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How To Foster Children

Everyone who wants to become a foster carer has to have an assessment. The assessment is about your potential to become a foster carer by exploring your skills and experiences. The assessment takes four to six months. The assessment provides you with information about fostering and how fostering will affect you, your family and your friends.

If you have children, it is important that you talk with them at an early stage about being part of a fostering family. The assessment provides you with information about fostering and how fostering will affect you, your family and your friends.

For in depth Information visit the Government website.

Application process

Enquiry

Following your initial enquiry via our website, we match your information with Fostering Agencies on our Simply Fostering Database.

2. Home Visit

You will be contacted by one or more Agencies, you choose which one is best for you and a home visit will be arranged to discuss if you have the skills to potentially become foster carers.

3. Application form

You’ll be sent an application form to complete which gives us further information about you and your family, along with your consent for the Agency to complete checks and enquiries.

References and checks.

As part of the application process, the Agency will carry out a number of references and checks. These include:

  • Disclosure and barring service (formally CRB) checks on anyone in the house over the age of 16 (except in Scotland)
  • Local authority residency checks for the last ten years
  • Ex-partner checks (with your permission)
  • A medical report from your GP
  • Written references from at least three personal referees
  • Educational references for any children in the home
  • Evidence of citizenship
  • References from previous employers or foster care agencies
  • Enquiries to local authorities and their child protection records (including previous involvement with services for children or vulnerable adults)
  • A full safety check on your home including pets.

London Foster Carer Assessment

The assessment will involve up to twelve home visits from the assessing social worker. You will be expected to show you can develop the following skills:

  • an ability to communicate with children, families and professionals;
  • an awareness of child development and the particular needs of foster children;
  • a willingness to work with the children and their families;
  • the ability to keep accurate records;
  • a willingness to attend meetings, support groups and training courses.

If you feel that fostering could be for you, then please complete our contact form. You will receive an email reply confirming receipt of your information. Your information will be assessed by a team member who might contact you to request further information if it will help your enquiry.

Enquiry Form

Completing our London Fostering ‘no obligation’ form entitles you to use our free Simply Fostering Service. Your details will only be shared with the Fostering Agencies we believe offer the most suitable match, and Simply Fostering would never sell or pass on your email address to any marketing company.

The information you submit will be shared with Fostering Agencies who will contact you directly. (Privacy Policy).
Please re check your contact details before sending otherwise someone other than you might be contacted by the fostering agencies!

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