Foster carer medicals

As part of the assessment process, prospective foster carers will have a medical assessment. This is because regulations require fostering services to obtain health information when assessing a person’s suitability to foster.

Assessments must consider the applicant holistically. This includes taking into consideration any specific illness, disability, past or current treatment, or prescribed medication.

For approved foster carers, the frequency of subsequent medicals is set by each fostering service. For example, a service might require a new medical to be completed every three years, however this is local policy, not a national requirement.

Medical information is only one element of the wider assessment of a person’s suitability to foster. What matters most is that a foster carer can safely care for and meet the needs of children.

As the UK's leading fostering charity we offer practice support to member fostering across the UK.

Recommendations regarding medicals 

The Fostering Network, CoramBAAF and the National Association of Fostering Providers will work with the relevant bodies to take the following recommendations forward: 

• A national standardised approach to foster carer medicals, including a national recommended fee.
• To promote an understanding amongst health colleagues around their crucial role in the recruitment and retention of foster carers and the importance of foster carer medicals.
• To promote an understanding among health professionals completing medical reports of the role of the foster carer. This is necessary to ensure all relevant information is provided to the medical advisor for consideration.
• Ensure there is effective communication between the fostering provider and health colleagues at a local level.
• Review the medical report form (AH1) to ensure the content and format is fit for purpose (NB: CoramBAAF is already in the process of updating the AH form as part of review processes and has made additional changes in light of the covid-19 pandemic).
• Clarification of roles in assessing the suitability to foster using the information contained within the foster carer medical report. This includes clarifying the respective role of the assessing social worker and fostering service medical adviser in assessing the implications of information contained within the foster carer medical report on the foster carer’s suitability to foster.
• Clarification regarding the sharing and storage of foster carer’s health information by GP surgeries, medical advisors and fostering services.