Steps to becoming a foster carer

Find out about the steps to becoming a foster carer. We will support you every step of the way, from application through to approval.

Enquiry stage

Get in touch

When you get in touch with our team, we will have a chat, which will help you decide if fostering is the right for you before you make a commitment. We’ll ask you some basic information about yourself and why you want to foster. Some of the questions will be around practical things like how much space you have in your home for children and how many bedrooms you have. We’ll explain a bit more about fostering and what’s involved in becoming a foster carer to help you decide if now is the right time for you.

Visiting you at home 

If you are ready, the next step is for a member of our team to visit you at home at a time that suits you. This is a more detailed conversation, we’ll talk about some of the practicalities of caring for a child, like how they would get to school from your home, as well as answer any questions you may have. Remember, there is no such thing as a silly question, so ask away. 

Applying

If the timing is right for you to become a foster carer, we will invite you to formally apply to become a Foster for Doncaster carer.

Stage One

Stage One takes around two months to complete. The application process may feel intrusive at times, but it is all about making sure you have the right skills and quality to care for our most vulnerable children. Our experienced team will be there to support you throughout the process.

Checks and references

We will do a number of background checks as part of your assessment process, it all to help us understand more about you and determine your suitability to foster.

The checks include a Disclosure of Barring Services, social services, and other agencies, alongside medical checks and a home risk assessment. We will also ask for references from ex-partners and family members, as well as family and employers.

Having past convictions does not automatically exclude you, but it is important that you share anything that might come up with us so that there are no surprises along the way and we can work through any potential issues with you.

Support and training

During the assessment process, you will be invited to attend our three-day Skills to Foster course.

Our training aims to equip you with everything you need to become a great foster carer and it is a great way to get to know other foster carers too.  You will gain a better understanding of what being a foster carer involves, and have the chance to talk to experienced foster carers and professionals so you have a better understanding of the realities of fostering. Check out our training and development pages for more details.

Stage Two

This next stage takes around 2 to 4 months complete. 

Your personal assessment

You will have a dedicated fostering social worker who will do several visits to your home (usually between 8 to 10 visits) to understand your strengths and abilities, and to explore with you what type of fostering will suit you. Learn more about the different types of fostering.

Fostering panel

Your fostering social worker will share with you their assessment before they shared it with the fostering panel. The fostering panel will read your assessment report carefully and then invite you to meet the panel and talk about your application. They will make a recommendation to our Agency Decision Maker, about your suitability to foster a child. The Agency Decision Maker will then make the final decision about whether now is the right time for you to become a foster carer. 

Approval

If you are successful at fostering panel and become an approved foster carer for Doncaster, you will have your own supervising social worker from the support and supervision team who will guide you through your fostering journey. They will be there for you for advice, guidance and support when you need it and will visit you at home at least once every four weeks.

Welcoming your first child or children

Becoming an approved foster carer is just start of your journey! You may have a mixture of emotions about welcoming the first child or children into your home, you may feel nervous and excited all at the same time. This is only normal. You’ll not be on your own. We’ll work with you to match you to a child or children, telling you as much as we can about them. Your supervising social worker will regularly be in touch to make sure everything is okay. 

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