Fostering at modus is set up to provide high quality family living experiences for children and young people and it is incumbent upon us therefore to make sure that our assessment procedures and practice are thorough and rigorous.

Whilst it is imperative that our assessment is comprehensive and for some this may feel somewhat invasive, we hold your right to confidentiality with the utmost respect. We see the assessment process as an opportunity for learning and we believe that there are no fixed rules to which families must conform if they are to make ‘good’ foster families.

We would always encourage you to contact us and have a conversation with one of our social work team rather than ruling yourself out because you believe that for some reason, you may not be suitable. We will be open and honest with you and there is no problem with stopping or putting an assessment on hold if either party feels that the process is proving unsuccessful.

The assessment process will involve regular individual meetings with your assessing social worker. Within these meetings, we will have the opportunity to find out more about you whilst you will have the opportunity to learn and prepare for becoming a foster carer, find out more about the organisation and develop relationships with our team.

Furthermore, we will invite you to attend a programme of basic training courses that will provide you with base-line knowledge of the issues related to fostering and will also give you the opportunity to meet other prospective carers. We run these training courses at various times, including courses in the evenings which are suitable for potential carers in employment.

The aim of the assessment process is twofold: to ensure that you can offer a safe home for children and to equip individuals and families with the basic skills to enable you to be approved to foster children. From then on it is a gradual learning experience through which you will be supported by our team.

Protocol for fostering assessment

Assessment within a 3 to 4 month period and at least 8 visits

Advertise in local press / other media

Respond immediately either by telephone or in writing to any initial interest or at the latest within 2 working days.

Initial Enquiry Form and Info Pack sent out within 4 working days.

Info pack consists of:
Enquiry Form
Information for Foster Carers
An Overview of the Service

On completion and return of the Initial Enquiry Form a visit is to be arranged within 2 weeks.

On commencement of the assessment, an application form is left with the family to complete and return to modus. NB: Personal referees are not family members or related to the prospective carers.

Once the completed forms are returned a personnel file is made up and statutory checks are carried out. ie FLRC Forms to:

The Local Authority (including Education)
Probation Service
NSPCC National Helpline
Local Health Authority/Trust

On the next visit both the Application and Reference Check Forms are discussed and all details are checked. At this visit the CRB Application Form is then completed.

FLRC Forms to:

6 Personal references
Current or previous employer; on receipt of returned reference, a phone call to verify should be made.
Adult member of extended family

CRB Application Form logged in to the office systems and sent.

Visits during assessment to the following:
At least eight visits to the family.
At least three personal referees should be visited.
Extended family members, where appropriate

After the 3rd visit, the Adult Health Forms (numbered accordingly) are sent out by modus to the prospective foster carers with a covering letter to the nominated doctor and a self addressed envelope for return to modus.

Every effort should be made to complete the assessment within 4 months whereupon the report will be prepared, discussed with the carers and their signature assigned. The assessment report will be circulated in time to give at least 2 days for the panel to consider the report.

Training groups

Prospective carers will meet up with other carers who will act as their mentor/buddy and all family carers will be required to attend training sessions.