What can delay the fostering process?

The fostering process is usually delayed when a required stage cannot be completed or the fostering panel needs more information before making a recommendation. Some delays are within an applicant’s control, while others result from appointment availability, the complexity of the assessment or the need to coordinate information from several people and organisations.

Common causes of delay include:

• Missed or rearranged assessment visits: The assessment normally involves several discussions with applicants and, where relevant, other members of the household. If visits are repeatedly postponed, the assessing social worker may not be able to complete the assessment report on schedule.
• Training dates not fitting the applicant’s circumstances: Applicants are usually expected to complete preparation training as part of the assessment journey. If a suitable course is not attended or has to be rearranged, later stages may need to wait.
• Additional questions from the assessing social worker: An assessment can take longer when the agency needs to explore areas such as parenting experience, household relationships, employment arrangements, support networks, space in the home or the types of placements being considered. This is not necessarily a problem with the application; it allows the assessment to be accurate and thorough.
• Information held by another organisation: The assessment may involve information from local authorities, schools, employers, health professionals or other relevant bodies. If an organisation takes longer to provide clarification, the fostering agency may need to wait before finalising its report.
• Panel scheduling: Once the assessment is complete, it generally needs to be considered by a fostering panel. Panel dates are arranged in advance, so completing the report shortly after a meeting date may mean waiting for the next available opportunity.
• A request for further information: A panel may defer a recommendation if it considers that an important point has not been addressed clearly enough. The agency may then arrange further discussions or request additional evidence before the application returns to panel.
• Complex household circumstances: Applications can require more assessment where there are several children or adults in the household, complicated work patterns, significant caring responsibilities or a need to consider how different types of placement would fit safely within family life.

A delay does not automatically mean that an application will be refused. Fostering decisions must be based on a careful assessment of whether the household can meet children’s needs safely and consistently. Taking additional time can therefore be appropriate where the assessing team needs to understand the applicant’s circumstances fully.

You can reduce avoidable delays by agreeing the next stage with your assessing social worker, attending arranged visits and training, responding to questions in full and letting the team know promptly if an appointment needs to be changed. It is also useful to ask which parts of the assessment are complete, what remains outstanding and whether anything is needed before the report can proceed.

There is no single timetable that applies to every applicant. The overall length depends on the applicant’s circumstances, the assessment’s complexity, the availability of relevant people and the point at which the fostering panel can consider the completed report. Your assessing team should be able to explain the reason for any delay and what needs to happen next.