How long does the foster carer assessment usually take?

The foster carer assessment usually takes several months from application to approval. It is a detailed process rather than a single appointment, because the fostering service must assess whether fostering is suitable for you, your household and the children you may care for. Your assessing social worker will agree the next steps with you and explain any factors affecting the timescale.

The assessment normally includes the following stages:

• Initial application and discussion: You provide basic information about yourself, your household, work, relationships, health and home. This helps establish whether fostering may be appropriate before the full assessment begins.
• Checks and references: The fostering service arranges the required identity, criminal record, health and local authority checks. References are also requested, and other members of your household may need to take part in checks or discussions. Delays can occur if information is incomplete or an organisation takes longer to respond.
• Training: Pre-approval fostering training helps you understand the role, including safeguarding, safer caring, attachment, trauma, behaviour and working with children’s families. Training may take place alongside other parts of the assessment.
• Home visits and conversations: Your assessing social worker will usually visit your home and speak with you and relevant members of your household. These discussions explore your motivation, personal experiences, support network, relationships, ability to work with professionals and capacity to provide a safe, consistent home.
• Assessment report: The social worker brings the information together in a written report. You should have the opportunity to discuss the report and identify any factual inaccuracies before it is considered for a recommendation.
• Fostering panel and decision: The completed report is considered through the fostering approval process. A recommendation is made about approval, the type of fostering that may be suitable and any terms or limits. The agency decision-maker then makes the formal decision.

The timescale can be affected by several practical factors. These include how quickly checks and references are returned, whether medical information needs further clarification, the availability of household members for visits, the amount of information needed about your circumstances and whether additional training or assessment is appropriate.

A change in your circumstances can also affect the process. Moving home, changing employment, starting or ending a relationship, changes to your health, new household members or changes involving children and pets should be discussed with your assessing social worker. The change does not automatically prevent you from fostering, but the service may need to understand its impact before completing the assessment.

You can help the process move smoothly by providing accurate information, returning forms promptly, attending agreed training and making time for visits and conversations. It is also useful to tell your assessing social worker about questions or concerns as they arise rather than waiting until the end of the assessment.

The assessment is not simply a test of whether you have previous childcare experience. It considers your ability to learn, reflect, work with professionals, manage the practical demands of fostering and provide safe, reliable care. If further information is needed, your social worker should explain why and what will happen next.

Once approval is granted, the fostering service will discuss the type of placements that may be suitable and the support available to you. If you are considering fostering in the West Midlands, our teams can explain the assessment stages and guide you through the information and preparation required.