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Your journey
The fostering process, step by step
Becoming a foster carer takes care and time, because the children you'll look after deserve it. Here's what to expect.
- 1
Day one
Get in touch
Ring us, fill in the form or ask for a call back. A friendly member of our team will talk it through. No pressure.
- 2
Within a couple of weeks
A chat and a home visit
A social worker visits to meet you and your household, explain what's involved and see whether fostering fits you and us.
- 3
From week two
Application and checks
You complete an application. We run the checks every agency must: enhanced DBS, health, employment and personal references.
- 4
Around three to five months
Training and assessment
Preparation training, plus an assessing social worker who gets to know you. Thorough, and a chance to decide if fostering is right for you.
- 5
At the end of the assessment
Fostering panel
An independent panel reviews your assessment and recommends whether you should be approved. You're invited to attend. It's welcoming, not a test.
- 6
After approval
Approval and your first placement
Once approved, we look carefully for a child who matches your skills and your home. Your supervising social worker and our out-of-hours support are with you throughout.
Safeguarding
The checks we carry out
Every foster carer, at every agency, goes through these. They're there to keep children safe.
Enhanced DBS checks
For you and everyone aged 18 or over in your home.
Health check
A medical assessment from your GP, to make sure you can look after a child.
References
From personal contacts and, where relevant, employers and former partners.
Local authority checks
Standard safeguarding checks made with relevant authorities.
A past mistake doesn't always rule you out. Be honest from the start and we'll explain how it would be treated.
Ready to take the first step?
Enquiring costs nothing. There's no obligation. Just a friendly chat about whether fostering could be right for you.
Prefer to talk? Call us on 0333 188 6786