What are the fostering regulations?

The Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 outline legal requirements that fostering providers must adhere to. The other main statutory (legally enforceable) documents that fostering services must comply with are the ‘National Minimum Standards’ and the ‘Children Act volume 4: Fostering Services’.

The regulations, minimum standards and Children Act outline specific details of the services that must be offered by fostering providers. This includes details of which checks must be completed before recruiting staff or approving foster carers; what support must be offered to carers and children; how staff and carers must be supervised and their performance reviewed; how the business operations should be managed, and other key fostering functions.

When Ofsted inspect fostering providers, they focus on compliance with the fostering regulations, minimum standards and Children Act (although breach of any other relevant regulation will also be addressed if necessary).

There is considerable overlap in the instruction within the fostering regulations, minimum standards and Children Act. Sparks Fostering has developed bespoke assessments and management audit documentation which ensures that the agency is compliant with all requirements.