What happens to my fostering application if I move home?

The effect of moving home depends mainly on where you are in the fostering assessment and whether the move changes the household or the suitability of the property. Your provider will review the parts of the application that relate to your address, household circumstances and ability to meet a child’s needs before confirming the next step.

If you move during the assessment

A fostering assessment is based on your actual circumstances, so the provider must assess the home in which a child would live. A move may therefore lead to a further home visit and updated checks. The social worker may need to consider:

• whether there is suitable bedroom space and sufficient room for privacy;
• the property’s general safety, including stairs, windows, entrances, outdoor areas and any identified hazards;
• whether the home is suitable for the age and needs of children you may be approved to care for;
• how the new location affects schools, transport, health services and contact arrangements;
• the practical support available from relatives, friends and other people involved in your fostering plans; and
• whether anyone else living at the address needs to be included in the assessment.

These checks are not intended to assess whether your home is luxurious or unusually large. The focus is whether it provides a safe, stable and suitable environment for a foster child, with enough space and privacy for the proposed arrangement.

If your household also changes

Moving home often happens alongside another change, such as a new partner moving in, children leaving home, a baby arriving or another adult joining the household. Tell your social worker about these changes as well as the change of address. The provider may need to update household discussions, references, health information or statutory checks where the circumstances require it.

Pets, lodgers and regular visitors can also be relevant. They may affect the safety assessment or the arrangements needed to protect a child. Give your provider a complete picture of who lives at or regularly uses the new address rather than assuming that only permanent household members matter.

If you move to another council or provider area

A change of address can affect which local services are involved, particularly if the new property is in a different local authority area. The provider will establish whether it can continue assessing you from the new location and whether any working arrangements need to change.

If the application cannot continue with the same provider, your assessment information may need to be transferred or a new application process may be required. This is not decided solely by the distance between the two properties. It can depend on where the provider operates, which local authority services are relevant and how far the assessment has progressed. Ask how your records, completed training and existing checks will be treated before withdrawing or starting another application.

What happens to completed parts of the application?

Moving does not necessarily mean starting every part of the process again. Information already gathered may remain useful, but the provider must make sure it is current and relevant to the new circumstances. Some documents and checks relate to you personally, while others relate to your address, household or local arrangements. The latter are more likely to need updating.

Your social worker should explain which parts can be carried forward and which need to be repeated. This may include a new home assessment, updated references, revised household agreements or further discussions about the types of placements that would be suitable.

Moving after training, panel or approval

The point at which you move can affect the administration. If you move after completing training, the training record can be reviewed alongside the updated assessment. If the move happens shortly before a fostering panel considers your application, the provider may need to complete the relevant property and household information first so that the panel is considering accurate circumstances.

If you have already been approved, a move is still important to report before a child is placed at the new address. The provider may need to reassess the property and agree whether the existing approval remains suitable. Any placement already in progress will require careful planning, because a move can affect the child’s school, family contact, routines and support network.

Information to provide about the new home

Give your provider the new address as soon as your plans are sufficiently definite, together with information about the expected moving date and any changes to the household. It is helpful to explain whether the property is rented or owned, whether the move is temporary or permanent, and whether the number or use of bedrooms will change.

Keep your social worker informed if the moving date changes or the new property becomes unavailable. Do not assume that an informal move, temporary accommodation or staying with relatives can be treated in the same way as a permanent address; each arrangement may require a different assessment.

Questions to ask your fostering provider

• Will the assessment continue with the same social worker and provider?
• Which home visits, checks or documents need updating?
• Will the new location affect the types of placements that can be considered?
• Can completed training and assessment records be carried forward?
• Could the move affect the timing of panel consideration or the agency decision?
• What support and local arrangements will apply at the new address?

Keep copies of important correspondence and provide accurate details throughout the move. Prompt, clear communication gives the provider the information needed to decide whether your application can progress, what must be reassessed and whether any formal transfer is necessary.