You could become a foster carer within six months. Can you foster? Can you change lives? Take our quick survey.
Generally speaking, the assessment process including training and approval should take around 6 months. The government passed legislation to speed up the assessment process for foster carers and the National Minimum Standards for Fostering 2011 state that the process should be decided upon within eight months.
There is no denying that the assessment process is an intrusive and lengthy process but foster carers will be promoting and nurturing the welfare of some of the most vulnerable children and young people in the country. Fostering service providers must ensure that they have the right people to foster.
When you apply to foster, you will be assigned a social worker who will support you throughout the process and carry out a thorough assessment. It is a two staged process with stage 1 performing checks such as DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) formerly known as CRB check while the second stage will require a report on your family life and experiences etc.
Both stages can be completed simultaneously. The assessing social worker will complete a detailed report about you, with your input, which will then be presented to the fostering panel. Applicants are usually invited to attend the fostering panel when their application is heard so that they can answer any questions the panel may have. The fostering panel will then make a recommendation to the fostering service as to the applicant’s suitability to foster, and agency decision maker for the fostering service will decide whether to approve you or not.
You can talk to Fosterline about this process in detail and we will be here to support you throughout the whole process as well as during your fostering career.
Can you foster? Can you change lives? There is a constant need for foster carers with a shortfall of around 9,000 in this year alone. Don’t delay; start the process today.
Find out if you fit the criteria to foster by completing our quick online survey. (only 11 tick box questions)
Call Fosterline in confidence to find out more about becoming a foster carer on 0800 040 7675. Qualified Fosterline Advisers are available 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.