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The Process to Becoming A Foster Carer

Fostering is an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling experience. Yes, it is a career choice. However, more importantly than that, for many people, it is a life choice.

Children enter the care system for a variety of reasons, and for those children, living in a foster home provides them with the best possible outcomes. Those who foster know what a privilege it is to have the opportunity to make such a difference to a child’s life.

Fostering can have a positive impact on your family, your relationships with others, and on the wider community. After making the decision to become a foster carer, the next step is to investigate the application process.

It is at this early stage that people are often put off from even applying. They may fear the process will be too complex, or that they may struggle to even be considered. To help alleviate these fears, we have provided a breakdown of the process here. Please also refer to our FAQ page where we answer some of your questions.

Enquiry

Home Visit

Assessment

Panel

Appoval

Starting the initial conversation

At CFS Fostering, the journey starts with a conversation. Contact us via our social media or website to register your interest, and we will arrange for you to have a chat with one of our social workers.

During this call, we will answer any questions you have and tell you all about our fostering service and the work that we do. We will try to find out more about you and your situation by asking some basic questions about your family and your home, your employment, and what has motivated you to consider fostering.

If the outcome of the conversation is positive, we will ask to arrange an initial home visit with you so that we can get to know you better. If you have a partner, we will ask to see you both together. If, however, we do not feel able to progress your application further, we will tell you straight away and explain the reasons why. We may also point you in the direction of another service that would best suit you and your family.

This initial home visit is a further opportunity for you to ask more questions and find out more about the application and assessment process that will follow. The visiting social worker will provide you with an information pack which is full of useful information about fostering and about ourselves. This is an important meeting as it gives you the opportunity to share your hopes and ideas, as well as any anxieties you may have.

The social worker will ask you to show them around your home, as well as the bedroom you propose to offer a fostered child. Depending on the outcome of the visit, the social worker may leave you with an application form to complete or give you time to consider and call you back a few days later to decide. If they feel there is a reason you should not progress to the next stage, they will take the time to fully explain the reasons to you.

Find out more about fostering with CFS Care.

Download our helpful guide to becoming a foster carer