How to become a foster carer

Discover the steps to becoming a foster carer. We will support you through your fostering journey from application to approval.

Step 1 - Make Contact

Call us and book a place for our information session where we can then arrange a home visit.

During this call, an initial enquiry will be undertaken to learn more about you and your family. If you meet the criteria, an initial home visit will be booked and a member of the team will visit you.

Step 2 - Training

Attend our Skills-to-Foster 3 day course.

Step 3 - Assessment (Stage 1 and 2)

Once the initial home visit is carried out and we have received your completed registration of interest form, a decision will be made to progress to Stage 1.

Both you and your allocated worker will sign a Stage 1 agreement outlining the process involved. This includes statutory checks that will be carried out such as local authority, employment, DBS and medical checks.

We will also agree on a timeframe for this work to be undertaken. You will be offered the opportunity to undertake Skills-to-Foster training at this stage.

Upon completion of Stage 1, you will be allocated a social worker to carry out an assessment of your background, life experiences and the qualities you would bring to fostering.

This is called Stage 2 of the fostering process. This will be reviewed halfway through by the principal social worker within the team to check any plans that need to be put into place.

We aim to complete Stages 1 and 2 within 4 to 6 months.

Step 4 - Approval

You will be invited to a Fostering Panel that will make a recommendation for your approval as a foster carer and the final decision will be made by the agency decision maker (ADM) shortly after.

Step 5 - Pre-placement

You will be enrolled on our payment system and allocated a supervising social worker who will help you prepare yourself and your home for a child or teenager. We will reimburse you up to £500 to help you get your home ready for a child coming into your care.