Approval

About annual reviews

In England and Wales a review of foster carers’ approval must take place not more than a year after approval, and thereafter whenever the fostering service provider considers it necessary, but at intervals of not more than a year. In England and Wales fostering regulations make it clear that the first review must go back to the fostering panel. After that, there is no legal requirement for a review to go back to panel, although the fostering service can choose to do so.

Organisations that want to request AccessNI disclosure on candidates must either become a registered body (this is only suitable for large organisations) or use an umbrella body that is registered with AccessNI. You can see a full list of umbrella bodies on the Department of Justice for Northern Ireland website

Depending on the nature of the work, an employer may ask for a basic, standard or an enhanced disclosure.

We are pleased to share that the new edition of The Skills to Foster will be available in 2024. It includes a new focus on equality, diversity and inclusion, and expanded content on child development, trauma and therapeutic approaches to fostering. 

This new edition will be accessible via a learning management system, designed to support services and foster carers to access the resource in a variety of ways. 

Annual reviews

A review of foster carers’ approval must take place not more than a year after approval, and thereafter whenever the fostering service provider considers it necessary, but at intervals of not more than a year.

In Scotland, reviews must be held within 12 months of the day of approval, within three years of the previous review and also where the agency considers that a review of the foster carer’s approval is necessary or appropriate to safeguard the welfare of any child who has been placed with that carer. 

Once you have decided upon the service you would like to foster with, contact them to enquire and have an initial discussion about fostering and for the service to find out a little about you. You may be invited to attend an information session or the fostering service will offer for a member of their team to come out and visit you in your home to have a discussion about fostering.