How does the fostering assessment process work in Worcestershire?

The fostering assessment process in Worcestershire is a structured suitability assessment carried out by qualified fostering professionals. It considers whether you, your household and your home can provide safe, consistent and appropriate care for a child or young person, while giving you opportunities to explain your circumstances and ask questions about fostering.

What the assessment is designed to establish

The assessment looks at your motivation to foster, your understanding of children’s needs and your ability to work with social workers, schools, health professionals and birth families. It also considers how you manage change, stress, boundaries, confidentiality and challenging behaviour. You do not need to have experience of fostering specifically, but you will need to show that you are willing to learn, reflect on your approach and put a child’s needs first.

Your assessing social worker will explore your personal history, relationships, support network, employment and finances, lifestyle, health and any previous experience of caring for children. The purpose is not to expect a perfect family background. It is to understand what has shaped you, how you respond to difficulties and what support may help you foster safely.

Checks involving you and your household

Fostering assessments include statutory and household checks. These commonly cover criminal record checks, health information, local authority checks, personal and employment references where relevant, and checks on other adults living in or regularly visiting the home. Everyone in the household needs to understand the impact fostering may have on privacy, routines and family life.

Any information identified through checks should be discussed openly with the assessing social worker. A conviction, previous involvement with services or difficult period in your history does not automatically mean that you cannot foster; its relevance, seriousness, context and how long ago it occurred will be considered. Deliberately withholding information can create greater concerns than the information itself.

Home assessment and household discussions

Home visits allow the assessor to consider practical matters such as space, privacy, safety, sleeping arrangements, transport and the suitability of the wider environment. The home does not need to be luxurious, but it must provide a safe and appropriate space for a child. The assessor may identify changes or safety improvements that need to be completed before approval.

Where appropriate, children and other household members will be included in discussions. Their views matter because fostering affects everyone in the home. The assessment will consider how you plan to maintain family routines, manage confidentiality and respond if a child’s needs affect the household.

Training and preparation

Preparation training helps applicants understand the realities of fostering before a recommendation is made. Topics may include attachment, trauma, safeguarding, safer caring, equality and identity, managing behaviour, allegations, recording information and working with professionals. Training is also a chance to reflect on your assumptions and identify areas where you need further development.

Attendance alone is not the only consideration. Your participation, willingness to learn and ability to apply the information to realistic situations will contribute to the overall assessment. You may also be asked to complete preparation work or discuss examples with your assessing social worker.

Interviews and evidence gathering

The assessing social worker will usually hold several detailed discussions with you and may speak with people who know you well. Questions can cover your childhood, relationships, parenting or caring experience, work, significant life events, beliefs and support network. Some conversations may be held separately with applicants in a couple so that each person can express their views openly.

The assessor uses these discussions, documents, references, checks, training and observations to build an evidence-based picture of your suitability. You should provide accurate information and raise questions or concerns as they arise. If circumstances change during the assessment—for example, your health, household composition, employment or accommodation—you should tell the fostering service.

The assessment report and decision

At the end of the assessment, the social worker prepares a detailed report, commonly known as a Form F assessment report. It summarises the information gathered, identifies strengths and areas requiring support, and explains what type of fostering may be suitable. You should have an opportunity to check factual accuracy and comment on the report before it is considered.

The report is presented to a fostering panel. The panel considers the evidence and makes a recommendation about approval, including the terms of approval such as the age range, number of children or types of placements that may be suitable. The agency decision-maker then makes the formal decision, taking the panel’s recommendation into account.

If approval is not recommended, or if the proposed terms do not reflect your expectations, the fostering service should explain the reasons and the options available to you. These may include providing further information, requesting a review or using the relevant representations procedure. Your assessing social worker should explain the procedure that applies to your circumstances.

How to prepare for an assessment

• Be ready to discuss your motivation and what you understand about fostering.
• Think about how fostering could affect relationships, work, routines, privacy and family life.
• Be open about health, finances, criminal records, previous professional involvement and significant personal experiences.
• Consider who could provide practical and emotional support.
• Keep requested documents organised and ask for clarification if a question or form is unclear.
• Use training and supervision discussions to identify support or learning needs rather than trying to give answers you think the assessor wants to hear.

The assessment is intended to reach a safe, informed decision rather than to catch applicants out. Honest discussion gives the fostering service a clearer basis for deciding whether fostering is suitable, what preparation is needed and which placements could be appropriate for your household. Local guidance is available from Become a Foster Family through its Worcestershire team and wider West Midlands support network.