What happens before fostering your first child.
When you apply to become a foster parent, you will receive plenty of information and training from your fostering agency. During your assessment process, you will have already discussed with your agency team about what type of child you can best provide care for.
Where a child has been identified as requiring a placement, individual foster carers are again assessed for their suitability. Other factors, such as geographical proximity and cultural heritage will also be considered.
If you are identified as a potential carer, the fostering agency will discuss the details with you. This is to ensure that you are fully aware of any potential associated risks and/or difficulties associated with the child. If you are willing to proceed, the next stage of the process is approval.
This process could involve the local authority, the child’s school and the child’s biological family.
Once a placement is agreed a plan will be organised for the care of that child. This process will happen before the foster placement begins. However, in emergency placements this may not always be possible. The plan will be an indication of the length of the placement and will outline everything you need to know to provide a foster child with the best possible care.
Team LondonFostering Blog.