The assessment is a thorough two-stage process that aims to ensure children are matched with foster carers who have met the relevant standards for providing their care. It can take around four to six months from the point of making a formal application to completion, and fostering assessments must be presented to a fostering panel within eight months of starting (National Minimum Standards 14.4).
Many fostering services use an assessment tool called a 'Form F', but others tools may also be used. Some fostering services may wait for stage one to be completed before starting stage two, while others may start both stages at the same time.
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What is the assessment process?
What does stage one involve?
Stage one involves statutory checks and enquiries, with the applicant's consent, including medical checks and a DBS check (to check for any offences/cautions or other relevant information held for any household member over 18). The fostering service will also undertake local authority checks (and make contact with schools or health visitors for children, depending on their age) and employer checks. They will also speak with previous significant partners and collect personal references.
The level of employer checks will vary depending on the fostering service's policy. Some may perform reference checks on all previous employment, while others may focus on employment within a specified number of years. Similarly, the number of personal references required will depend on the fostering service's policy, but there will be a minimum of two.
The fostering service will also carry out a home safety check and risk assessment to check the suitability of the home for a child. The fostering service should explain to the prospective foster carer why all checks are required and discuss how they treat, record, and store any information gathered. Following stage one checks, if the fostering service decides an applicant is unsuitable to foster, they must notify them in writing, giving reasons for that decision. This must happen within 10 days of receiving all the stage one assessment information. If the fostering service does not notify the applicant within this timeframe, they must start a stage two assessment. However, the fostering service may choose to submit a brief or summary report to the fostering panel with observations and comments which may not need to cover all the areas of the assessment.
What does stage two involve?
Stage two will look at the personalities of the prospective foster carer(s) and their ability to care for children from a different background, culture, ethnicity, or religion to themselves. It will also look at the prospective carers' skills to care for a child, including any previous childcare experience, and at their lifestyle, including leisure interests and standard of living.
Once this stage has been completed, a report will be written, which will include analysis of the information gathered across both stages of assessment and a recommendation by the assessing social worker about the applicant's suitability to foster. It will also include the terms of approval, such as the type of fostering, number of children, and age of children that the foster carer can care for. The report will be shared with the applicant, who will be asked to sign it and add their comments.
What happens to the report?
The report will go to a fostering panel a minimum of five working days before the fostering panel meeting. The fostering panel will read the report and make their own recommendation about the applicant's suitability to foster. The minutes (notes) from fostering panel and the panel's recommendation will go to an Agency Decision Maker for a decision, which should be made within seven days of receipt. The decision will be shared with the prospective foster carer verbally within two days, and should be sent in writing within five working days.
The prospective foster carer will have 28 days from the date of the letter to request a review of the decision if they disagree with it (for example, if the decision is not to approve them, or they disagree with the proposed terms of approval). The options available should be detailed on the letter and , if you have more questions, Fosterline can provide further information.
