What is whole family foster care?

Whole family foster care is an approach in which fostering is planned around the needs and circumstances of the entire household. The approved foster carer remains responsible for the placement, but the household considers how a child or young person will fit into daily life, relationships, routines and safeguarding arrangements.

It does not mean that every member of the family becomes a foster carer or takes on the legal responsibilities of the approved carer. Instead, each person has an appropriate role in helping to provide a stable home. The level of involvement will depend on their age, relationship to the carer, understanding of fostering and the needs of the child placed.

Who can be involved? Whole family foster care may include a partner, birth children, adopted children, other relatives living in the household and, where appropriate, regular visitors who form part of the family’s support network. Everyone’s circumstances should be considered honestly during the assessment. This includes household routines, available space, relationships, health, work commitments, pets, cultural background and any changes the family may need to make.

Children already living in the household should have their views heard in an age-appropriate way. They need clear information about what fostering may involve, including changes to privacy, routines, shared spaces and family time. Their views are important, although they do not make the final approval decision alone. The assessing organisation will consider the overall safety and suitability of the household.

What does the family’s role involve? The practical role can vary between households and placements. Family members may help maintain ordinary routines, include a fostered child in suitable activities, respect agreed boundaries and tell the foster carer if they are worried about something. They may also need to adapt expectations around noise, personal belongings, visitors, transport and the use of shared areas.

Family members should not be expected to provide unsupervised care unless this has been specifically agreed, assessed and permitted within the fostering arrangements. They should not be asked to manage difficult behaviour, make decisions about contact or respond to safeguarding concerns without guidance. The approved foster carer remains responsible for following the child’s placement plan and the instructions of the fostering service and placing authority.

How is the household assessed? The fostering assessment looks at the proposed carer and the wider household rather than considering fostering in isolation. Adults in the household will normally be subject to relevant checks, and the assessing team will discuss previous experiences, relationships and any factors that could affect a placement. The exact checks and assessment requirements depend on the circumstances and the fostering service’s procedures.

The assessment also considers whether the household can offer suitable accommodation, maintain confidentiality, manage professional involvement and work with the child’s existing relationships. A child may have contact with birth family members, social workers, teachers, health professionals and other people involved in their care. Household members need to understand that information about the child is private and must only be shared appropriately.

What preparation is provided? Prospective foster carers complete preparation training and receive information about the responsibilities involved. In a whole family approach, it is useful for household members to receive information in a way they can understand, particularly where children are affected by the decision. Preparation may cover trauma and behaviour, safeguarding, safer caring, confidentiality, identity, contact with birth families and the impact of fostering on household relationships.

Training should help the family distinguish between behaviour that communicates distress and behaviour that needs firm boundaries. It should also explain how to record and report concerns. Family members need to know who to speak to if a child makes a disclosure, an incident occurs or they feel that an arrangement is not working safely.

How are placements planned? A placement should be considered against the household’s assessed skills, experience, space and existing commitments. Matching is not based only on whether a spare bedroom is available. The child’s age, needs, personality, education, culture, relationships, contact arrangements and likely impact on other household members should also be considered.

Some households may be able to care for one child, while others may be assessed for siblings or children with more complex needs. No household should feel obliged to accept a placement that does not fit its approval or current circumstances. Foster carers can discuss the information available about a proposed placement and ask how it may affect everyone in the home before agreeing.

What support is available? The approved foster carer receives ongoing supervision, guidance and training from the fostering service. Support should also address the effect of fostering on the wider household. This may include advice about family relationships, safer caring, managing allegations or concerns, maintaining routines and helping birth children understand changes at home.

Support does not remove the need for family members to communicate openly. Regular discussions can help identify problems early, such as someone feeling excluded, a child struggling with new boundaries or household routines becoming difficult to maintain. Concerns should be raised with the supervising social worker or the relevant fostering professional rather than handled informally when safety may be involved.

How do allowances work? Foster carers receive fostering allowances or other payments according to the fostering service’s arrangements and the child’s needs. These are intended to contribute towards the costs of caring for a child, but the amount and payment structure can vary. Anyone considering whole family foster care should ask for current information about allowances, expenses, tax, equipment and any financial effect on the household before applying.

Whole family foster care may be suitable for a household that can discuss change openly, protect a child’s privacy, follow professional guidance and maintain consistent boundaries. It is important to consider the effect on existing children and adults, including school routines, work, relationships, personal space and emotional wellbeing. A fostering service can explain the assessment process and help a household decide whether its circumstances are compatible with fostering before it proceeds.