THE fostering system has a rigorous process to ensure potential carers meet the standards required. Checks are in place to ensure that the child will be safe and, hopefully, progress in a family’s care.

Fostering from Bolton Council is open to anyone over the age of 21 and foster carers do not have to own their own home. Foster carers do not have to be couples – there can also be single male and female carers. Care is needed for babies, children, young people and siblings. Before a hopeful foster carer can get their first placement, they have to be thoroughly checked. The process may vary slightly depending on whether a hopeful carer goes through the council or an agency. Local agency Fostering Solutions has shared its system, which is open to anyone.

Sarah Jane Leydon, Fostering Solutions’ carer engagement officer said: “To become a carer you have to have an open and honest conversation with the agency about your current and past situations, covering past relationships, finances, work, experience looking after children or vulnerable adults and health.

“After an initial phone call a person or couple receives a home visit lasting two to two and a half hours, and may then be invited to apply. Once their application form is received the assessment starts.”

Fostering Solutions’ assessment comes in two stages — the first covering background checks and references, the second involving an experienced social worker visiting the person at home.

The social worker gets to know the prospective carer in a series of visits, discussing attitudes to parenting, how they potential carers themselves were parented, their relationships past and present and life choices. Before the final approval, the applicant is also invited to a three day course to learn about child development and attachment, why certain behaviours are common in children who have missed out on early nurture or experienced cruelty, and how to cope.