How do I apply to become a connected person foster carer?

Applying to become a connected person foster carer involves being assessed for your ability to care for a specific child who is already known to you, such as a relative, friend or someone in your wider family network. The application is usually coordinated with the child’s local authority and includes checks, home visits, interviews, preparation training and a formal recommendation about whether approval is appropriate.

Start by speaking to the child’s social worker

If you are being considered to care for a child, the child’s social worker should explain why connected person foster care is being explored and what the assessment will involve. You can also contact a fostering service directly if you have been asked to come forward or believe you may be able to care for a child known to you. Tell the service how you are connected to the child, what contact you currently have and whether the child is already living with you.

The social worker and fostering service will consider the child’s circumstances, wishes, relationships and care plan. They will also discuss whether fostering is the right legal and practical arrangement, or whether another type of kinship care may be more suitable.

Complete the initial information and consent forms

At the beginning, you will be asked for information about yourself, your household and your relationship with the child. This normally includes:

• your identity, address and contact details;
• your relationship with the child and your history of caring for them;
• the adults and children living in your household;
• your employment, financial circumstances and availability to provide care;
• your health and any support needs;
• previous addresses and relevant personal history; and
• details of people who can provide references about your character and ability to care.

You will need to give consent for the fostering service to complete statutory and safeguarding checks. Being related to a child or already having a close relationship with them does not remove the need for these checks. The purpose is to establish whether the proposed arrangement is safe and suitable for the child.

Take part in suitability checks

The checks may include criminal record checks for relevant household members, local authority and social care checks, employment references, personal references, identity checks and health information from your doctor. The service will also consider any previous involvement with children’s services, concerns about domestic abuse, substance misuse or other matters that could affect the child’s safety.

A previous conviction, health condition or difficult personal circumstance does not automatically prevent someone from applying. The important issue is whether the information affects your ability to provide safe, reliable and appropriate care. You should give complete and accurate information, as failing to disclose something can create difficulties during the assessment.

Prepare your home and household

A supervising social worker will visit your home to assess practical arrangements. This includes the child’s bedroom or sleeping space, privacy, security, fire safety, household routines and access to transport and local services. You may need to make changes before approval, such as installing safety equipment or reorganising sleeping arrangements.

Everyone in the household will have a part to play. Adults may be interviewed separately, and children in the household may be spoken to in an age-appropriate way. The assessment will consider how existing family relationships may be affected, how disagreements will be managed and whether the household can respect the child’s confidentiality and boundaries.

Complete preparation training

Connected person foster carers complete preparation training designed around the realities of caring for a child who may have experienced loss, neglect, abuse, disrupted relationships or uncertainty about their future. Training commonly covers safeguarding, trauma and attachment, managing behaviour, promoting education and health, working with the child’s parents, information sharing, recording and the role of the fostering service.

Training is also an opportunity to consider the emotional demands of caring for a child within your own family or social network. You should use it to ask how contact will be managed, what information you can share, how professional disagreements are handled and what support is available if the child’s needs change.

Take part in the full assessment

The assessing social worker will meet with you over a series of visits and prepare a detailed assessment report. They will explore your childhood and adult experiences, relationships, parenting or caring experience, strengths, vulnerabilities, support network and understanding of the child’s needs.

The assessment is not simply a test of whether you care about the child. It must establish whether you can offer consistent care, follow safeguarding arrangements, work with professionals, support appropriate family contact and put the child’s welfare ahead of competing pressures. You should be open about areas where you need advice or practical help.

Understand the approval decision

When the assessment is complete, the report is considered through the fostering service’s decision-making process. Depending on the circumstances, this may involve a fostering panel making a recommendation before the agency decision-maker reaches the formal decision. You will usually have an opportunity to read the report, identify factual inaccuracies and share your views.

If you are approved, the approval will relate to the child or children and the terms agreed by the fostering service. These may cover the number and age range of children, sleeping arrangements and any specific conditions. You will receive information about your responsibilities, supervision, training, recording and support.

If the child needs a placement before the full assessment is finished, the local authority may consider temporary approval arrangements where the legal requirements are met. This is separate from full approval and does not mean that all checks or assessment work can be skipped. Ask the child’s social worker to explain the arrangements, timescales and safeguards that would apply.

Before you apply

Gather relevant documents, speak honestly with the people in your household and consider how the arrangement could affect work, existing relationships, school routines and contact with the child’s parents. Ask who will supervise you, who to contact in an emergency, what training is required and how financial arrangements will be explained. A fostering service can guide you through each stage, but the final decision must be based on the child’s safety, welfare and long-term needs.