed placement should be considered against your approval terms, household circumstances, experience, available space and ability to meet the child’s needs. It is appropriate to ask for information and discuss whether the match is suitable before making a decision.

If your circumstances have changed

Tell your agency about changes that could affect your approval. Examples include a change in health, employment, relationship, household membership, accommodation, caring responsibilities or ability to provide a particular type of care. The agency may need to update its assessment, arrange additional training or recommend a variation to your approval terms.

A change does not necessarily mean that you will lose approval. The relevant question is whether you can continue to provide safe, consistent and suitable care, and whether your approval accurately describes what you can offer. Your agency should explain the reason for any proposed amendment and the steps involved.

If you want to end your approval

You can discuss resigning as a foster carer with your agency. Before doing so, consider whether you need a temporary break instead, particularly if the placement ending has left you uncertain about fostering or you need time to manage a change at home. Your supervising social worker can explain the practical consequences of resignation, including how records, training and any future application would be handled.

If you resign, this is different from an agency deciding that you are no longer suitable to foster. Where an agency proposes to end approval or make a significant change that you do not agree with, formal procedures apply. These may involve consideration by the fostering panel, a decision by the agency’s decision-maker and information about your rights to make representations or seek an independent review, where applicable. The exact process depends on the decision being proposed and the applicable fostering regulations.

What happens to support and reviews?

The end of a placement is a useful point to review your development needs and wellbeing. You may be offered a debrief, supervision or other support, particularly where the placement ended unexpectedly or was demanding. This is separate from deciding whether your approval continues, although information from the review may help the agency understand what support or training would be useful.

Your approval also remains subject to the agency’s normal review arrangements. Reviews consider whether you continue to meet the requirements for fostering and whether your approval terms remain appropriate. Keep records of training, supervision and significant discussions, and raise any disagreement promptly rather than assuming that silence means a change has been made.

Ask your fostering agency to confirm in writing your current approval status, approval terms, any actions from the post-placement review and what you need to do before being considered for another placement. If you are unsure whether you want to continue, you can ask for advice about the available options before making a final decision.