A Look At The Application & Assessment Process
- How can you enquire about your interest in becoming a foster parent?
- What does the application and assessment process involve?
- Why should you apply to be a foster parent, and what support will you receive from Changing Futures?
How Can You Enquire About Your Interest in Becoming A Foster Parent?
Finding out more about becoming a foster parent is the first step, which gets the fostering assessment and application process rolling. Making an enquiry is incredibly easy with Changing Futures, you can either:
- Access our contact page and fill out the enquiry form
- Send us a quick Facebook message
- Or give us a call on 01429 363127
After you have enquired, our team will get back to you to talk this through. This meeting will involve getting to know each other, and it’s an opportunity for us to learn more about your background, why you want to become a foster parent, and whether you meet the formal requirements.
What Does The Application And Assessment Process Involve?
After you have enquired and we have had that initial discussion, we will arrange a home visit, which, if successful, is the key to unlocking the fostering assessment and application process. This involves a foster application form and crucial background checks, including those by the local authority, employment and personal references and DBS. Whilst these checks are being carried out, the application process will involve plenty of discussions to really get to know you, such as, your living and work arrangements, any other personal circumstances, and any previous experience you may have. This helps inform further decisions down the line, such as which placement type may be best suited to you and how much additional training will be required.
During this time, we will invite you to our Therapeutic Training Programme to equip you with all the skills and knowledge you need to support you with your Fostering journey. We will also prepare you for the fostering panel. This is the final stage and involves a panel meeting of at least 5 or 6 individuals, including a supervising social worker, our team, and the agency decision-maker who will make the final decision.
For a more comprehensive overview of the fostering process, you can view our ‘How Does Fostering Work: A Simple Guide To Becoming A Foster Parent’.
Why Should You Apply To Be A Foster Parent, And What Support Will You Receive From Changing Futures?
Now, we may be biased, but our advice to anyone considering whether to apply to be a foster parent requires no explanation. We would simply say do it! The rewards of fostering for both children, foster parents, and any other individuals involved, whether an assessing social worker or birth family member, are invaluable and immeasurable. Watching a vulnerable child or young person bloom and blossom with the correct support network around them has no parallel. Fostering is more than just four walls and some paperwork; it’s the shaping of a foster child or young person’s life, a second chance for all children and young people, where all the doors that were previously shut are open. In our experience, there is no better feeling than watching this happen.
If you wish to apply to be a foster parent, Changing Futures will support you at every stage of your fostering journey, from your initial enquiry to the fostering panel and beyond. Once you become part of the Changing Futures family, you will gain access to endless support, advice, and guidance, as well as a strong community and a fostering network. Whether from an experienced foster carer or foster family, a supervising social worker, or one of our management team, there will always be someone to answer any questions you may have.
At Changing Futures Fostering, we’re an agency that provides a fostering service, all about giving our foster parents the information and support they need to really make a difference in a vulnerable child’s life. If you need any more information about applying to become a foster parent, or about foster care in general, or if you have any other questions or queries, please click here to contact us. Or, please feel free to email us at admin@changingfuturesne.co.uk or give us a call on 01429 363 127 to speak to our brilliant fostering team!