Fostering medical assessments are an essential part of the fostering process. A thorough medical assessment ensures that potential carers are fit and well enough to care for children and helps identify any potential health concerns that need to be addressed.
Today we’re looking at some of the common health concerns that might be raised during a fostering assessment, and their potential impact on caregiving abilities.
Smoking or Vaping
A common question raised during the medical assessment process is ‘Can foster carers smoke?’
The answer isn’t a straightforward ‘yes’ or a ‘no.’ While smoking doesn’t exclude you from becoming a foster carer, it does restrict the age of children you can foster. For example, children under the age of 5 or children with existing respiratory conditions, (such as asthma), can’t be placed in a home where anyone smokes.
You would also be expected to have a ‘smoke-free’ home, even if you smoke or use e-cigarettes (‘vape’). This is regardless of the age of any child or children placed with you, to reduce the risks associated with secondhand smoke which is particularly dangerous for children, and also to set a positive example to children and young people.
If you currently smoke or use e-cigarettes and would like support to stop smoking, this is something that can be explored during the medical assessment process.
Responsible Alcohol Use
Many foster carers enjoy a drink, whether that’s a glass of wine with a meal or a couple of drinks at a family celebration. However, fostering agencies and local authorities need to be sure that potential foster carers have a responsible attitude towards drinking and a healthy relationship with alcohol.
During your fostering assessment, you’ll be asked if you drink alcohol and if so, how much. Currently, NHS guidelines recommend drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, ideally spread across 3 or more days.
Weight Management
BMI (Body Mass Index) is a way of checking whether or not someone is a healthy weight for their age and height. BMI is just one metric for measuring health and being overweight doesn’t necessarily mean you’re unhealthy. However, carrying extra weight does come with long-term health risks. For example, if your BMI classifies you as obese, you’re at greater risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, Heart Disease, and certain cancers.
Fostering agencies need to be satisfied that you’re fit enough to keep up with the demands of having a child or children placed with you and that it won’t be detrimental to your own health.
As part of your assessment, your social worker may also want to explore how much physical activity you do, as well as your eating habits and attitudes towards food. This may feel intrusive, and even slightly uncomfortable, but agencies need to be sure that children in your care will be encouraged and supported to get enough exercise and eat well.
If you have concerns about your weight or are actively trying to lose weight, this is something that can be addressed during your fostering medical assessment.
Long-Term Health Conditions
Over a quarter of the UK population is living with at least one long-term health condition, and recent evidence suggests that around 15% of people are living with multiple long-term health conditions.
A few common long-term health conditions include:
- Anxiety
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Chronic pain
- COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Epilepsy
- Heart disease
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)
- MS (Multiple Sclerosis)
Fortunately, living with a chronic health condition doesn’t prevent you from fostering, but it will need to be explored during your medical assessment. The GP conducting your fostering medical will want to know:
- When you were diagnosed
- What your symptoms are
- Any medication or treatment you’re currently having
- How well managed your condition is
- How it impacts your day-to-day life
- What would happen if your condition worsened (for example, what support do you have in place, are you under the care of a specialist team)
- Any risk factors that might exacerbate your condition (make it worse)
Fostering agencies and local authorities understand that many people with long-term health conditions lead full and active lives and aren’t looking to exclude chronically ill people from becoming foster carers. Their main concern is that you will be able to take care of a child without negatively impacting your own health.
Mental Health Issues
Prospective foster carers often worry that past mental health difficulties will prevent them from fostering, but many people struggle with their mental health at some point in their lives, and it doesn’t mean they won’t make excellent foster carers.
It’s important to be open and honest during the assessment process. As with long-term health conditions, your GP will be looking at when your mental health condition was diagnosed, and how often it presents itself or how it affects your day-to-day life. They may also want to understand if there were any clear stressors that contributed to your mental health problems, for example, any big life changes, and whether the stresses of fostering would impact your mental health.
Fostering Assessments by Orr Medical
Here at Orr Medical, we have over a decade of experience in undertaking fostering medicals and providing medical reports for fostering agencies. As specialists in fostering health, we pride ourselves on providing a quick, reliable service that doesn’t compromise on quality.
If you’re an applicant wanting to know more about the medical assessment process, we suggest checking out our step-by-step guide, or advice on preparing for your upcoming medical.
Alternatively, if you’re a fostering agency looking for an efficient GP-led assessment service, contact us today to find out how we can help.