The Assessment Process (Part 3)
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8. Detail other significant adults who will have contact with any child of your household on a regular basis.
For example, a neighbour or a close friend who visits you frequently, or perhaps a baby sitter you use for children within the family.
9. Detail your accommodation, neighbourhood and mobility.
You need to outline your neighbourhood - its ethnic composition, its schools and recreational facilities, and the public transport that is available to you. You are then required to give a simple description of your accommodation and the proposed sleeping arrangements for any child. You are asked for health and safety information, and finally whether or not you intend to move house in the near future: and if so, what the implications of such a move would be for any child placed with you.
10. Detail any restrictions on pets.
What pets do you already have (if any), and would there be any limitations placed on a child who might bring a pet with her / him?
11a. Confirm whether or not you have a permanent home in the U.K, Channel Islands or Isle of Man.
You also need to provide your date of birth and marital status, with confirmation that the appropriate documentation has been seen by the social worker.
11b. Describe your work and educational history.
This includes periods of raising a family, unemployment, part-time employment and voluntary work. You must also provide your National Insurance number for confirmation of these (where applicable).
11c. Detail the various compulsory checks that have been carried out.
These statutory references include police checks and personal referees. If you have a criminal record you need to make the agency aware of this and ask them if this would stop you being able to foster. In many cases as long as you have not committed an offence recently and the offence did not involve violence against a child the agency may still be prepared to consider your application. You will also be expected to take a medical and complete a medical questionnaire. If you have concerns about a previous illness affecting your application you should speak to your GP about it. Other areas that may be checked include education and employer references (where applicable).
12. List detail of your home visits.
This includes the number of times the visits have taken place, and who was seen at each one. You also need to describe the number and type of preparation group meetings attended, and to describe the ethnic mix of the group and aspects of the training covered, as well as your participation and what you felt had been useful. Any further areas of training that might be required should also be identified. Finally, for those who have not had the opportunity to attend a preparation group there is a chance to list what preparation or training has been utilised instead.
13. Provide details of medical information.
The date of your medical examination, comments from the agency medical adviser, details of any physical, mental or emotional disabilities within your extended family, and details of any disabled children.
14. Give details of personal referees.
You are asked for the referees' relationship to you, the time that they have known you, and comments on the information they have provided. In England and Wales there is a requirement for the referees to be personally interviewed by the agency social worker, and a record of these visits should be attached to the form.
More information on foster carer assessment are on our following pages.
