The fostering journey

1. Explore the information

Do a bit of reading and a bit of thinking.

Get belief that the barriers to you becoming a foster carer probably don't exist.

Understand the benefits of fostering and what you can do for a young person's life.

Get some understanding of what your tasks and responsibilities would be.

Consider other foster carers' stories and picture yourself telling your fostering story in the future.

2. Get in touch

Either contact us or come and see us at a pop-up stall.

This could be followed by an online group session where you and other prospective foster carers can ask questions and chat about hopes and fears for the journey ahead.

3. Telephone questionnaire

We find out more about you and your circumstances in a telephone questionnaire. It takes around 20 minutes. You will need to have a spare room to take your application to this stage. Once done, we will make a decision and let you know if you can proceed to the next stage.

4. Home visit

A social worker from the fostering team will contact you to arrange a visit to your home. They will discuss fostering with you in more detail and look at the space you have available for a foster child.

The purpose of the visit is to build on the information shared during the telephone questionnaire, establish your motivation to foster, and look at your and your home's suitability.

After the visit, a manager reviews your application and decides whether to offer a full fostering assessment.

5. Application pack

If we offer a full fostering assessment is offered, we will send you an application pack. This includes consent to statutory checks, which you will need to complete and return to the fostering team.

6. Application stage one

After completing your application pack, you will need to attend a ‘Skills to Foster’ preparation training.

Recruitment social workers run this training with the help of experienced foster carers and young people who have previously been in our care. The training covers important topics, including:

• the role of foster carers
• promoting cultural identity and life chances
• the challenges and rewards of fostering
• child development
• safer caring
• moving children on to their new placement or returning to live with their birth family or relative

During this stage we carry out statutory checks, including Disclosure and Barring Service, NSPCC, medical, employment and local authority checks. We also seek six personal references, including previous partner’s reference (if applicable).

After this, we inform you about our decison to proceed to Stage 2 within ten working days. If we decide not to proceed, we will write to you explaining why.

7. Application stage two

This is the assessment stage. A recruitment social worker visits you between six and eight times to complete a comprehensive assessment form. For joint applicants, they will visit each applicant individually at least once.

We also carry out a health and safety and equipment assessment. For families who live in private rented accommodation, we seek an agreement in writing from the landlord.

A start-up grant is available to applicants to buy essential furniture and equipment to meet the foster child’s needs. Applicants will be given some written work to complete between visits to add to the assessment.

8. Fostering panel

After assessment, you attend a fostering panel. This is made up of eight to ten independent and professional members, who evaluate the fostering assessment report and make a decision whether to recommend applicants as foster carers. Your recruitment social worker accompanies you to the panel.

If your application is successful, you will be approved to foster. The panel will also make a recommendation about the:

• type of fostering you may be suited to (for example, short-term or long-term)
• the age and number of children you may be suited to caring for

It usually takes about four to six months to go the assessment and approval process to become a foster carer.

9. Approval

After approval, you’ll be allocated a supervising social worker. You’ll also get 24 hours support and ongoing training courses to assist you in your role as a foster carer.

Once your first placement is agreed, you are a foster carer. Now your real journey begins!