Can I decline a foster to adopt placement?

Yes. You can decline a proposed foster to adopt placement if, after considering the information available, you do not believe it is suitable for your household or for the child. Your approval does not mean you must accept every referral. However, the decision should be made carefully and discussed with your fostering agency, because foster to adopt placements involve a child’s immediate care as well as possible long-term permanence.

A proposed placement should be considered through the usual matching process. This includes the child’s age, health, development, behaviour, known history, contact arrangements and likely care needs. You should also consider how the placement would affect everyone in your household, including any children already living with you. Practical matters such as bedrooms, school arrangements, work, support from relatives or friends, and your ability to attend appointments may all be relevant.

Ask your assessing social worker or supervising social worker for clear information about:

• why the child is being considered for a foster to adopt placement;
• the child’s known medical, developmental and emotional needs;
• the current plan for rehabilitation, adoption or another form of permanence;
• any uncertainty about the plan and the decisions still to be made;
• birth family contact and how it may be managed;
• the support, training and specialist advice available to you; and
• the likely effect of the placement on your household and existing commitments.

You do not need to accept a placement simply because you have been approved for foster to adopt. It is appropriate to say that you need more information, ask for time to consider the referral, or explain that the match does not fit your approval, circumstances or experience. A refusal should not be based on assumptions about a child. It should be based on the information available, your ability to meet the child’s needs and the risks of accepting a placement that is not properly matched.

Tell the agency as soon as possible if you are considering declining. Explain your reasons openly and ask for them to be recorded. The agency can then review whether the concern relates to this particular referral, a temporary change in your circumstances or the type of placement you are currently able to consider. Declining one referral does not automatically mean that you are no longer suitable to foster, although repeated refusals or a significant change in your circumstances may lead to a review of your approval or matching range.

It is also important to distinguish between declining a proposed placement and ending a placement that has already started. Before a child moves in, you can tell the agency that you do not wish to proceed. Once a child is living with you, you should not make an immediate or informal decision to end the arrangement without involving your supervising social worker and the child’s social worker, except where there is an urgent safeguarding concern. The agency and local authority need to assess the situation and agree safe arrangements that protect the child’s welfare.

If your concern is about information that was not disclosed, a change in the child’s needs or a risk that you cannot manage, raise it straight away. Do not feel that accepting a referral means you must cope alone or continue regardless of serious concerns. Your agency should help you understand the situation, review the available support and consider the safest next steps.

Before making a decision, it can help to write down:

• what you understand about the child’s needs and permanence plan;
• which parts of the proposed care you feel able to manage;
• which areas concern you and what information is missing;
• how the placement would affect other members of your household; and
• what additional training, advice or practical support would be needed.

The final decision should be based on suitability rather than pressure or guilt. A well-matched placement gives the child the best chance of receiving consistent care and allows you to begin the fostering relationship with a realistic understanding of what is involved. If you are unsure, speak to your fostering agency before accepting or declining so that the decision is informed, recorded and focused on the child’s welfare.