What checks will a fostering agency near me carry out?

Checks carried out by a fostering agency form part of a statutory assessment of your suitability to foster. They are used to verify the information in your application, identify anything that could affect a child’s safety or wellbeing, and understand what support you may need before approval. The agency must consider the full picture rather than making a decision from one check in isolation.

What the assessment checks are designed to establish

• Whether you can provide consistent care, appropriate boundaries and a stable home environment.
• Whether your circumstances are suitable for the type of fostering you are considering.
• Whether there are safeguarding concerns or unresolved issues that could affect a child placed with you.
• Whether you understand the responsibilities of fostering and can work constructively with professionals, birth families and other agencies.
• Whether you have the health, practical capacity and support network needed for the role.

Criminal record information

An enhanced DBS check is normally required for every applicant. The agency will also consider relevant information disclosed by the police, including matters that may not result in a conviction. Other adults in the household, and people who regularly care for children in the home, may also need appropriate checks. The purpose is not simply to look for convictions; the agency considers the nature of any information, how long ago it occurred, the circumstances and what has changed since then.

A previous offence does not automatically mean that you cannot foster. It must be declared and assessed honestly. Certain offences involving children or serious violence may prevent approval, while other matters require an individual risk assessment. Failing to disclose information can create a greater concern than the information itself, particularly if it is later found through the checking process.

Information from other organisations

With the necessary consent, the agency may contact local authorities and other relevant services to check whether there is information connected with your suitability to foster. This can include previous involvement with children’s services, earlier applications to foster or adopt, and any concerns or allegations relevant to safeguarding. If you have lived outside the UK, the agency may ask about overseas addresses and seek police or other official information where this is possible.

The agency should explain the reason for requesting information and give you an opportunity to discuss anything that may affect the assessment. Confidential information about another person may need to be handled carefully, so the agency may not be able to disclose every detail it receives.

Medical assessment

A medical adviser considers information from your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional. This is not intended to require perfect health. It is about understanding whether a medical condition, disability or medication could affect your ability to care for a child, and whether adjustments or additional support would be appropriate. The assessment may consider stamina, mobility, emotional wellbeing and any condition that could affect day-to-day caring responsibilities.

You should give accurate information about your health and discuss any concerns openly. The agency may need further medical information if the initial report does not provide enough detail. A medical issue should be considered alongside your actual circumstances, the age and needs of children you may care for, and the support available to you.

Financial and employment information

The agency needs to establish that your household is financially stable and that fostering payments would not be the only means of meeting essential household costs. You may be asked for evidence such as income details, regular outgoings, debts and other financial commitments. This is not generally a creditworthiness test; it is an assessment of whether financial pressure could affect the care provided or create a safeguarding concern.

Employment arrangements are also considered because fostering may involve appointments, training, school commitments and caring responsibilities. If you work, the agency will discuss how your working pattern could fit with fostering and what arrangements would be needed for a child placed with you.

References and personal history

References usually come from people who know you well enough to comment on your reliability, relationships, communication and ability to care for others. The agency may ask referees about your personal circumstances, how you respond under pressure and whether they have any concerns about you fostering. A former partner may also be approached where relevant, particularly where the relationship involved shared children or a significant period of your adult life.

The assessment is likely to explore your childhood, significant relationships, experiences of parenting or caring, and any major changes or difficult events. This is not intended to judge you for having faced challenges. It helps the assessing social worker understand your strengths, possible triggers, coping strategies and the kinds of support that may be helpful.

Home and household assessment

The assessing social worker will normally visit your home and speak with household members. They will look at practical matters such as sleeping arrangements, privacy, safety, space, pets, transport and how a child would fit into family life. The home does not need to be luxurious, but it must be suitable, safe and capable of meeting the needs of the child considered for placement.

Children and other household members may be asked how they feel about fostering. Their views matter because fostering affects everyone in the household. The agency may also consider who visits regularly, who could have unsupervised contact with a foster child and whether household boundaries are clear.

How the checks fit into the application

• You provide initial information about yourself, your household and your reasons for fostering.
• The agency explains the assessment, requests consent and identifies the checks and documents needed.
• Checks, interviews, home visits and preparation training take place alongside one another.
• The assessing social worker brings the information together in a written assessment, including strengths, risks and any recommendations.
• An independent fostering panel usually considers the assessment before the agency’s decision-maker makes the approval decision.

You should be told if information raises a concern and have a chance to correct factual errors or provide context. The agency may recommend additional safeguards, training, supervision or a particular type of placement rather than treating every concern as an automatic refusal. Approval can also include conditions about the number or ages of children placed, depending on the assessment.

To prepare, gather identity and address documents, contact details for referees, employment and financial information, and details of previous addresses or relevant applications. Tell the agency about convictions, cautions, health conditions, significant family changes and previous involvement with children’s services at the earliest opportunity. Honest, complete information allows the assessment to focus on suitability and support rather than unexpected issues later in the process.