What Happens After You Apply?
The Application Process
Our step-by-step guide for applying to become a foster carer with Southend Fostering.
Step 1 – The Initial Enquiry
You may request information online, give us a call or attend an information event, in all cases you will be given an information pack and offered the chance to take in the information before we follow up on your enquiry or if you are sure that you are ready to take the next step we can move straight to step 2.
Step 2 – The Initial Visit
Once you are happy to find out more we will arrange for a fostering supervising social worker to come and visit you at home. This gives you the chance to ask lots of questions and gain a better understanding of what fostering is like. It also gives us a chance to see you and your family in the home that you will use for fostering.
Everybody in the household will need to attend the initial visit because fostering involves the whole family.
At this stage we will ask for your permission to carry out some local authority checks.
Step 3 – The Training
Course
If both parties agree that the visit went well and you are happy to proceed you will be invited on our 3 day training course ‘the skills to foster’ an introductory course into fostering.
The course covers lots of subjects including what foster carers do, why children become looked after and what they may have experienced and how to work with other professionals. It is a really worthwhile course for anybody considering fostering, giving you the chance to discuss the role, meet other prospective carers, team members and experienced foster carers (who can answer your questions from real experience).
Each looked after child is different and has their own story so we can not prepare you for every eventuality, but we can arm you with as much knowledge as possible to begin your fostering journey.
Step 4 – The Assessment
After your training you will be assigned an assessing social worker. The assessment (which we call the form F) can take 4-6 months to complete, it is designed to explore your suitability for fostering. The assessment looks at the skills and experience you have that will help you with fostering. It will involve the whole family. We will ask for references and carry out a DBS and medical check.
Your assessing social worker will put all of the information for your assessment together and once you are both happy with the completed form a date will be set for you to attend the fostering panel.
Step 5 – Fostering Panel
Once your assessment is complete your assessing social worker will present your assessment to panel. The panel is made up of around 10 members (associated with the council and independent from the council) .
You will hear the panels recommendation on the day, once the agency decision maker has approved the panels recommendation you will official be a foster carer for Southend-on-Sea City Council.
