How to become a foster carer

To begin the process of become a foster carer, complete the enquiry form linked below and a member of our team will contact you.

What happens next is detailed below.

After we have received your enquiry form, we will contact you by phone to discuss your enquiry. Following this, we will arrange a home visit – this may be a virtual visit, depending on current COVID-19 restrictions. After this, we will invite you to attend our skills to foster course.

Skills to Foster

This course is designed to enhance your existing caring and communications skills. We share our experiences and discuss the needs of children who have been accommodated, to understand how a child's life experiences may affect their future development. Our course promotes the additional needs of a child who has been looked after, which may differ from your own experiences.

Taking part in the Skills to Foster course gives you and our team the chance to decide if fostering is right for you and your family at this time.

Assessment

A supervising social worker will visit you at home on a regular basis to gain a greater understanding of you and your family's suitability to foster.

The social worker will assess the skills and experience you would bring as a foster carer, and highlight any areas where you may need extra support or training. We try to make sure that the assessment is completed within six months.

We will work with you to write a report to share with the Fostering Panel. You can read it – apart from third party information – before its' sent to the Panel. You will be invited to attend a meeting with the. The panel will make a recommendation on your suitability to be approved as a foster carer.

As a registered fostering agency, we are required to undertake several statutory checks on potential and current foster carers.

Protection of vulnerable groups (PVG)

All prospective foster carers are required to undergo a PVG check. This check will highlight if the applicant has any criminal convictions. You should let us know at the start of your application process if you have been convicted of a criminal offence. If you have, it may still be possible for you to become a foster carer – this will be discussed with you on a case-by-case basis.

A PVG check is carried out every two years for all foster carers. Anyone over age 16 who lives with you in your home with also need a PVG check done.

Medical checks

We do not discriminate on the grounds of ill health or disability. However, we are aware that fostering can be demanding and a disability or serious health problem may impact on your ability to care for a child or young person. Any health problems or disability would be considered sympathetically by our medical adviser and your social worker. However, this may lead to restrictions of the age group, number and type of child that you may be considered suitable to care for. We will ask you to have a full medical assessment carried out by your own GP. We will also contact your local health visitor to ask if they have any opinion on your ability to care for a child. This check is repeated every five years, or more regularly if required.

Local authority checks

We will check any records held by our social care department. If you have lived in another local authority area since age 16, we will also check their records.

Employment history and employer’s reference

You will need to tell us your full employment history. We will request a written reference from your current, or most recent, employer.

Previous partners, older and adult children

If you have been in a previous long-term relationship, we will try to contact your former partner. If any children were involved in the relationship, we will also try to contact them. If you have any concerns, please tell us when we discuss your application.

Personal references

We will ask you to provide a list of six potential referees covering various stages of your life – two may be from relatives. Referees will be asked to provide a written reference, some may also be visited.

Once you are approved as a foster carer, there is ongoing training and support available.

Supervising social worker

Every foster carer will have their own supervising social worker who will be experienced in working with children and young people. They can provide help and support to you, and will work alongside the child's social worker. Your supervising social worker can also attend meetings (such as childcare reviews) with you and can help you to write reports that you might be asked for. They will also keep in regular contact with you by phone.

Out of hours support

The Council has an emergency duty team that works in the evenings and at weekends. You can phone them for support if you need it.

Support from health professionals

NHS Forth Valley nurses provide dedicated support for looked after and accommodated children and young people and their carers. The nurse can be a valuable source of support for all health issues.

Training

We provide training and professional development for all foster carers to help them carry out their fostering tasks. You will be offered training throughout your time as a foster carer.