Recruitment, Assessment and Approval of Foster Carers

The Agency endeavours to recruit a range of foster carers who can meet the diverse needs of children who are looked after or who are receiving a short break service from the Agency. Recruitment is in line with the Agency's Statement of Purpose and Managers review, and act on, trends and patterns in the recruitment of foster carers. Careful recruitment and regular monitoring of carers by the Agency is designed to prevent unsuitable carers from being recruited and having the opportunity to harm children or to place them at risk. The relevant authorities are informed of any concerns about inappropriate adults. The recruitment, assessment, preparation, training and support of foster carers by the Agency have a strong focus on child protection and keeping children safe, including help to ensure that children living in foster homes are safe and feel safe.

Prospective foster carers contacting the Agency are made to feel valued and welcomed by the Agency. The process for assessment is timely and sensitive to the needs of the carers. Assessments that identify foster carers as suitable for a child are informed by a clear understanding of that child's needs and of the skills necessary to help and support them. Where the Agency offers placements to children with complex needs and challenging behaviour, it provides the necessary specialist support and help for as long as they are required.

The Agency works with local authorities to ensure that full information is always shared with foster carers before a placement begins so that appropriate care can be provided. If information is not shared, the Agency will pursue this with the local authority. Careful matching contributes to the stability of placements and the retention of foster carers.

An enquiry from a prospective foster carer may be received by telephone, email or letter. All enquirers will be treated with respect and fairness and given a prompt response. They will be contacted to gather further information and for a general discussion about fostering.

Within 2 working days of any enquiry, the fostering service will provide the enquirer with information about fostering and the assessment process. This may be in the form of an information pack.

They will be dealt with by members of staff who have the relevant information and the skills to deal with them. They will be kept informed of the progress of their application and assessment.

On receipt of an enquiry from a potential foster carer, an administrative officer will record the enquirer's details which must include:

• Full name, date of birth, address and telephone number;
• Any other addresses within the last 5 years;
• Date of request;
• Details of current and any previous marriage, civil partnership or similar relationship;
• Names of other members in household and their ages;
• Details of their accommodation, including available bedrooms for foster children;
• Previous experience and details of any other approvals already given;
• Type of fostering sought (respite, short-term, long-term, number of children etc.);
• The outcome of any request or application made by them or any other member of the household to foster or adopt children, or for registration as an early years provider.

The information may include a pro-forma which enquirers should complete and return if they wish to pursue their interest.

In cases where the pro-forma is completed and returned this will be reviewed by a fostering manager.

Stage One of the assessment process is intended to provide the decision maker with basic information about the applicant to enable clearly unsuitable applicants to be sifted out without unnecessary bureaucracy or expenditure of time and resource by the fostering service or the applicant. More detailed information is collected in the assessment - stage two.

Where a person applies to become a foster carer and it is decided to assess their suitability, the following information must be obtained as soon as reasonably practicable relating to the applicant and other members of their household and family:

• Full name, address and date of birth;
• Details of health (supported by a medical report);
• Particulars of any other adult members of the household;
• Particulars of the children in the family, whether or not members of the household, and any other children in the household;
• Particulars of their accommodation;
• The outcome of any request or application made by them or any other member of their household to foster or adopt children, or for registration as an early years provider including particulars of any previous approval or refusal of approval relating to them or to any other member of the household;
• If the applicant has, in the preceding twelve months, been a foster parent approved by another fostering service provider, the name and address of that fostering service provider;
• Names and addresses of two persons who will provide personal references;
• In relation to the applicant and any other member of the applicant's household who is aged 18 or over, an enhanced criminal record certificate;
• Details of current, and any previous, marriage, civil partnership or similar relationship;
• The views of, the local authority in whose area the applicant lives, if different;
• Where the applicant has previously been, or is currently, approved as a foster carer by another fostering service provider, or as a prospective adopter by an adoption Agency, and consents, access may be requested to the relevant records compiled by that other fostering service provider/ adoption Agency in relation to the applicant. That service/Agency must provide access within 15 working days of a request being received.

Records compiled by another fostering service, or an adoption Agency, can be used to inform the new assessment of the applicant's suitability to foster. For instance, if previous partners have been interviewed in the past to verify facts, and the current assessing social worker is satisfied with the records in respect of these interviews, it should not be necessary to repeat the interviews if no further information is required. The assessing social worker should, however, satisfy themselves as to the quality and continuing relevance of the information before using it to inform the current assessment.

Where, having regard to any information obtained, it is decided (by the Agency decision maker) that the applicant is not suitable to become a foster carer, the applicant must be notified in writing with reasons. This notification may be given whether or not all of this information has been obtained. Such a notification may not be given more than 10 working days after all the information has been obtained. The applicant has no right to make representations about the decision or to have their case reviewed under the Independent Review Mechanism. However, the applicant must be informed that they can complain via the fostering service's complaints process if they are unhappy with the way in which their case has been handled. The complaints process should address whether or not the applicant's case has been handled in a reasonable way, rather than the question of the applicant's suitability to foster.

Where all the specified information has been obtained and notification has not been given within 10 working days that the applicant is not suitable, then the application must proceed to assessment - stage two.

Note that Stages One and Two of the assessment process can be carried out concurrently, but the stage one information must be sought as soon as possible and the decision about whether an applicant has successfully completed stage one must be made within 10 working days of all the information required in that stage being received.

Applicants are also required to enter into a written agreement with the Agency stating that the information that they have provided is true, and that they are aware that their failure to comply with this agreement will lead to the refusal of their application.

The fostering manager will allocate the prospective carers to a social worker who will undertake the full assessment of the application. The applicants will also be invited on the Foster Carers Preparation/Training Course – see Section 9, Foster Carers Preparation/Training Course.

The administrative staff will arrange for the following checks to be made on all members of the household aged 18 and over: Disclosure and Barring Service, Probation, Health Trust, Education, Children's Services (including the List of Children with a Child Protection Plan) and the NSPCC, and whether the applicants have a right to work in the UK. Where the applicants live or have lived outside the local authority area, the checks must be made with the local authority and health trust where the applicants live/have lived. These checks should be recorded including the date when the checks were made.

Where the applicant or any member of the household has been known to Children's Services, information should be obtained from the relevant social worker.

Where applicants have recently moved to the UK (within the last 10 years), checks may also be made on all members of the household aged 18 and over. The application process for criminal records checks or 'Certificates of Good Character' for someone from overseas varies from country to country. For further information, see GOV.UK, Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

In addition, where the applicant has school age children, the relevant school(s) may be contacted, with the permission of the applicant, for information regarding the applicant's ability to promote the child's education.

In appropriate cases, a check will also be made that the applicants have a right to work in the UK.

Where the applicant has made a previous application to foster or adopt, the relevant Agency must be asked to confirm in writing the outcome of the application.

To find out if Ofsted hold information on the applicant this form should be completed: Fostering and adoption: seeking information from Ofsted. You will need a separate form for each individual and may require their consent. Once the form is received, Ofsted will tell you if the individual is known to them and may provide information that we believe is proportionate and necessary to share.

The administrative staff will record the dates when the checks were sent and the dates when replies were received. The replies to the checks should be placed in the confidential section of the applicant's record.

Where there are concerns about an applicant's circumstances as a result of the information obtained from the above checks, this should be referred to the Fostering manager and the applicant may be advised not to proceed with the application.

Where the checks reveal that the applicant or a member of the household is a disqualified person (foster carer), see Persons Disqualified from Fostering Procedure.

In any other case where there is doubt or where the applicant disagrees with a decision not to proceed with the application and/or is not willing to withdraw, an early referral should be made to the fostering panel and the Agency decision maker. In these circumstances, a brief report on the application should be presented to the fostering panel and the procedure to be followed should be the same as if the report was a full report on the applicants.

If the information leading to a decision not to proceed relates to a previous conviction of one of two joint applicants or a member of the applicant's household, the details of the offence can only be disclosed to the applicant with the consent of the relevant person; without such consent, the applicant can only be informed that the reason relates to information obtained from the checks but no details can be given.

Information relevant to the application that has been obtained from the Disclosure and Barring Service may only be retained on the applicant's file for a limited period and should be destroyed when a decision is made on the application. The manager should note on the file that the Disclosure and Barring Service information has been destroyed and that the information led to a particular view, without citing the information itself.

The applicants will be provided with the relevant medical form to fill in with their details and send to their GP with a covering letter requesting that the GP complete the Form and send it to the manager. The manager may pass the information to the medical adviser for comment. It is not a strict legal requirement for ALL cases to be automatically referred to the Medical Adviser, but appropriate medical/legal advice must be sought in the event of uncertainty.

Where the medical information suggests that the applicant may not be suitable for health reasons, this should be discussed in detail with the applicant(s) and withdrawal may be advisable at this stage. Additional advice may be sought from the medical adviser or the medical adviser may raise questions with the GP where this is appropriate. It may be necessary for reports from other health professionals also to be obtained and presented to the medical adviser and the fostering panel.

Where the applicant has been a foster carer within the preceding 12 months and was approved as such by another fostering service provider, a reference must be requested from that other fostering service provider. There is no requirement to also interview personal referees (see below). However, additional verbal and/or written references may be sought from personal referees. If the previous fostering service, for whatever reason, does not provide a reference, interviews with two personal referees must be conducted.

Otherwise each applicant will be asked to provide the names of two personal referees, who are adults, have known the applicants for at least 5 years in a personal capacity and are not related to the applicants and two other referees who may be family members or personal friends. All referees should be people who know the applicants well in a personal capacity.

Where there is a joint application, referees should know both applicants, or additional referees will be required.

A further reference must be obtained from each applicant's current employer. In addition, where the applicant has frequently changed jobs, written references should also be obtained from past employers.

Where the prospective applicant has made a previous application to foster or adopt, the relevant Agency must be asked to confirm in writing the outcome of the application and provide a written reference.

The administrative staff will send requests for references for completion by the referees.

The assessing social worker will also interview the personal referees and make a written record of the interview.

References from ex-partners should be obtained where there was joint parenting of children, if the relationship is considered significant by the assessing social worker and/or if the applicants lived together.

Following receipt of their application form, the applicants will be invited to attend the foster carers preparation/training course.

The training courses will usually be planned to enable applicants to have at least 4 weeks' notice of their date and venue so as to encourage extensive participation. These courses can take place virtually or in person.

All prospective foster carers will be required to attend this training, which is an integral part of the assessment process. Prospective foster carers should be prepared to become foster carers in a way which addresses, and gives practical techniques to manage, the issues they are likely to encounter and identifies the competencies and strengths they have or need to develop.

The objectives of the course are:

• To raise awareness and understanding of the key issues which need to be addressed by all foster carers;
• To assist applicants to consider more thoroughly the implications of fostering;
• To assist applicants to determine the type of resource they can offer to the children needing foster placements.

Those facilitating the course will provide written feedback on issues relating to the applicants for the assessing social worker which must be used in their assessment. Any issues of concern should be referred to the manager.

Where issues emerge during the training as a result of which the manager decides that it is not appropriate to proceed with the application, the applicants should be visited by a social worker and notified in writing of the decision, with reasons. Advice should be given of any steps they may take in order to meet the criteria or of how they might pursue their interest elsewhere, if appropriate.

Where the applicant disagrees with the decision and/or is not willing to withdraw, a brief report on the application should be presented to the fostering panel and the procedure to be followed should be the same as if the report was a full report on the applicants.

In the case of joint applications, both must attend.

Where the assessment - Stage One information has been obtained, and no notification has been given within 10 working days that the applicant is not suitable to be a foster carer, the following must be undertaken:

• Obtain the following information relating to the applicant and other members of the household, together with any other relevant information:
  • Details of personality;
  • Religious persuasion, and capacity to care for a child from any particular religious persuasion;
  • Racial origin, cultural and linguistic background and capacity to care for a child from any particular racial origin or cultural or linguistic background;
  • Past and present employment or occupation, standard of living, leisure activities and interests;
  • Previous experience (if any) of caring for their own and other children;
  • Skills, competence and potential relevant to their capacity to care effectively for a child placed with them.
• Consider whether the applicant is suitable to be a foster parent and whether the applicant's household is suitable for any child;
• Prepare a written report on the applicant which includes the following matters:
  • The information required to be obtained, as set out above;
  • Any other relevant information;
  • An assessment of the applicant's suitability to be a foster parent;
  • Proposals about any terms of approval.
    
    There are no specific regulatory requirements about the way in which assessment information must be collected or presented to panel.

Where, having regard to the information obtained during Stage Two, it is decided that the applicant is unlikely to be considered suitable to become a foster parent, notwithstanding that not all the Stage Two information has yet been obtained, a Brief Report may be prepared and submitted to the fostering panel in the same way as for a full assessment report. (There is no prescribed length or format for a brief report).

The application will be allocated to a qualified and experienced social worker for a full assessment to be completed.

The fostering Agency's aim is to limit the time taken to complete the assessment, from the receipt of the application form until the presentation of the report to the fostering panel to four months. However, in cases where an issue arises during the course of an assessment, requiring a decision as to:

1. The future direction of the assessment, which cannot be resolved:
   1. By discussion between the assessing social worker and the applicant; or
   2. By reference to the social worker's manager; or
2. Consideration should be given to the early referral to the fostering panel, this may delay the process. Even so, the total time would not exceed eight months.

All fostering assessments will be completed on CoramBAAF Form F which requires evidence of:

• Caring for children;
• Providing a safe caring environment;
• Working as part of a team;
• Own development.

The assessment will also look at the applicant's understanding of and ability to deal with children's behaviour, including encouraging children to take responsibility for their behaviour, and helping them to learn how to resolve conflict.

The assessing social worker will carry out a series of interviews with the applicant(s).

All children living in the household will also be interviewed by the assessing social worker as part of the assessment. This should be conducted in an age and developmentally-appropriate way.

In addition, all adults living in the household, and adult birth children who are living elsewhere should also be interviewed by the assessing social worker.

The suitability of the accommodation must be assessed and a health and safety checklist completed, including an assessment of risks posed by any pets in the household. Any issues relating to the accommodation that arise from these checks should be recorded on the Form F.

The availability of bedrooms for fostered children should be discussed. The Fostering National Minimum Standards 2011 provide that each child over 3 years old should have their own bedroom or, where this is not possible, the sharing of the bedroom has been agreed by the placing authority.

The applicant must be notified that the case is to be referred to the fostering panel, be given a copy of the report and be invited to send any observations in writing within 10 working days beginning with the date on which the notification is sent.

At the end of the 10 working days, (or when the applicant's observations are received, whichever is sooner), the report, the applicant's observations on that report, if any, and any other relevant information obtained, must be sent to the fostering panel.

The assessment will take account of the outcome of the Agency checks carried out, and the references obtained.

Applicants may be advised not to pursue their application where it is considered likely that it would be refused in the light of information which indicates that a prospective carer has attempted to cover up or disguise information about offences (see Section 5, Checks)

The assessment will also take account of the information obtained and observations made during the training course. Applicants may be advised not to pursue their application where it is considered that it might be refused having regard to information obtained during the course (see Section 9, Foster Carers Preparation/Training Course).

All the relevant information (incorporating the report from the training course, the applicant's comments, references, a full written report on visits to the referees, chronology, completed Health and Safety checklist, full information about all the statutory checks and the Medical Adviser's report) should be sent to the Panel Administrator in a timely manner before the date of the Fostering Panel meeting considering the application.

The assessing social worker should also inform the Panel Administrator about the arrangements for the foster carers to attend the Panel meeting and whether they require additional support such as an interpreter. The decision to attend the Panel meeting rests with the applicants and a wish not to attend will not prejudice consideration of their application.

At the Panel meeting, the information will be presented by the social worker responsible for the assessment or a substitute with adequate knowledge of the applicant and the assessment.

Foster carers attending the Panel should be invited to give their views or any comments on the application and the reports.

The applicant's views and wishes must be presented fairly and accurately within the documentation before the Panel and verbally.

The Panel will consider the written report together with all the supporting documentation and any additional information presented verbally, and make a recommendation to the Agency Decision Maker regarding the outcome of the assessment, including where approval is recommended, the category of fostering recommended.

The recommendation will be recorded in writing and, where approval is recommended, the category of fostering, any limitations of the approval to named children or conditions as to the age range or number of children to be placed in the foster home will also be specified.

Reasons for the recommendations, the category and any conditions will be recorded in the Panel's minutes.

The applicant will be informed verbally by the chair of the Panel of the recommendation at the outcome of the meeting or if the carers did not attend, verbally within two working days.

After the Fostering Panel has considered the report and made a written recommendation, the Panel Administrator will send the minutes to the Agency Decision Maker to consider the recommendations for approval.

Where a Brief Report has been submitted to the fostering panel, the Agency Decision Maker will, taking into account the fostering panel's recommendation, make a determination about whether to terminate the assessment or whether the full assessment should be completed.

The Agency Decision Maker will consider all the reports and recommendation and make a decision as to the suitability of the applicant to foster within 7 working days of receipt of the panel's recommendation and final set of panel minutes. The decision must be recorded, together with reasons.

Where the application is approved, the category and any terms of the approval must be also specified in writing.

Arrangements will be made for the applicants to be given verbal notification of the decision within 24 hours and written notice of the decision, with reasons, signed by the Agency Decision Maker, within 5 working days of the decision.

If a decision is made to approve a foster carer, written notice of the decision and the terms of the approval, signed by the Agency Decision Maker, will be sent to the foster carer together with two copies of the Foster Care Agreement (see Section 14, After the Approval and the Foster Care Agreement).

Upon approval, foster carers should be issued with an agreed form of identification to enable their role as a foster carer to be verified.

If, at Stage Two of the assessment process, the Agency Decision Maker gives a Qualifying Determination that they proposed not to approve the applicants as foster carers, the applicant will be advised that if they wish to challenge the decision, applicants should be advised they have a right to submit representations within 28 days of the date of the written notice of the decision to the Agency Decision Maker. In addition, as an alternative, they may exercise the right to apply to the Secretary of State to request a review of the decision by an Independent Review Panel under the Independent Review Mechanism. Any such application must be made in writing within 28 days of the decision and supported by reasons.

The foster carer will not have the right to request a review by an Independent Review Panel if they are regarded as disqualified as a result of a conviction or caution for a specified offence – see Persons Disqualified from Fostering Procedure.

Where it is decided at Stage One of the assessment process that the applicant is not suitable to become a foster carer, there is no right to have the case reviewed under the Independent Review Mechanism.

If no written representations or notification of a request for a review are received within this period, the Agency Decision Maker will decide whether or not to approve the applicant as a foster carer (following a full assessment) or continue the assessment (following a Brief Report).

If written representations are received within the period, the Panel Adviser will arrange for the reports and other documentation to be reconsidered by the Fostering Panel, taking into account the written representations, and make a new recommendation to the Agency Decision Maker.

The Panel Administrator will advise the applicant within 7 days of the date of the panel meeting when they can attend and their written representations will be considered.

In these circumstances, applicants who wish to attend the meeting of the Fostering Panel can arrange for a friend or supporter to accompany them.

After considering the representations, the panel will make a recommendation, which the Agency Decision Maker will consider before a final decision is made.

If the decision remains not to approve the application, the manager will arrange for the applicants to be informed verbally within 2 working days. Written notice of the final decision, together with reasons, must be sent to the applicant by the Panel Adviser within 7 working days of the panel meeting. Information about the Complaints Procedure must also be sent. A copy of the report to the panel, the panel's recommendation and the decision, with reasons, must be retained on the applicant's case file.

If the applicant decides to refer the matter to an Independent Review, the relevant panel reports, any new information obtained since the panel meeting, a record of the decision made and reasons, a copy of the written notification of the decision and a copy of the panel minute, if different, will be sent to the Independent Review within 10 working days of their written request.

The applicant and two representatives of the fostering Agency will be invited to attend the Independent Review.

After considering the representations, the Independent Review may make a recommendation, which the Agency Decision Maker will consider before a final decision is made.

Written notice of the final decision, together with reasons, must be sent to the applicant within 7 working days of the receipt of the Independent Review recommendation.

Where the decision is to approve the application, the procedure set out in Section 14, After the Approval and the Foster Care Agreement will be followed.

Where an application is approved, the foster carer will be allocated a Supervising Social Worker from the Fostering Service.

The Supervising Social Worker will request the foster carer to sign a Foster Care Agreement between the Fostering Agency and the foster carer, which contains the information the foster carer needs to carry out his or her functions as a foster carer effectively. The foster carer will be given two copies for signature, and will retain one signed copy.

The other will be kept on the foster carer's case record, together with the report and supporting documents presented to the Fostering Panel, a copy of the Panel's recommendation and a copy of the approval decision.

The Foster Care Agreement will contain the following information:

• The terms of the foster carer's approval;
• The support and training to be provided to the foster carer;
• The procedure for the review of the foster carer's approval;
• The procedure for placements of children;
• The procedure for making representations and complaints;
• The requirement to inform the Fostering Service of any change of circumstance, address or in the household composition, or of any registration as a child minder or application to adopt or of any conviction of any offence;
• The requirements in relation to confidentiality;
• The procedures for behaviour management and absences without consent of children placed with the foster carer including the ban on corporal punishment;
• The procedures for informing the fostering social worker of the child's progress and any significant events relating to the child;
• The need to give 28 days' notice in writing of they wish to cease fostering.

New foster carers will also be given access to the Foster Carer's Handbook, which covers policies, procedures, guidance, legal information and insurance details and in respect of which the foster carer must sign confirmation of receipt.

They will need to provide the Supervising Social Worker with information about their bank account and their availability to commence caring.

The allocated Supervising Social Worker will continue to provide support to the foster carer up to, during and after all placements - see chapters on Supervision and Support of Foster Carers Procedure and Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers Procedure. The Supervising Social Worker should also ensure carers understand the need to undertake Disclosure and Barring Service and other checks and assessments on any new member of the household and the need to repeat Disclosure and Barring Service checks on themselves every three years (unless they have subscribed to the Disclosure and Barring Service Update Service).

Approved foster carers should be asked by their Supervising Social Worker to provide a Family Book aimed at a child that may be coming to live with the carer (in some circumstances this will happen during stage 2 of the assessment process). This should contain visual and written information to introduce any child placed in the foster home to members of the foster family and the foster home and to the facilities and environment which are local to the carers. The information should also contain house rules, routines, names of pets, information about how the foster family has fun and any other information to convey what it would be like for a child coming into the household.

Additionally the foster carer may be asked to prepare a Profile, identifying the approval details of the carers, any special skills they have, the behaviours worked best with and their willingness to manage contact with parents. This information will be used to identify the suitability of the placement to meet the needs of specific children. It may also be sent to referring social workers when the foster carers have been identified as a potential match, and may be shared with the children in need of a placement.

The supervising social worker will ensure that any newly approved foster carer is clear about their responsibility to notify the fostering service before any change in the composition of their household occurs or where there is any significant change in their circumstances which affects their fostering, for example any new relationship, pregnancy or bereavement.

If the supervising social worker discovers that there has been a change in the foster carer's household without prior notice, the manager must be informed and an immediate review of the foster carer's approval must be convened - see Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers Procedure. In these circumstances, a suspension of the foster carer's approval may have to be considered at the review.

The Panel Administrator will update the Agency's register of foster carers which is a list of all approved foster carers containing the following particulars:

• The name, address, date of birth, sex and ethnic origin of each foster carer;
• The date of approval and of each review of the approval;
• The category and current terms of the approval.