Stages of Becoming a Foster Carer in the UK
Is it difficult to become a foster parent in the UK?
To begin with, we do not use the word “parent” when we refer to a foster carer, out of our full respect for the biological parents of a child. Foster carers can never play the same role as parents of a child; however, they can provide care and support, which is much needed by any child. Once you have a dedication to making a positive change in a child’s life, it isn’t difficult to become a foster carer; you simply need to understand the process you must go through. To help you get started, we will discuss the basic steps that you should follow.
Steps to becoming a foster parent in the UK
1. Initial enquiry. Contact an agency or local authority about your interest
You must first express your interest by contacting a local fostering agency or the local authority. This is your opportunity to chat with the local agency about any concerns that you may have since you have an interest in fostering a young person.
2. Attend an Information session
3. Home visit. The initial assessment
4. Attend Skill To Foster Training - 3 days of training
5. Form F assessment - 4 to 6 months
6. Panel Attendance with your assessor
7. Foster a child or children. First Placement
3 fostering essentials in the UK
For you to initiate the process of fostering a child in the UK, you must legally meet the following basic criteria:
- You have to be at least 21 years
- You must have an extra bedroom to accommodate your foster child
- You must be working in the UK legally.
Please, check an extensive list of the fostering criteria in our article on criteria for becoming a foster carer.