How to become a foster parent

Step 1 – Make an enquiry

The first step to becoming a foster parent is to make an online enquiry expressing your interest. Or you can give us an old-fashioned phone call on 0333 300 7067 – we're always happy to talk.

Our friendly fostering team will chat with you and answer any questions you may have. They’ll also ask some basic questions such as your age and whether you have a spare bedroom, to ensure you meet the basic criteria. This is a great chance to find out more about fostering, without the obligation to proceed. If you are interested in taking the next step, we can then arrange a home visit.

Step 2 – Home visit

Following the initial phone call, the next step will be to arrange a home visit to have a more in-depth conversation about your family, job, health, reasons for wanting to foster and any experience with children you might have. These visits usually last between 1-2 hours and are a great opportunity for us to get to know each other and determine if foster care is really right for you and your family – and also that we’re the right fostering provider for you.

Following this, we’ll invite you to make an application to us. It’s possible we might feel the time isn’t quite right for you to join our fostering service. If this is the case, we’ll let you know and, if appropriate, offer you advice on other alternatives.

Step 3 – Preparation training

Our preparation training is exactly what it sounds like; a course to prepare you for fostering and caring for a child. ‘Prepare to Foster’ training is usually a 3-day course and is run regionally. It’s important you make time to attend this training as you can’t progress to a panel review without having completed it.

Alongside this training, you’ll also complete our ‘Next Steps to Fostering’. This is done in the comfort of your own home during the assessment process, and your social worker will guide you through it.

Step 4 – Assessment

Once your application has been accepted, an experienced social worker will carry out the fostering assessment. They’ll visit your home around 8 times, meeting with your personal referee, members of the household and any adult children you have living away from home to determine your suitability for fostering. Off the back of this, an in-depth report will be prepared called the ‘Form F’, which you’ll also be able to contribute to.

Step 5 – Fostering panel

Once the assessment is complete, you’ll be invited to attend a panel meeting. This is where the ‘Form F’ report is reviewed by an independent group of people with extensive knowledge of fostering. You’ll be asked questions about yourself and the report so they’re able to put forward a recommendation about your suitability to foster. This recommendation, along with the ‘Form F’, is given to our Agency Decision Maker, who will make the final decision about your approval.

While it may sound daunting, most people say their panel meeting was much less intimidating than they had feared. Fostering panels are made up of social workers, existing foster parents and even care leavers, so they completely understand it's an anxious process and will try to help you feel at ease.

Step 6 – Your first foster child

The part you’ve been waiting for! Once you’ve been approved, our referrals team will be in touch to start the matching process. It’s important they know about you, your skills and your household dynamic so they can identify a child you’re suitable to care for. It's a crucial part of the process because we need to ensure stability and security for our foster children.

You’ll receive a handy information pack with all the child’s information, including what’s known about their past, so you can decide whether you want to be put forward. The local authority will consider all candidates and make the final decision.

A little more information... Checks and references

A fostering assessment is a very in-depth process which can feel quite intrusive (although many applicants say that they thoroughly enjoyed the process!) Part of the process involves carrying out third party checks and references alongside the social work visits to you.

The reason for this is because you’ll potentially be looking after the most vulnerable of children in your own home. We need to know that you have realistic expectations of the role, are genuinely motivated and committed, and have the potential to provide excellent care for children.