What checks are needed to become an emergency foster carer?

Emergency fostering does not bypass the normal safeguarding assessment. The emergency element relates to the type of placement you may offer, not to a lower standard of approval. Before you can be approved, the fostering service must gather enough reliable information to decide whether you can provide safe, stable and suitable care, including when a child arrives with limited background information.

The checks are completed as part of a wider assessment. They are not usually treated as isolated pass-or-fail tests. The assessing social worker considers the information from each source alongside your circumstances, motivation, household relationships, practical skills and ability to follow safeguarding procedures.

What the assessment usually involves

• Initial screening: You will discuss your household, accommodation, work and family commitments, experience with children, reasons for fostering and the type of emergency placements you may be able to consider. This helps identify any issues that need further information before a formal application progresses.
• Detailed interviews: The assessing social worker will normally meet you more than once and explore how you respond to stress, manage behaviour, communicate with professionals and protect a child’s privacy and safety. If you are applying as a couple, both applicants will be assessed, including how you make decisions together.
• Household assessment: Other members of your household may be spoken to, according to their age and circumstances. The service needs to understand how fostering could affect everyone at home and whether the household can respect boundaries, confidentiality and safer-care arrangements.
• Home visit: The accommodation is considered in practical terms, including sleeping arrangements, privacy, storage, fire safety and whether the home can provide an appropriate environment for a child. The exact requirements can depend on the child’s age, needs and the type of approval sought.
• Background information: The service may need to clarify previous addresses, time spent living abroad, earlier involvement with children’s services, previous fostering or adoption applications, and relevant family or relationship history. Further enquiries can be made where the information suggests that more context is needed.
• Financial and employment information: You may be asked about household finances and employment arrangements. This is not simply about income; it helps establish whether you can manage the practical demands of fostering and whether your work commitments are compatible with the proposed placements.

How information from a DBS check is considered

A disclosure does not automatically mean that an application will be refused. The fostering service will consider the nature of an offence, how long ago it occurred, the circumstances, any pattern of behaviour and its relevance to caring for children. Some offences and safeguarding concerns will be treated particularly seriously, but the decision must be based on the full assessment and the applicable fostering regulations and guidance.

You should be open about matters that may appear in the assessment rather than waiting for them to be discovered. If information is incomplete or inconsistent, the service may need to make additional enquiries, which can affect the progress of the assessment.

What happens if there is a concern?

A concern is considered in context. The assessing social worker may ask for supporting information, speak to another professional or seek your explanation before making a recommendation. Some issues may lead to additional safeguards, a change to the age range or needs you are considered for, or a decision that fostering is not suitable. The reasons should be explained to you as the assessment develops.

Health information is used to consider whether you can undertake fostering safely and sustainably. It is not a general judgement about your medical history. You should explain any condition, treatment or support that could affect caring responsibilities, particularly where emergency placements may involve uncertainty about routines, behaviour or emotional needs.

How the checks lead to approval

When the information has been gathered, the assessing social worker prepares a written assessment and recommendation. This is considered through the fostering service’s approval process, which normally includes an independent fostering panel or equivalent decision-making arrangement. The final decision sets out the terms of approval, such as the number, age range or needs of children you may foster.

Approval is not the end of safeguarding checks. Relevant information may need to be updated, and your circumstances should be reported to the fostering service if they change. You must also continue to follow safer-care guidance, recording requirements and any conditions attached to your approval.

If you are considering emergency fostering, ask the fostering service which documents it needs first and whether any part of your history requires explanation. Providing accurate information at the outset makes it easier to assess your suitability fairly and identify the support or preparation you may need before accepting an emergency placement.