How to Become a Foster Carer in England: Step-by-Step Guide

Thinking about fostering? Brilliant. England urgently needs more people who can offer safety, stability and everyday family life to children. This guide walks you through the entire journey—from first enquiry to your first placement—so you know what to expect, what’s checked, and how long it usually takes.

Step 1: Understand what fostering involves

Fostering means caring for a child as part of your family while their birth family cannot, either for a short period or long term. Carers work with a team around the child—social workers, schools, health professionals—and support contact with birth family when it’s in the child’s best interests. Common types include short-term, long-term, emergency, respite, parent & child, and therapeutic fostering.

Before you start, think about your home routine, support network, working hours, and the age range you can realistically care for. Many carers begin with a single child in an age range that fits their household (for example, 5–11) and review this later with their supervising social worker.

Step 2: Check you meet the basics

To foster in England you must have the right to work in the UK, be at least 18 (most services prefer 21+), and be able to offer a child a spare bedroom. You don’t need to be married, to own a home, or to be a parent already. What matters is your capacity to provide stable, safe care and to work with professionals.

If anything here feels borderline (for example, you rent, or you’re not sure if your box room counts), ask at enquiry stage—services will explain local interpretations and what adaptations help.

Step 3: Decide who to apply to—and make your initial enquiry

You can apply to your local authority (council) or to an independent fostering agency (IFA) that works with multiple councils. Local authorities are responsible for children in their area; IFAs also provide placements and often specialise in certain types (therapeutic, sibling groups, parent & child). Allowances and fees vary between organisations and regions, so it’s worth asking both your council and one or two IFAs how they support carers, the training they offer, and the types of placements they need most right now.

Submit a short enquiry form or call the service. You’ll usually get a friendly chat the same day or within a few days. If both sides want to proceed, you’ll be offered an initial home visit (sometimes called a screening visit).

Step 4: The initial home visit

A social worker visits to learn about you, your family and home. They’ll look at space, sleeping arrangements, and safety basics (stairs, windows, gardens, pets). You can ask anything—from working while fostering to school runs and contact transport. This is a good moment to be honest about the age range and needs you feel confident with now; your matching criteria can widen later as your confidence grows.

Step 5: Pre-approval training: “Skills to Foster”

Before or during your assessment you’ll complete Skills to Foster training—typically a two- or three-day course (sometimes evenings/online). It covers the role, safeguarding, trauma-informed care, safer caring, recording, contact with family, and how support works. Expect to meet other applicants, hear from experienced carers, and complete short reflective tasks. The course is widely used across England and is kept up to date by The Fostering Network.

Tip: treat this like a rehearsal. Bring questions about real routines (phones, gaming, bedtimes, homework) and note down anything you’ll add to your safer caring plan later.

Step 6: The assessment (“Form F”)

Your assessment is documented in a structured report called Form F. Over several home visits, your assessing social worker will explore your background, family life, relationships, health, finances, parenting approach, resilience, and support network. They’ll also check your understanding of safeguarding, behaviour support, education, identity and culture, and how you’d work with birth family. In 2025, Form F guidance was refreshed to emphasise children’s needs and how applicants can meet them, which helps keep the process child-centred.

What gets checked

• DBS and safeguarding: Enhanced checks are completed on applicants and adults in the household (typically 18+), with additional references as needed.
• Medical: A GP medical (with a medical adviser’s view) looks at your fitness to foster; a condition rarely rules people out by itself—the focus is on ability to meet children’s needs safely.
• References and finances: Personal references, past employment (especially in care/education), and a sensible look at budgeting.
• Home environment: Bedroom space, pets, safety and transport.

How long does the assessment take?

Many services complete assessments in about 4–6 months, though this can be shorter or longer depending on checks, your availability for visits/training, and how quickly references return. The Department for Education’s guidance describes two stages of assessment that can run consecutively or in parallel, which is why timescales vary.

Step 7: Fostering panel and decision

When your assessment is complete, it’s presented to a fostering panel—a group with professionals and independent members who have experience in children’s social care, education, health and fostering. You’ll be invited to attend (in person or online) to answer a few supportive questions. The panel makes a recommendation; the service’s Agency Decision Maker (ADM) then considers the panel’s advice and makes the formal decision. The ADM is a qualified, experienced social worker who can accept or differ from panel’s recommendation.

If you’re approved, you’ll get your terms of approval (for example, “one child, 5–11, short-term or long-term”). These can be updated later through your annual review if your experience grows or your home circumstances change.

Step 8: Matching and your first placement

Once approved, you’ll start to receive referrals—short profiles of children who need a home. Matching looks for the right fit between a child’s needs (school, health, family contact, identity, siblings) and what your household can offer (location, experience, routines). You are always part of the decision: ask for school distance, contact plans, known risks, routines that help, trigger points, and what is still unknown. It’s completely fine to say no to a match that isn’t right; saying no helps prevent breakdowns later.

For a planned move, you may have a “matching meeting” and a settling-in plan. Emergency placements can arrive quickly, with information building over the first days. Keep daily notes from day one—clear, factual recording makes life easier for you, your supervising social worker, and the child’s social worker.

Step 9: Allowances, fees and tax

All foster carers receive a weekly allowance to cover the full cost of caring for a child—food, clothing, transport, activities, birthdays and festivals. England’s national minimum allowances (updated every April) for 6 April 2025–5 April 2026 range from £170–£299 per week depending on the child’s age and whether you live in London, the South East, or the rest of England. Many councils/IFAs pay additional fees on top of the minimums, reflecting your skills, experience or particular placement needs.

For tax, most carers use HMRC’s Qualifying Care Relief (QCR), which gives a generous tax-free amount made up of a fixed household allowance plus a weekly amount per child. QCR is designed so that many carers pay little or no income tax on fostering payments; if you do pay tax (for example, with multiple placements or additional employment), you’ll complete self-assessment.

Step 10: Life after approval—support, training and reviews

You’re not left to “just get on with it”. You’ll have:

• Regular supervision with your supervising social worker.
• 24/7 out-of-hours support for emergencies.
• Ongoing learning (first aid, safeguarding, therapeutic parenting, PACE, safer internet use, etc.), often delivered locally or online.
• Annual review to refresh your approval terms, celebrate progress and set training goals.

The National Minimum Standards expect services to be clear and fair about payments and to meet carers’ support needs so that children thrive and placements are stable. GOV.UK

Alternative and related routes

• Connected persons/kinship fostering: caring for a related child or someone you know; there’s a fast-track temporary approval route while assessment continues.
• Parent & child (mother & baby) fostering: you support a parent and infant together as professionals assess what support they need.
• Supported lodgings / “Staying Put”: for young people aged 16–21 (or 25 if in education/training) who are moving towards independence.

If any of these interest you, mention it at enquiry—training and matching will reflect your chosen path.

Common questions (quick answers)

Do I need a spare room?

Almost always yes; it’s a key requirement. Share your room sizes at enquiry if you’re unsure whether a small room is suitable.

Can I foster if I rent?

Yes. You’ll usually need your landlord’s permission and a stable tenancy. The key point is that the child has a safe, secure bedroom and you can meet placement needs (for example, school and contact journeys).

Can I work while fostering?

Many carers work part-time or flexible hours. Services look at how you’ll cover school holidays, contact, meetings, and illness. Certain placement types (for example, babies, high-needs or frequent contact) may require a carer at home most weekdays—ask what’s realistic for your area.

What about pets?

Lots of carers have pets. Agencies complete a simple risk assessment and may ask for vet records. Some animals (for example, certain dogs listed under the Dangerous Dogs Act) are not permitted—ask early if in doubt.

What checks are done on my household?

Enhanced DBS for adults in the home (and sometimes regular significant visitors), identity and right-to-work checks, references, finances and a home safety review; a GP medical feeds into a medical adviser’s view.

How long until my first placement?

If you complete training and checks promptly, 4–6 months from enquiry to approval is common; placements can follow quickly, especially if your matching criteria align with local demand.

How to get started this week (a simple action plan)

Today: Shortlist one local authority and one IFA. Check their websites for the types of placements they need most, what they pay above the minimum allowance, and how they support training and respite.

This week: Make enquiries to both. Use the call to test response times and the feel of their support; ask about average assessment times, training format, and typical school/contact distances in your area.

This month: Clear a spare bedroom, list your support network, and gather documents (ID, right-to-work, driving licence, insurance). Start noting any adjustments you’ll make for safer caring (for example, door locks, pets, internet filters).

Final thought

Fostering is everyday family life—school bags, dinners, lifts, bedtime stories—plus teamwork with professionals and birth families. The process is thorough because it needs to be, but you’ll be guided at every step. If you can offer safety, patience and a steady routine, you’ve already got the heart of fostering. Take the first step and book an enquiry; the rest will follow.