Foster Care Approval

How do I become a Kinship Foster Carer? 

Many children in our care live with kinship foster carers.  

To become a kinship foster carer, we need to collect lots of information.  We will arrange lots of meetings to do this.

We will ask you lots of questions about:

  • You, your partner, and any children you have.
  • Your interests and hobbies.
  • Who visits you at your home.
  • Your childhood and upbringing.
  • Your health.
  • Your past and current jobs.
  • Ex-partners.
  • Your experience of caring for children.
  • How you will meet the child’s needs as they grow up.
  • Your money, bills, and any debts.
  • Your home, bedrooms and sleeping arrangements.
  • How caring will fit with work and family life.
  • Who will help you as a kinship carer.
Couple with two children

Some questions we ask are very personal.  We need to make sure the child will be safe and cared for. 

Visits and checks normally take 16 weeks.  Social workers can ask for 8 more weeks if needed.

Checks

If you have not already done so, you will be asked to:

  • Fill out an application form.
  • Fill out a DBS form. (All adults in the house must do one).
  • Arrange a medical with your GP.
  • Give us the names of 4 people who know you (references).

Training

You must attend training before foster care approval.  This includes our Ready to Connect training for Kinship Carers.  Your social worker may suggest extra training to meet the child’s needs.

Report

At the end of the assessment, the social worker will write a report.  We will give you a copy of this report.  This report will include all the positives and any concerns.

Fostering Panel

We will invite you to our Fostering Panel. 

We share the report with panel members in advance.  They will ask us some questions about the report.  The panel members will ask you some questions too. 

The panel discuss the report and record their decision.  The panel send all the paperwork to the Agency Decision Maker.  The Agency Decision Maker has the final say. 

We will share this with you.

If positive, you will become the child's foster carer.

If not, we will tell you your options. 

Next page: Special Guardianship and Child Arrangements Orders

Kinship Care Assessment
Information from https://childrenandfamiliesnewcastle.org.uk/
Printed on September 30th 2026
Page last updated
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