Resignation – ending your approval thoughtfully and safely
*(full guidance in the Resignation & Transferring Policy / Procedure)
Deciding to step away from fostering is significant for you, the agency and—most importantly—the children in placement. The law gives carers the right to resign with 28 days’ written notice, but best practice is to talk first, plan carefully and keep children’s transitions smooth.
1 | Talk before you write
- Speak to your Supervising Social Worker (SSW) as soon as the idea arises.
- Request a meeting with the Team Manager or another senior manager to explore any solvable issues—support needs, respite, training gaps, household changes.
- Consider timing: Can you stay until a school term ends, therapy block finishes or Staying-Put offer begins?
2 | Children in placement – two routes
| Situation | Agency expectation |
| You can keep the child until the Care Plan’s natural end | Ideal; offers the child continuity and lets professionals plan calmly. |
| You cannot continue (health, family crisis, immediate transfer) | Give as much notice as possible; work with the SSW and child’s social worker so the child understands the move and can say goodbye well. |
3 | Transfer to another agency
A national Transfer Protocol applies whether or not a child is placed. Your SSW will:
- share training records and panel minutes (with your consent);
- liaise with the receiving agency and Local Authority;
- ensure the child’s Care Plan and Delegated Authority documents follow them.
4 | Submitting formal notice
- Send a signed letter or email stating, “I / we give 28 days’ notice of resignation as foster carers.”
- The clock starts the day the agency receives the notice; approval ends automatically after 28 days.
- No legal mechanism exists to withdraw notice. If you change your mind, a fresh assessment must take place before approval can be reinstated.
Both carers in a partnership must sign.
5 | Post-resignation tasks
- Return confidential records to the agency.
- Securely dispose of any medication belonging to past placements.
- Retain personal tax and training documents (HMRC requires six-year retention).
- The agency notifies your home Local Authority that your approval has ceased.
6 | Emotional closure
Leaving fostering can feel like loss as well as relief. Use exit supervision, peer support groups or counselling to process mixed emotions—and celebrate the sparks you ignited in children’s lives.
Key points to remember
- Talk first, write second.
- 28 days’ written notice is irrevocable.
- Children’s welfare drives the timetable.
- Transfers follow a national protocol—your SSW will guide you.
For step-by-step detail refer to the Resignation & Transferring Policy and Procedure or speak to your SSW.
