How to become a foster family

If you would like to become foster carers you can pick up your application form at our office or download it from this website. Infania would be delighted to help you out throughout the process. We will inform you about all the required paperwork, assessment of your suitability, and the training process in order to become a member of our foster families.

Infania’s recommended steps

• Preliminary information. Before applying, any interested family should have first-hand knowledge about the key matters regarding fostering. It would help solve any doubts and to make an informed decision once they become familiar with the role of the foster family, before continuing onto the next step.
• Aplication form and documentation. It involves opening a file with Infania and starting with the suitability assessment process to become a foster carers. From this moment on, all phases will become an input leading to the result of the family’s suitability.
• Applicants training. At this stage, the family will be trained in all the different aspects involved in the fostering process and matters related to child protection. Detailed information will be provided regarding the characteristics, types, duration, legal aspects, child protection scheme, characteristics of the children to be fostered, fostering duties, the role of Infania as facilitating agent, the role of the biological family, meetings between fostered children and their original families, departure, and much more.
  This stage is a key moment for deep reflection about how you want to get involved to support children. There is a wide range of opportunities to analyse your motivations, educational skills, time-management issues, expectations, etc. We will always be available throughout the process to address your enquiries, since it is our intention to help all families reach a free and well informed decision.
• Psycho-social evaluation of the family. At this stage we try to get to know the daily reality of the potential foster family; the personal history of each family member, the family structure, educational skills, material resources, emotional capabilities, social support network, fostering expectations, motivations…and any other matter of interest to get to know the family unit.
  Upon this analysis, a psycho-social report will be produced. It will convey all the information obtained and will assess and determine the suitability of the applicants against the requested profile. This document will be forwarded to the Child Protection Agency where it will be checked by the EVI (suitability evaluation unit). Once approved, the document will lead to the declaration of suitability.
  In the case an evaluation is deemed ‘unsuitable’, and once confirmed by the EVI, the result may be appealed through the means of administrative and/or legal proceedings.