What happens during the fostering assessment?
The fostering assessment is the most detailed phase of the process to become a foster parent, and usually takes around 3-6 months to complete.
The fostering assessment involves:
- A series of 6-8 home visits with your assessing social worker
- Background checks and health and safety checks
- Personal and professional references
- Completing your ‘Prepare to Foster’ training
What is a Form F?
All of the above information comes together to form a detailed report known as a ‘Form F’, which will be created by your assessing social worker. This document will be crucial in the final stage of your assessment process.
Once your Form F is complete, it will be considered by an independent panel who will recommend to our team whether you’re ready to foster with us.
Start your fostering journey here
Download our brochure and discover everything you need to know about fostering with Orange Grove.
What questions will I be asked during the fostering assessment?
During your home visits, your assessing social worker will ask you lots of questions to build up a detailed picture of your life and what would make you a great foster parent.
There’s no set list of questions, but you can expect to be asked to go into detail about many areas of your life, including:
- What motivates you to foster
- Your life experiences
- Your employment history
- Your current employment, if applicable
- Your physical and mental health
- Your family background and dynamics
- Your finances
- Your childhood experiences
- Your past and current romantic relationships
- Your wider support network of family and friends
- Your relationship with your own children, if applicable
- Your schedule and availability
Honesty and trust in your assessing social worker are crucial at this stage. We understand that opening up about some of these topics may be uncomfortable or even painful. Rest assured that your assessing social worker will do all they can to be sensitive and considerate. We encourage you to speak up if anything makes you feel uncomfortable, and reach out to our team if you need extra support.
You’ll receive no judgement, and we are by no means looking for the ’perfect’ foster parent. We recognise that everyone has had their own path to walk in life. Our foster parents come from a variety of backgrounds and have a range of life experiences. What matters to us is finding caring, responsible individuals who have reached a point in their lives where they’re fully able to commit to the care of a vulnerable child and can provide them with the love, safety and support they need.
What checks are carried out during the fostering assessment?
We’ll carry out various checks during your fostering assessment, including:
- An enhanced DBS check (Disclosure and Barring Service)
- Personal and professional references
- A medical examination with your GP Health and safety checks, including checks on your home and any pets you may have
- An enhanced DBS check on anyone aged 18+ living in your home
- Any additional checks required by your local authority
These checks are a legal requirement to help ensure the safety and well-being of the children in our care. They also help us build an all-round picture of you as a person and as a potential foster parent.
Fostering assessment training
As part of your fostering assessment, you’ll attend our 2-day ‘Prepare to Foster’ training course. This is a great all-around introduction to the world of fostering, and will equip you with many of the core skills you’ll need to be a successful foster parent.
You’ll learn about child development, attachment styles and trauma, as well as key topics including safeguarding, equality and diversity. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet current foster parents at Orange Grove. Our hope is that you’ll finish the course feeling confident and fully prepared for the challenges and rewards that you’ll encounter along your fostering journey.
How we’ll support you
Rest assured that you can rely on us to be there to support you throughout the assessment process:
- Our flexible assessment process is designed to move at a pace that's right for you, allowing you to fulfil your other commitments
- We offer online training options alongside our face-to-face training, as well as the opportunity to partake in further training on the subjects which interest you most
- You’ll have the continuous support of your assessing social worker throughout the assessment process, as well as help from our team via our 24/7 helpline
- We’ll offer you a generous fostering allowance once you welcome your first child, and you’ll have access to an extensive range of ongoing support
We’ll be there to support you throughout your journey to foster, from your initial enquiry to welcoming your first child and beyond. If you have any more questions, download our fostering guide or give us a call on 0800 369 8513.
Frequently asked questions
Who will be assessing me?
You'll be assessed by a fully qualified social worker with assessment experience. The social worker may work for Orange Grove or may be an independent assessing social worker.
Do I need professional references to foster?
Yes, you’ll need to provide a reference from your current employer. If you have worked for someone else in the past 5 years, we will require an employment record of your time during this period.
If you’ve worked with children or vulnerable people before in a professional or voluntary setting, we’ll also require a reference from these employers.
Will my ex-partner be contacted?
If you have spent more than two years in a relationship with an ex-partner, or have lived together or have children together, we’ll require a reference from them in most circumstances.
We understand that this can be a particularly difficult part of the assessment process. We will not require a reference from an ex-partner if this is judged not to be in the best interests of everyone involved. If this is decided, we will instead ask for a character reference from someone who knew you during the time of your previous relationship.
If you have any worries or concerns about this part of the fostering assessment, please don’t hesitate to speak with your assessing social worker who will support you in any way they can.
When will I start receiving fostering allowance?
After you have been approved as a foster parent, you’ll begin to receive a fostering allowance once your first child comes to live in your care. Beginning from their first night with you, you’ll receive an allowance for each night a child spends in your care.
This means that there may be a small window of time between becoming approved as a foster parent and having your first young person coming to live with you. Because of this, it’s important that you have a plan in place to remain financially stable during this period in case this happens.
Do I have to pay tax on my fostering allowance?
Foster parents have specialist tax rules, known as Qualifying Care Relief, which in most circumstances means that your fostering allowance will be completely tax-free.
However, some factors can have an impact on whether or not you’ll pay tax on your fostering allowance, including how many children you take care of and whether you have an income outside of fostering. Find out more about tax and fostering.
Start your fostering journey today
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