What happens during a connected person fostering assessment?

A connected person fostering assessment is a child-specific assessment of whether you can provide safe, stable and suitable care for a child you already know or are related to. It looks beyond your relationship with the child, considering your parenting capacity, household circumstances, support network and ability to work with the child’s parents, social workers and other professionals.

The assessment begins with the child’s circumstances. The assessing social worker will consider why the child cannot currently live with their parents, what care they need now, and how their needs may change. This includes their health, development, education, identity, culture, relationships and emotional wellbeing. The child’s wishes and feelings will be considered in an age-appropriate way, alongside information from the child’s social worker, parents and other relevant professionals.

Your relationship with the child is examined carefully. The assessor may explore how long you have known them, the role you have played in their life, your understanding of their experiences and how you respond to their behaviour and emotions. Being closely related to a child does not automatically mean that fostering will be suitable; the assessment must establish whether your relationship can support safe and consistent care.

You will be asked to provide detailed information about your circumstances. This can include your childhood and previous caring experience, relationships, employment, finances, health, home life and any significant changes or stresses. The assessor will discuss how fostering could affect other children and adults in your household. Everyone who lives in the home will generally need to contribute to the assessment, and their views and ability to accept the arrangement will be considered.

• how you would manage routines, boundaries and challenging behaviour;
• how you would support the child’s education, health and contact arrangements;
• how you would help the child maintain important family, cultural and community connections;
• how you would protect the child and respond to safeguarding concerns;
• how you would work with the child’s parents without placing the child or yourself under unnecessary pressure;
• what practical help you could rely on, including family, friends and other members of your support network; and
• how you would manage disagreements, confidentiality and information sharing.

The home assessment considers whether the accommodation is suitable for the child and whether there is enough space, privacy and safety for the proposed arrangement. The assessor may discuss sleeping arrangements, household routines, pets, smoking, transport, online safety and any adaptations or equipment that may be needed. The assessment is not simply about whether a home is large or well furnished; it is about whether it can provide a safe and appropriate base for this particular child.

Checks and references help the fostering service verify the information provided and identify any issues that need further consideration. These may include criminal-record checks, local authority checks, health information and references from people who know you well. Any concern is considered in context rather than automatically treated as a reason for refusal. You should be open about relevant history, because incomplete information can make the assessment more difficult and may affect confidence in the information provided.

Preparation training helps you understand the practical responsibilities involved in caring for a child who may have experienced loss, trauma or disruption. It also gives you an opportunity to consider safer caring, attachment, behaviour, contact, confidentiality and working with professionals. Training is part of the assessment process, so questions or concerns raised during it may be discussed with your assessing social worker.

If you are being considered for temporary approval because the child needs to live with you urgently, the assessment may take place alongside the child’s placement. Temporary approval is a separate route from full approval and is limited in duration under the relevant fostering legislation. Your assessing social worker should explain the approval arrangements, any conditions and what will happen while the full assessment is completed.

At the end of the assessment, the social worker prepares a written report bringing together the information gathered, the child’s needs, your strengths, any areas requiring support and the assessor’s professional recommendation. You should have an opportunity to check the factual accuracy of the report and raise questions about anything you believe is missing or unclear.

The report is then considered through the fostering service’s approval process. A fostering panel may review the evidence and make a recommendation, although the final decision is made by the agency decision-maker. The decision may specify the type of placement or circumstances for which you are approved. You should receive the decision and information about what happens next, including any support, training or review arrangements.

If the assessment identifies concerns, this does not necessarily mean the process ends immediately. The assessing team may need further information, additional checks or a clearer plan for managing a particular risk. Where approval is not recommended or granted, the child’s social worker must continue to consider the child’s welfare and the most suitable alternative care arrangements. You should be told about the relevant decision-making and review or appeal process.

Before and throughout the assessment, keep notes of questions, appointments and documents requested by the assessing team. Tell the social worker about changes in your household, health, employment, relationships or the child’s circumstances. A connected person assessment works best when information is shared honestly and when practical concerns are discussed early, rather than left until the final report.