TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
SECTION ONE
INTRODUCTION
6
USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS & ADDRESSES
7
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
15
FOSTERING SERVICES REGULATIONS & NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR
FOSTERING SERVICES
29
THE FOSTER CARERS CHARTER
39
CHILDREN IN CARE PLEDGE
44
WHERE DOES THE FOSTERING SERVICE FIT IN THE COUNTY COUNCIL?
46
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES POLICY
51
SECTION TWO - FOSTER CARERS
APPROVAL
52
FOSTER CARER AGREEMENT
52
DBS & MEDICAL UPDATES
52
PAYMENT FOR SKILLS
52
SUPERVISION & SUPPORT OF CARERS
53
ROLE OF FOSTERING SOCIAL WORKERS
53
SUPERVISION POLICY
53
YOUR OWN SUPPORT WITH CHILD CARE
54
SUPPORT CARERS
55
SUPPORT GROUPS
55
SONS & DAUGHTERS
56
FOSTER CARERS ADVISORY GROUP
56
KEEP & KEEP SAFE
56
FOSTER CARERS FORUMS
57
FOSTER CARERS ASSOCIATION
57
TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
57
INDUCTION
57
CHILDREN'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL STANDARDS
57
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS
58
POST APPROVAL TRAINING
58
FOSTER CARERS ONLINE FORUM
59
MENTORING SCHEME
59
EMERGENCY DUTY SERVICE (EDS)
60
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CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE (CAMHS)
60
SUSTAIN
61
NSPCC
62
FAMILY RIGHTS GROUP
62
GRANDPARENTS ASSOCIATION
62
FOSTERING NETWORK
62
FOSTER CARER ANNUAL REVIEW
63
DE-REGISTRATION - CEASING TO FOSTER
64
FOSTERING PANEL
64
QUALIFYING DETERMINATION
64
INDEPENDENT REVIEW MECHANISM
65
CHANGES TO YOUR HOUSEHOLD/NEW PARTNERS
65
ACCESS TO YOUR FOSTER CARER FILE
65
COMPLIMENTS
66
COMPLAINTS
66
RECORDING
68
INCIDENT NOTIFICATION FORM
74
INTERNET SAFETY AND STORAGE OF INFORMATION ELECTRONICALLY
75
KEEPING CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE SAFE AGAINST RADICALISATION &
EXTREMISM - ADVICE FOR FOSTER CARERS
82
HEALTH & SAFETY ADVICE & GUIDANCE
84
POLICY & GUIDANCE ON SMOKING IN FOSTER CARE
92
GUIDANCE ON YOUNG PEOPLE'S CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL
94
SAFE CARING PLAN
96
SECTION THREE - FOSTER CHILDREN
PLACING CHILDREN WITH YOU
98
RISK ASSESSMENT
98
PLACEMENT PLAN
98
INITIAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT
98
BEDROOM SHARING
99
DELEGATED AUTHORITY
100
U PACS
100
CHILDREN'S REVIEW
100
CONTACT
101
INDEPENDENT VISITORS
101
CHILD'S SOCIAL WORKER
101
VISITING PATTERN
101
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UNANNOUNCED VISITS
102
POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN
102
BEING HEALTHY
102
STAYING SAFE
104
ENJOYING & ACHIEVING
104
MAKING A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION
105
ACHIEVING ECONOMIC WELL-BEING
105
POCKET MONEY
105
PROMOTING POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR
106
PHYSICAL INTERVENTION
108
PROTOCOL TO REDUCE THE PROSECUTION OF LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN
109
BULLYING
112
CHILDREN WHO GO MISSING
113
OVERNIGHT STAYS
115
HOLIDAYS
116
EDUCATION
116
PERSONAL EDUCATION PLANS
116
VIRTUAL SCHOOL
117
PARENT PARTNERSHIP
120
OTHER EDUCATION
120
EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN
120
PRESERVING MEMORIES
123
MOVING ON
123
THROUGHCARE TEAMS
124
NYAS (NATIONAL YOUTH ADVOCACY SERVICE)
126
FOSTER CARERS WISHING TO ADOPT CHILDREN IN PLACEMENT
126
FOSTER CARERS WISHING TO BECOME SPECIAL GUARDIANS
126
STAFFORDSHIRE'S YOUNG PEOPLE'S SERVICE
126
YOUTH OFFENDING SERVICE
127
END OF PLACEMENT REPORT
127
PROMOTING EQUALITY & DIVERSITY
127
CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE'S VOICE PROJECT
128
NSPCC ADVOCACY SERVICE
129
SECTION FOUR - SAFEGUARDING
PROTECTING CHILDREN & ADULTS
130
DISCLOSURES
131
ALLEGATIONS AGAINST FOSTER CARERS
131
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INVESTIGATION PROCESS
132
SUITABILITY PROCESS
133
SUPPORT DURING INVESTIGATIONS
134
SECTION FIVE - MEDICAL MATTERS
CONSENT TO TREATMENT
135
MEDICATION GUIDANCE
135
SELF ADMINISTRATION OF OVER THE COUNTER MEDICINCES
136
SELF MANAGEMENT OF MEDICATION
136
ACCIDENTS & EMERGENCIES
137
HIV & HEPATATIS
137
STRENGTHS & NEEDS ASSESSMENT
139
HEALTH BOOKLET FOR CHILDREN IN CARE
139
SECTION SIX - FINANCE
FOSTERING ALLOWANCES
140
WHAT THE BASIC ALLOWANCE COVERS
140
ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS
141
PAYMENT FOR SKILLS
146
JOINT FINANCE UNIT PAYMENT DETAILS
154
INCOME TAX RELIEF FOR FOSTER CARERS
155
BENEFITS
155
DISABILITY LIVING ALLOWANCE
156
NATIONAL INSURANCE
159
PENSIONS (HOME RESPONSIBILITY PROTECTION)
159
FOSTER CARERS INSURANCE
160
EQUIPMENT
161
DISABILITY FOSTERING TEAM PAYMENTS
161
REMAND PAYMENTS
162
EMERGENCY DUTY SERVICE FOSTERING
162
LOANS TO FOSTER CARERS
162
SECTION SEVEN - DISABILITY FOSTERING TEAM
ACCESS & CRITERIA
168
PLACEMENT PROCESS
169
LEVEL 5
169
CRITICAL ILLNESS/CHILD DEATH IN PLACEMENT
170
SECTION EIGHT - INTENSIVE INTERVENTIONS
RESILIENCE FOSTERING
172
REMAND FOSTERING
173
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SECTION NINE - FAMILY & FRIENDS
FAMILY & FRIENDS TEAM
174
FAMILY & FRIENDS FOSTER CARE
173
SUPPORT TO FAMILY & FRIENDS FOSTER CARERS
174
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
175
DUTIES/SERVICES UNDERTAKEN BY THE FAMILY & FRIENDS TEAM
175
GUIDING PRINCIPLES & VALUES OF THE FAMILY & FRIENDS TEAM
175
SECTION TEN - LEGAL TERMINOLOGY
177
APPENDIX A - FOSTER CARER AGREEMENT
182
APPENDIX B - DATA PROCESSOR AGREEMENT
192
APPENDIX C - FOSTER CARERS GUIDE TO DATA PROCESSOR AGREEMENT
197
APPENDIX D - ePEP ACCESS AGREEMENT
199
APPENDIX E - ENCRYPTING MEMORY STICKS
202
APPENDIX F - USING AN ENCRYPTED MEMORY STICK
206
APPENDIX G - SENDING VIA THE SECURE FILE TRANSFER FACILITY
208
APPENDIX H - RECEIVING VIA THE SECURE FILE TRANSFER FACILITY
214
APPENDIX I - SMOKING
219
APPENDIX J - OUT OF HOURS PLACEMENT SCHEME
224
APPENDIX K - INTERNET SAFETY; TEXT ABBREVIATIONS A-Z
225
APPENDIX L - TREASURE BASKETS AND HEURISTIC PLAY
228
CONTENTS OF PLASTIC WALLET
HEALTHY TEETH FOR LIFE - ORAL HEALTH GUIDELINES FOR FOSTER CARERS AND
SOCIAL WORKERS
FOSTER CARERS CHARTER
BLIND CORD AWARENESS
CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION
GOOD PRACTICE GUIDES
ADMISSIONS TO SCHOOL FOR LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN
ALLEGATIONS AGAINST FOSTER CARERS OR PROSPECTIVE ADOPTERS
INFORMATION SHARING REQUESTS
OVERNIGHT STAYS FOR LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN
PARTNERSHIP WORKING
RECORDING BY FOSTER CARERS
REFLECTIVE PRACTICE
TIMESCALES FOR STATUTORY VISITS TO LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN
HOW TO SUPPORT CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THERAPEUTIC NEEDS
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SECTION 1
INTRODUCTION
The vision of Staffordshire County Council Looked After Children & Disability Service is to ensure
that all children and young people in care are safe, secure and achieve their full potential. Within
the Fostering Service we aim to do this by providing and supporting safe, stable and positive
experiences of care. Our aim is to ensure that each child has a secure identity by making the most
of educational opportunities, being healthy and emotionally well as wel as by enjoying a network of
social relationships within which they feel valued.
As foster carers you play a vital part in ensuring that children in care have a safe and positive
experience whilst being cared for. For some children & young people the plan may be to return
home or be placed with relatives whilst others may move on to adoption or remain in permanent
foster care.
This handbook contains a range of information and guidance which wil help & support you to
achieve good outcomes for children & young people in your care. Where guidance is given this is
based on the Fostering Service policies and procedures.
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USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS & ADDRESSES
ADOPTION & FOSTERING RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING TEAM (STAFFORD)
Staffordshire Place 1, Stafford ST16 2LP
Tel: 01785 895363
FOSTER CARER SUPPORT TEAM (NORTH)
Staffordshire Place 1, Stafford ST16 2LP
Tel: 01785 278573
FOSTER CARER SUPPORT TEAM (SOUTH)
Bird Street, Lichfield, WS13 6PN
Tel: 01543 512083
FOSTERING CENTRAL
Staffordshire Place 1, Stafford ST16 2LP
Tel: 01785 278573
FAMILY AND FRIENDS TEAM
Staffordshire Place 1, Stafford ST16 2LP
Tel: 01785 895949 (DUTY)
INTENSIVE FOSTERING PROJECT
Staffordshire Place 1, Stafford ST16 2LP
Tel: 01785 277332
ADOPTION TEAM
Red Gables, 59 High Street, Uttoxeter, ST14 7JQ
Tel: 01889 256400
ADOPTION SUPPORT TEAM
Red Gables, 59 High Street, Uttoxeter ST14 7JQ
Tel: 01889 256400
Post Box Contact: 0845 3300401
THE PLACEMENT SERVICE (DUTY)
Tel: 01785 277724
FOSTER CARER & ADOPTER RECRUITMENT & ENQUIRY LINE
0800 169 2061
EMERGENCY DUTY SERVICE
0345 604 2886
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CAMHS (CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE)
CAMHS – WEST
Children’s Services, The Bridge, St George’s Parkway, off Crooked Bridge Road, Stafford ST16
3NE
Tel: 01785 221665
Fax: 01785 258556
CAMHS – BURTON (EAST)
1ST Floor, Cross Street Clinic, Burton on Trent, DE14 1EG
Tel: 01283 505820
Fax: 01283 505810
CAMHS – LICHFIELD (EAST)
Holly Lodge, St Michaels Hospital, Trent Valley Road, Lichfield WS13 6EF
Tel: 01543 414555
Fax: 01543 442017
CAMHS - NEWCASTLE
The Ashlands, 35 North Castle Street, Newcastle, ST5 1AZ
Tel: 0300 7900235
Fax: 01782 613619
CAMHS - TAMWORTH
Argyle Street Clinic, Tamworth B77 3EW
Tel: 01827 51183
Fax: 01827 312098
CAMHS – LEEK & MOORLANDS
Eaton House, Buxton Road, Leek ST13 6EG
Tel: 01782 652660
SUSTAIN+
161 Eccleshall Road, Stafford ST16 1PD
Tel: 01785 244545
Email:
xxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx.xx
Weekend Contact Number: 0300 790 7000
CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE’S VOICE PROJECT
Rachel Munday-Crates
xxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
01785 253878
SAFEGUARDING THROUGH ADVOCACY (NSPCC)
0844 8920273
COMPLAINTS SERVICE:
Tel: 01785 278601
Staffordshire County Council, Head of Customer Feedback & Complaints, Wedgwood Building
Tipping Street, Stafford ST16 2DH
complaints&xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Joint Finance Unit (Payments Non Mileage)
01785 277180
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FOSTERING NETWORK
Advice & Mediation Worker: Bethan Houston
xxxxxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx
01905 622459
07918684985
Fosterline:
0800 0407675
Legal Advice Line:
0870 164 8020
TARGETED TEENAGE SUPPORT – TEENAGE PREGNANCY PREVETION
Alison Rutherford
01785 895132
YOUTH OFFENDING SERVICE
North:
01782 297615
South West: 01785 277022
South East: 01543 510103
FAMILY RIGHTS INFORMATION
www.frg.org.uk
Family Rights Group, Second Floor, The Print House, 18 Ashwin Street, Londo
n E8 3DL
T: 020 7923 2628
F: 020 7923 2683
For advice:
email:
xxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
or
Phone the advice line: 0808 8010366
Opening hours: Monday - Friday
9.30am-3.30pm
GRANDPARENTS ASSOCIATION
www.grandparents-association.org.uk
The Grandparents’ Association, Moot House, The Stow, Harlow, Essex CM20 3AG
Advice and information line: 0845 434 9585
0r email
xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
USEFUL WEBSITES
Staffordshire Fostering Service: www.care4child.org
Staffordshire County Council: www.staffordshire.gov.uk
Fostering Network: www.fostering.net
British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) www.baaf.org.uk
Department of Education www.education.gov.uk (government policies including Every Child
Matters and the National Minimum Standards)
Information about the Virtual school: www.education.staffordshire.gov.uk
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Equality and Human Rights Commission: www.equalityhumanrights.com
Office for the Children’s Rights Director for England (CRD): www.rights4me.org
Healthy Lifestyles: www.nhs.uk/Change4Life
Young people’s information about Staffordshire Young People’s Youth Service:
www.youthbox.info
Basic Computer Skills and Information: learn.go-on.co.uk
Information about Bullying: www.kidscape.org.uk
Information about Benefits for Care Leavers: www.dwp.gov.uk
Sexual Health Information: www.brook.org.uk
Substance misuse information: www.talktofrank.com
Information about leaving care: www.nyas.net
Information about sexuality: www.stonewall.org.uk
Advocacy and children’s rights: www.voiceyp.org
& www.whocarestrust.org.uk
Staffordshire’s Foster Carers Association: www.staffsfca.co.uk
LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN HEALTH TEAM:
Springfields Health & Wel being Centre
Off Lovett Court
Rugeley
Staffordshire
WS15 2QD
Designated Nurse
Angela Jervis
Named Nurse
Sarah Borton:
01889 571399
07961 247669
xxxxx.xxxxxx@xxx.xxx
Nurse Advisor
Jacqui Harvey:
01889 571368
07791370353
xxxxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx.xx
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CHILDREN IN CARE EDUCATION CO-ORDINATORS:
Headteacher, Virtual School for Looked After Children
Sarah Rivers:
01785 854195
07800 544092
sarah.riv
xxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Lichfield & Cannock:
Denise Grimshaw 01543 512056
Tamworth & East Staffordshire:
Paul Wilkie 01283 239761
LOCAL SUPPORT TEAMS
Biddulph
Biddulph ASO, Town Hal , High Street, Biddulph ST8 6AR
Tel: 01782 297810
Leek
Leek ASO, County Services Building, Fountain Street, Leek ST13 6JR
Tel: 01538 483129
Kidsgrove
Kidsgrove Town Hall, Liverpool Road, Kidsgrove ST7 4EL
Tel: 01782 485262
Madeley
Civic Office, Merrial Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme ST5 2AG
Tel: 01782 296290
Chesterton
Civic Office, Merrial Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme ST5 2AG
Tel: 01782 296290
Uttoxeter
Red Gables, 59 High Street, Uttoxeter ST14 7JQ
Tel: 01889 256400
Paget
Burton ASO, St Paul’s Square, Burton-on-Trent DE14 2EQ
Tel: 01283 239617
Stapenhill
63 Branston Road, Burton-on-Trent DE14 3BY
Tel: 01283 239586
Tamworth
Tamworth ASO, Marmion House, Lichfield Street, Tamworth B79 7BZ
Tel: 01827 475555
Burntwood
Burntwood ASO, Sycamore Road, Chasetown, Burntwood WS7 4RR
Tel: 01543 510410
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Lichfield
The Old House, Eastern Avenue, Lichfield WS13 7SQ
Tel: 01543 510100
Rugeley
Springvale Office, Walhouse Street, Cannock WS11 0DY
Tel: 01543 512333
Cannock - West
Springvale Office, Walhouse Street, Cannock WS11 0DY
Tel: 01543 512333
Cannock - East
Springvale Office, Walhouse Street, Cannock WS11 0DY
Tel: 01543 512333
South Staffordshire - North
Wolverhampton Road, Codsall WS8 1PX
Tel: 01902 696575
South Staffordshire - South
Wolverhampton Road, Codsall WS8 1PX
Tel: 01902 696575
Stafford North
Wedgwood Building, Tipping Street, Stafford ST16 2DH
Tel: 01785 276800
Stafford South
Wedgwood Building, Tipping Street, Stafford ST16 2DH
Tel: 01785 276800
SAFEGUARDING UNITS
Biddulph
Biddulph ASO, Town Hal , High Street, Biddulph ST8 6AR
Tel: 01782 297810
Leek
Leek ASO, County Services Building, Fountain Street, Leek ST13 6JR
Tel: 01538 483129
Kidsgrove
Kidsgrove Town Hal , Liverpool Road, Kidsgrove ST7 4EL
Tel: 01782 485262
Madeley
Civic Office, Merrial Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme ST5 2AG
Tel: 01782 296290
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Chesterton
Civic Office, Merrial Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme ST5 2AG
Tel: 01782 296290
Uttoxeter
Red Gables, 59 High Street, Uttoxeter ST14 7JQ
Tel: 01785 256400
Paget
Burton ASO, St Paul’s Square, Burton-on-Trent DE14 2EQ
Tel: 01283 239666
Stapenhill
63 Branston Road, Burton-on-Trent DE14 3BY
Tel: 01283 239440
Wilnecote
Tamworth ASO, Marmion House, Lichfield Street, Tamworth B79 7BZ
Tel: 01827 475555
Glascote & Rawlett
Tamworth ASO, Marmion House, Lichfield Street, Tamworth B79 7BZ
Tel: 01827 475555
Burntwood
Burntwood ASO, Sycamore Road, Chasetown, Burntwood WS7 4RR
Tel: 01543 510410
Lichfield
The Old House, Eastern Avenue, Lichfield WS13 7SQ
Tel: 01543 510100
Rugeley
Springvale Office, Walhouse Street, Cannock WS11 0DY
Tel: 01543 512333
Cannock - West
Springvale Office, Walhouse Street, Cannock WS11 0DY
Tel: 01543 512333
Cannock - East
Springvale Office, Walhouse Street, Cannock WS11 0DY
Tel: 01543 512333
South Staffordshire
Wolverhampton Road, Codsall WS8 1PX
Tel: 01902 696575
Stafford North
Wedgwood Building, Tipping Street, Stafford ST16 2DH
Tel: 01785 276800
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Stafford South
Wedgwood Building, Tipping Street, Stafford ST16 2DH
Tel: 01785 276800
CARE PLANNING & COURT TEAM
Lichfield
The Old House, Eastern Avenue, Lichfield WS13 7SQ
Tel: 01543 510100
Newcastle & Moorlands
Brackenberry, Cross Heath, Newcastle ST5 9PS
Tel: 01782 269280
Stafford
Wedgwood Building, Tipping Street, Stafford ST16 2DH
Tel: 01785 276800
Tamworth
Tamworth ASO, Marmion House, Lichfield Street, Tamworth B79 7 BZ
Tel: 01827 475555
THROUGH CARE TEAM
Central Through Care Team
Wedgwood Building, Tipping Street, Stafford ST16 2DH
Tel: 01785 276800
Burton and Tamworth
2-3 St Pauls Square, Burton-on-Trent DE14 2EQ
Tel: 01283 239656
Stafford and South Staffs
Wedgwood Building, Tipping Street, Stafford ST16 2DH
Tel: 01785 895466 or 01785 895275
Cannock and Lichfield
Lombard Court, Lombard Street, Lichfield WS13 6DP
01543 510830
Newcastle & Moorlands Through Care Team
Floor 2, The Civic Offices, Merrial Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme ST5 2AG
01782 485285
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STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
1.
Legislative Framework
1.1 The Fostering Services: Regulations, Guidance and Standards (2011) provide the regulatory
framework under the Care Standards Act (2000) for the conduct of fostering services.
1.2 The framework is designed to set out the aims and objectives of the service as a whole, and
the services and facilities which are provided.
1.3 O
fsted wil undertake inspections of the Fostering Service and may interview or visit foster
carers as part of the inspection process.
2.
Introduction
2.1 The
Statement of Purpose for Staffordshire County Council’s Fostering Service has been
compiled in accordance with Standard 16 of the National Minimum Standards for Fostering
Services (2011).
2.2 The information is intended for a wide audience including children in foster care and their
parents, prospective and approved Staffordshire foster carers; staff employed by the
Fostering Service and in Families First, and other agencies and professionals who are
interested in, or involved in work relating to the Fostering Service. The Statement of Purpose
can be found on the fostering websit
e www.care4child.org.
A copy of the summary is given to parents by the child’s social worker when their child
becomes Looked After.
2.3 The Children’s Guide to the Fostering Service sets out the aims of the service; how a child
can access an independent advocate and how they can make a complaint. In addition, there
is an
interactive children’s guide which is accessible and user friendly for all children,
including children with disabilities. This guide is one of a number of documents that can be
given to children and young people upon becoming looked after.
2.4 Both the Statement of Purpose and the Children’s Guide will be reviewed annually and
published on the SCC Fostering website.
If you would like this information in large print, Brail e, audio tape/disc, or any other language,
please ring 01785 278426.
3.
Aims and Objectives of the Service
3.1 Staffordshire Families First Services’ primary aim is to provide services to children and
families to promote the health, education and development of children in ways that meet the
best interests of the child. For children looked after, our aim is to ensure that they achieve
their potential by providing and supporting safe, stable and positive experiences of care.
3.2 The Local Authority believes that children are best cared for by their own family. Where this
is not possible, or not in the best interests of the child, we believe that children should be
able to experience family life in a suitable family, on a temporary or permanent basis.
3.3 Our aim is to ensure that children feel secure in their placements with carers appropriately
trained, supported and capable of providing quality care to meet their needs and maximise
their life chances. This wil include ensuring that the child has a secure identity, making the
most of educational opportunities as well as ensuring the child is healthy, emotionally well
and enjoys a network of social relationships within which the child feels valued. Our aim is to
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promote outcomes for children by providing safe, secure placements and by being
aspirational and ambitious for them.
3.4 Placement choice and the stability and effectiveness of foster care placements are
fundamental to children’s long-term life chances. The Fostering Service aims to provide and
support appropriate family placements, either directly, or by commissioning services from
other agencies to meet children and young people’s assessed needs and also being
sensitive to differences such as race, religion, culture, language sexuality, gender and
disability.
3.5 The Fostering Service works in partnership with children, parents, carers, and all those
involved and concerned with the child’s welfare and best interests to ensure that the best
possible outcomes are achieved.
4.
Principles and Standards of Care
4.1 Staffordshire Fostering Service offers a wide range of placements for children and young
people of all ages.
4.2 Key Principles:
Al applicants to foster for Staffordshire are checked, prepared, assessed and
approved in accordance with the relevant fostering regulations; guidance and
standards.
The Fostering Panel considers all applications to foster; the first annual review of the
carer’s approval and subsequent reviews; all changes of approval and reports
concerning allegations against carers.
A foster carer agreement is signed by all carers at the point of approval and reviewed
annually following the Foster Carer Review.
Approved foster carers have a named fostering social worker and are supported and
supervised in line with the Fostering Supervision and Support Policy and the
requirements of the placement.
Placements are carefully matched, taking into account the needs of the child, the
experience of the carer and the impact on the fostering household.
Foster carers are provided with as much information as possible prior to placement,
including a comprehensive risk assessment and ‘matching’ document to support the
placement.
Foster carer profiles wil be shared with the children prior to placement by the child’s
Social Worker.
Foster carers, children in care and their parents wil have access to the County
Council’s Complaints Service.
Children wil have access to an advocacy service.
4.3 This Statement of Purpose is underpinned by the principles and standards of expectation set
out within:
‘The Staffordshire 'Pledge' to Looked After Children
The Foster Carer's Charter
5.
Management Structure and Staffing Arrangements
5.1 The County Manager (Fostering) is the Registered Manager of the Fostering Agency and is
responsible for the strategic development of the Fostering Service and for ensuring that it
meets and complies with statutory requirements and national standards. The County
Manager is supported in this task by the County Manager (Adoption and Kinship Care).
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County Managers are part of the Families First Looked After Children Service Management
Group and contribute to the wider strategic planning and development of children’s services,
ensuring that issues relating to fostering are promoted, and any implications considered.
5.2 The Fostering Service organises some tasks centrally, but the main responsibility for the
delivery of individual support to foster carers and children is with
six fostering teams.
5.3 Al teams are managed by a Team Manager, who each hold a relevant social work
qualification and either already have a management qualification, or have undertaken
management and leadership training.
5.4 The Fostering Service Social Workers are registered the Health & Care Professions Council
(HCPC). Each social worker has a recognised social work qualification (BA (Hons) in Social
Work, CQSW, CSS or DipSW). 25 Social Workers also hold the full PQ Award and 11 are
working towards it. Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSW) undertake a programme of
training, supervision and support that is directed by the Principal Social Worker for
Staffordshire.
5.5 Al staff members are experienced in working with children and families and are skil ed in
undertaking needs led assessments.
5.6 Al teams members have access to PCs, email facilities and are supported by a dedicated
administrative team. Some staff have access to a pilot mobile-working programme enabling
mobile access to the Families First records management system. The aim of the service is
that all staff wil have access to mobile working arrangements.
5.7 Team Meetings are held regularly and are used to promote development; to share
information, consult and to obtain feedback on issues relevant to the Service.
5.8 Service days are held at regular intervals to ensure that all staff are involved in discussions
about new developments, performance management issues and key changes in legislation,
regulations and innovations.
5.9 The Management Team meets on a fortnightly basis to discuss all business relating to the
Fostering Service, to ensure the standardisation of service delivery across the teams,
consider developments, both internal y and in nationally, and to review and evaluate the
overall performance of the Fostering Service.
Fostering Teams: Roles and Functions
6. The Adoption and Fostering Recruitment, Training and Reviewing Team:
6.1 This team consists of a team manager, social workers, and senior family support workers, a
qualified marketing and recruitment officer and business support staff. The team has
countywide responsibility for the following functions:
Development and implementation of a comprehensive recruitment strategy in order to
attract a range of applicants to foster.
Production of recruitment and publicity material.
Responding to initial enquiries about fostering and adoption and undertaking initial
assessment visits.
Delivery of the ‘Foundations to Foster’ preparation course.
Delivery of preparation training for prospective adopters.
Co-ordination and delivery of a comprehensive post approval training package for all
foster carers.
Responsibility Training Support and Development Standards for Foster Carers.
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Managing and chairing the Annual Reviews of foster carers.
Co-ordination of support groups for foster carers, including additional groups for male
foster carers.
Co-ordination of the Countywide Foster Carers’ Forum held twice a year.
Support to the Foster Carers’ Advisory Group.
Co-ordination of a support group for sons & daughters of foster carers.
Production of newsletters for foster carers and for children in the foster home – one
edition per school term.
Organisation of social events, including the summer barbeque, Christmas parties and
individual awards events for foster carers and fostered children.
Maintenance of the websit
e www.care4child.org and the electronic foster care forum.
7.
Assessment, supervision and support of general foster carers
7.1
There are two fostering teams covering Staffordshire. These teams are based in Lichfield
and Stafford and each has a team manager, social workers, family support workers and
business support staff.
7.2
The
Fostering Central Team undertakes panel functions and advice, fostering
assessments (including Task Centred, IFA Transfer and Supported Lodgings) and fostering
sufficiency.
7.3
The
Fostering North Team is responsible for the supervision and support of the foster
carers in the North of the County including the supervision of Family & Friends regulated
placements. The
Fostering South Team is responsible for the supervision and support of
the foster carers in the South of the County including the supervision of Family & Friends
regulated placements. These teams are responsible for the following fostering activities:
Providing regular and consistent individual supervision and support to fostering
households.
Undertaking annual reviews of foster carers’ continued suitability to foster.
Management and development of carer’s skil s through the implementation of the
TSD Standards, Personal Development Plans and support of foster carers; the aim
being to increase the carer’s expertise and to improve outcomes for children.
Promoting the aim of the Payment for Skil s appraisal scheme for foster carers.
Contribution to the Placement Service and placement matching.
Providing effective fostering support plans, that promotes individual children’s
placement plans.
Family finding systems to search for appropriate permanent placements for children
through in-house resources or external providers.
Promoting and supporting carer’s attendance at foster carer support groups.
Provision of essential equipment and developmental toys for carers.
Undertaking support carer assessments.
Undertaking long- term fostering and special guardianship assessments of approved
foster carers.
8.
The Intensive Interventions Team
8.1
This team consists of a team manager, team co-ordinator, social workers, senior family
support workers and business support staff. The team supports placements providing
intensive interventions.
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This includes:
8.2
The
Resilience Project whose remit is to recruit and assess foster carers to provide single
placements for young people aged 10-15 years, moving from residential care into a family
setting, or where residential care would be the only other option. Psychological screening
is used to identify those best placed to care for these most chal enging young people, whilst
the young people are screened to identify those who would benefit from the resilience
model of care. Carers recruited to the scheme wil already have some relevant
professional childcare experience, either as an established foster carer with a proven track
record of sustaining and supporting a child with complex needs; or who have worked with
children in a professional capacity, e.g. as a residential social worker. Resilience foster
carers’ work with young people usually aged between 10-15 years who are currently placed
in a residential setting.
8.3
The
Remand Scheme which provides family-based placements to young people placed in
custody on a remand basis.
8.4
Wrap Around Support. The (WRAP) team is made up of senior family support workers
with diverse skil s and experience including, a family therapist, specialist education, youth
offending and residential experience. The team includes a team co-ordinator and business
support worker. WRAP offers support to all existing fostering households (including Family
& Friends) who are experiencing chal enging and difficult placements. The Team Co-
ordinator is responsible for chairing stability meetings which may lead to a referral path to
WRAP for time-limited (up to 12 weeks) focussed and identified work. The WRAP
Programme uses the model of Social Learning Theory Intervention.
9.
The Family & Friends Team
9.1
The team offers
the full range of fostering services to family & friends carers; assessment,
supervision and support. Family & friends carers also access (alongside general carers) all
central activities and support provided by the Recruitment & Training Team.
9.2
The team is involved in the care planning process, preparing reports for court and
foster/permanence panels and promoting permanence through special guardianship or
long-term fostering.
9.3
The team provides induction training and support groups for kinship carers.
9.4
The team works closely with Families First’s Targeted Services to provide individual
support to families moving onto special guardianship arrangements.
9.5
Additionally, the team works closely with specialist safeguarding colleagues and is
responsible for the assessment and supervision of
private foster carer arrangements.
10.
The Disability Fostering Team
10.1 The Family Link Team offers short-term breaks to disabled children. Children are matched
with carers who have the skil s and abilities to meet their individual needs and who offer
regular, planned breaks, often over many years. Additionally, the team is responsible for
the supervision and support of approved fostering households who are looking after
children on a full-time basis and who have a permanent and substantial disability or
complex health needs.
10.2 Staffordshire County Council has a duty to provide short stay services under the Children &
Young Person’s Act (2008). These services are available to any person under the age of
18 and who are, therefore legally defined as a child (CA, 1989). Each child must meet
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Staffordshire’s disability eligibility criteria and wil therefore have a permanent and
substantial disability or complex health needs.
10.3 The team consists of a team manager, social workers, an occupational therapist and a
senior family support worker. The team provides a county-wide service and has an office
based in Lichfield.
10.4 The team works closely with Independent Futures (Staffordshire’s all age disability service).
Referrals to the service for short stays are processed through the two Disability Resource
Panels, both of which meet on a monthly basis and are managed by Independent Futures.
Time limited or emergency placements can be agreed by the IF Team Manager.
10.5 The service was established to create family-based placements for children, who were
most in danger of exclusion from services. Level 5 short stays are based on a single
placement at any one time with up to six children being matched, dependent upon their
needs and the size of the support package to the child. Some of the households are
adapted properties and make use of adapted vehicles.
10.7 Additionally, the team has a full-time occupational therapist that is able to provide clinical
assessments children referred, as well as assessments of all homes of approved family link
carers. The resource assists with the matching of children and stability of placements.
11.
As part of Families First, Looked After Children & Disability Service, the Fostering Service
works in close, day-to-day partnership with the following:
The Placement Service: This team
has a service co-ordinator; a placement officer
and clerical support. Their remit is to deal with all emergency and urgent requests
for new or alternative foster placements, including the search for placements
through the independent sector and for ensuring al placements are risk assessed
and matched, as far as is possible. The Fostering Service works as part of the
Placement Service to make effective use of internal and external resources.
Supported Lodgings is run by the Fostering & Adoption Recruitment & Training
team who are responsible for the recruitment, assessment, training and support of
supported lodgings’ placements. The aim is to match 16-18 year old care leavers
with suitable households to support them to develop independence skil s, before
they move into their own accommodation.
12.
Conflict of Interest
12.1 The Children Act (1989) Guidance & Regulations Vol. 4 (4.12) allows for foster carers, or for
a member of their household to work for the Fostering Service; however, care is taken to
avoid any actual or perceived conflict of interest.
12.2 In general terms, anyone working within the Fostering Service
will not be considered as a
foster carer. Staff working within the County Council in areas that have traditionally been
referred to as Children’s Social Care; wil also normally not be considered, as a conflict of
interest may occur. However, all cases will be considered on an individual basis and judged
on merit and in the child’s best interests by the County Managers for Fostering and Adoption
and Kinship Care.
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13.
Placements
13.1 Staffordshire Fostering Service offers the following placements:
Task Centered: These foster carers provide emergency (same day) and planned
placements arranged by the Placement Team. The placements are carefully matched and
are for a time-limited period. The carers wil contribute to the assessment of the child’s long-
term needs and be involved with preparing and supporting a child to return home or move to
a permanent placement, in line with the Permanency Plan agreed for the child at the 2nd
Statutory (Looked After) Review.
Long-Term: These carers provide permanent or long-term placements with foster carers,
who are committed to caring for children until they reach independence, and for providing
ongoing support into adulthood. For children who are aged 12 and under, the match with
foster carers is made by the Best Interest Panel.
Resilience: These carers
provide single placements for young people aged 10-15 making
the transition from residential care into a family setting, until they reach independence.
Remand: The remand scheme provides family-based placements to young people placed
in custody on a remand basis.
Family & Friends: These carers provide placements for a child or young person who is a
relative or friend, (a ‘connected person’) and who is approved as a foster carer specifically for
them. These foster carers have equal access to support and training opportunities.
Emergency Duty: These are foster
carers whose approval is extended to take emergency
placements outside office hours for a maximum of 72 hours (excluding bank holidays).
Disability Short Break/Stays: The Family Link Scheme links disabled children with carers
who can provide them with short stays on a regular basis. This can be anything from a few
hours a week to a few days a month with the same carer.
Short Break: These carers provide short breaks for children in care. The short-term
placements are planned to support the aims of the child’s Care Plan either for a return home
or to support the child’s main placement.
Mother and Baby: These foster carers provide placements to young people in care and their
baby. These carers wil support the needs of both the young person and their baby. The
Foster Carer wil work in partnership with the young person and the children’s Social Workers
to provide care, support and assessment, as required.
Supported Lodgings: Provides supported lodgings’ placements within families, for 16-18
year old care leavers
Support carer’s arrangements (back-up carers). These arrangements are assessed and
the ‘arrangement’ is agreed as appropriate to support exiting, approved fostering households.
The support carers are identified from within the foster carer’s support network. The support
carers can provide short-stays to support a fostering household for anything from day-care
through to regular overnight stays and holidays.
14. Recruitment
14.1
Sufficiency: The Fostering Service wil continue to recruit more foster carers for children in
our care to ensure there is sufficient placement choice to enable children to be
appropriately matched with foster carers, and to ensure that our carers reflect the diverse
population of Staffordshire.
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14.2 The Fostering Service wil also ensure that it has sufficient numbers of supervising social
workers for foster carers; to offer advice, support and supervision. We wil ensure that any
vacancies are recruited to without undue delay and that interim measures are put in place
so that carers are supported.
14.3
Recruitment: The Fostering Service will with the County Council Communications Team to
ensure that we have a strong market presence and effective recruitment and campaigning
plans. Our comprehensive and targeted recruitment strategy is supported by:
A dedicated recruitment and marketing officer for fostering and adoption.
Its staff being trained in a cultural value, modes marketing model
A strong web presence.
An active Facebook site and Twitter feeds.
Targeted and locality campaigns e.g. shared care week; fostering fortnight, and
Staffordshire Day.
Partnership with local commercial initiatives.
A regional recruitment campaign with neighbouring local authorities.
Extensive advertising on radio, backs of buses, and bil boards.
Advertising in professional publications and local newspapers.
Editorial and articles in local papers.
Sponsorship of flower beds.
Incentive /sponsorship schemes to encourage applications from foster carers’ own
network.
‘Reggie’ the recruitment bus which was designed to address some of the unique
recruitment chal enges that exist in a large geographic County. This enables
recruitment messages to reach all communities in Staffordshire, including those on
the extremities of the County.
Open, twice monthly recruitment information meetings.
14.4
Enquiries: all initial enquiries are received by the Recruitment & Training team. Enquiries
can be made via a free-phone number with an answer phone facility out of hours. Enquiries
can also be made on the
www.care4child.org website. The team also takes initial enquiries
regarding the Foundations Scheme.
14.5 An information pack is sent
within one working day with invitations to attend an
Information Meeting. Information meetings are held fortnightly and following the meeting,
if potential foster carers are interested they are asked to complete a detailed information
record.
14.6 Enquirers wil be offered an appointment for a home visit
within 5
working days. The visit enables the potential applicant to obtain more information about
fostering, after which they will be invited to participate in the Preparation Training –
‘
Foundations to Fostering’. ‘Foundations to Fostering’ is made up of an ‘
Introduction to
Fostering for Staffordshire’ workshop, and then 10 follow-on modules.
14.7 In two-carer households, both carers wil complete the training. After the ‘Introduction to
Fostering’ workshop, applicants must complete the
‘Notice to Proceed’ before their ‘Form F’
assessment can start.
14.8 Approved foster carers, who are transferring from another agency, would also complete the
‘Introduction to Fostering for Staffordshire’, although this does not need to be completed
prior to their assessment commencing.
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15. Assessment Process (not including family & friends foster carers): 15.1 When a person applies to become a foster carer, the Fostering Service may assess their
suitability to foster. There is a two-stage assessment process, and the allocated Social
Worker wil arrange to visit the applicants
within 10 working days from receipt of the
notice to proceed.
15.2
At
Stage 1, Staffordshire Fostering Service will obtain the following information from the
applicants:
The applicant’s full name, address and date of birth.
Details of the applicant’s health, supported by a medical report. The applicants wil be
given (Coram BAAF) Form AH to arrange a medical examination through their GP, the
cost of which will be covered by the Local Authority. Completed medicals are sent to
the Medical Advisor for comments about the applicant’s fitness, and their suitability to
foster.
Particulars of other adult household members.
Particulars of children in the applicant’s family (whether or not they are members of
the household) and any other children in the household.
Particulars of the household’s accommodation.
The outcome of any request or application made by the applicant, (or any member of
the applicant’s household), to foster or adopt children, or for registration as an early or
later year’s provider, under Part 3 of the Child care Act (2006), including particulars of
any previous approval or refusal of approval to foster.
The name and address of any fostering service that the applicant has been an
approved foster carer for, in the preceding 12 months.
Names and addresses of four persons who wil provide personal references for the
applicants; (three, if a single applicant) and one extended family member for each
applicant; who will be asked to complete a pro-forma reference and be interviewed by
the Assessing Social Worker. The referees
must know the applicants well and be
able to comment upon all aspects of their lives.
In relation to the applicant and each member of their household aged 16 or over, an
enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Certificate. Fol owing receipt of a
positive DBS check, a manager’s positive DBS Disclosure Risk Assessment pro-forma
wil be completed and considered by the County Manager (Fostering).
Details of any current and any previous marriage, civil partnership, or similar
relationship.
Consultation with the Local Authority in whose area the applicant lives, if this is
different to the Fostering Service.
Staffordshire will also request references and wil undertake a visit to previous
partners with whom the applicant has parented; also any significant partners.
15.3 Stage 1 is completed, 10 days following all the above information becoming available to the
Fostering Service. If at any point during Stage 1 of the assessment process, the Fostering
Service’s Agency Decision-maker (County Manager), decides that the applicant is not
suitable to foster, they must write to the applicant, informing them of this decision and
giving full reasons for it. The applicants wil be advised about how to make a complaint.
15.4
Stage 2 of the assessment may be carried out in parallel to Stage 1 in order to avoid
unnecessary delay. Staffordshire uses the ‘Form F’ (Coram BAAF) assessment report to
present the findings of the full assessment. The assessment requires the full participation
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of the applicants, and social workers will complete an assessment plan with the applicants
and arrange to visit, as required (usually 8-10 visits are needed). The assessment plan and
agreement wil identify dates for visits and the areas to be covered, including information to
be provided by the applicants and a planned date to attend the Fostering Panel.
15.5 The assessment wil collate information about the applicants and their family’s motivation to
foster, as well as their capability to foster. The assessment wil take into account:
Lifestyle
Mental, physical and emotional well-being
Ability to be resilient and flexible
Understanding of the fostering task and the needs of children in care
Ability to manage and care for a child in care and to work with birth families and the
team supporting the child.
Ability to meet cultural, ethnic ,religious, health, and educational needs
Ability to provide suitable accommodation
Impact of fostering on the family
Ability to provide safe and stable care
Ability to understand confidentiality and to keep clear and accurate records.
15.6 Preparation training wil run in parallel with the assessment. The
preparation training
marks the start of ‘portfolio building’ for the ‘
Training Support and Development Standards
for Foster Carers’ (TSD Standards). Al foster carers are supported to complete the TSD
Standards
within 12 months of approval (18 months for family & friends carers). Applicants will begin to accumulate evidence for their portfolio during this training and
assessment period.
15.7 Assessment Form F reports must be completed and have a panel recommendation
within
eight months from the date of the application. Staffordshire aims to complete the assessment
within 20 weeks.
15.8
Family & Friends assessments follow a similar process. Applicants will be contacted
immediately and a referral for either a ‘viability assessment’ or a full assessment wil be
made by the child’s Social Worker. A fostering social worker from the Family & Friends
Team wil also be allocated, and a full assessment is completed
within 12 weeks of the
referral being received. Family & Friends applicants are given an information pack and
guidance on the assessment and approval process.
16. Fostering Approval (Including Family and Friends)
16.1 The completed assessment report wil be shared with the applicants and presented to the
fostering panel with a recommendation whether the applicant is suitable to foster, and what
the terms of their approval should be. The recommendation to panel will set out the type of
placement, number and age range of children to be placed. Or, approval may be limited to
specific children (for example, family & friends approvals).
16.2 The Fostering Panel meets on a weekly basis to consider all applications. The fostering
panel is made up of children’s social care representatives and independent representatives
who have a relevant background and experience that support their role (e.g. fostering, care
experience, health, education etc.)
16.3 Applicants are invited to attend the fostering panel with the assessing social worker and if
applicable the child’s social worker. Written information about the Panel’s role and function
wil be available beforehand and applicants wil meet the Chairperson prior to attending the
panel meeting.
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16.4 The Fostering panel wil make a recommendation about the suitability of the applicant to
foster and the terms of their approval.
16.5 The County Managers for Fostering and Adoption and Kinship are the Agency Decision
Makers and receive the recommendation of the panel. Al information including the Panel
minutes will be made available to the Agency Decision Maker to enable them to make a
considered decision
within 7 days of receipt of the recommendation and final set of
minutes.
16.6 The foster carer or prospective foster carer wil be informed orally of the decision
within
two working days and in writing within five working days, clearly stating the terms of
the approval. Carers wil be required to sign the Foster Carer Agreement before they can
take a placement.
16.7 In circumstances where the agency decision maker is minded not to approve an applicant,
the applicant can either make representation to the agency or through the Independent
Review Mechanism (IRM) and wil be given information regarding the process to be
followed.
17.
Post Approval Support and Supervision
17.1 Approved foster carers wil receive a hard copy of the
Foster Carer Handbook which sets
out the expectations of and relationship with the division. An electronic version wil be
placed on the websit
e www.care4child.org and wil be updated at least annually.
17.2 Newly approved foster carers are required to complete the
Training, Support &
Development Standards for Foster Care. This is part of the framework of induction, core
training and continuing professional development that will equip foster carers with the
essential skil s and knowledge to meet the needs of children in their care.
17.3 Carers wil be expected to evidence that they have met the induction requirements by
achieving a
Certificate of Successful Achievement on completion of a portfolio of
evidence of competency within the first 12 months of approval (18 months for Family &
Friends Carers). Foster carers will be expected to annually update and develop their
knowledge and skil s through their
Personal Development Plan which will contribute to the
foster carer review process. Foster Carers are required to maintain an ongoing ‘portfolio’ of
training and development which demonstrates how they are meeting the skil s required of
them by the Fostering Service.
17.4 Foster carers’ personal development plans set out how they wil be supported to undertake
ongoing training and development that is appropriate to their development needs and
experience.
17.5 The Fostering Panel considers the
foster carers’ annual review and recommends to the
agency their ongoing approval, variation or de-registration. Foster carer reviews are
independently chaired and involve the foster carer and fostering social worker, who provide
written reports. The views of the children and young people in placement and their social
workers inform the review. Views of the carer’s own children are also invited. The review
focuses on the performance of the carer, identifies training requirements and makes
recommendations for future approval.
18
Post Approval Training
18.1 The Fostering Service has a strong commitment to the ongoing training of foster carers,
recognising the valuable contribution it makes to their development, helping them to
understand the fostering task, increasing their knowledge and skil s, and underpinning the
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safe and appropriate care of children. This has been further reinforced by the TSD
Standards’ expectations that carers continue to engage with, and with core and continuing
professional development training and learning opportunities.
18.2 The training catalogue is reviewed and updated annual y and currently offers 45 titles,
providing approximately 750 training opportunities to carers. The training can be in the form
of workshops or courses that take place over one or two days, or more intensive training
arranged over a number of weeks. The training covers subjects of a general and also
specialist nature. The fostering service also offers a range of e-learning modules to enable
carers to access essential information through the internet or via CD/memory sticks.
18.3 Foster carers are also able to access multi-agency child protection and safeguarding
courses and a range of child care courses, being trained alongside social work staff.
Bespoke arrangements have been made available to carers to undertake specific, relevant
courses, the content of which can then be cascaded to others.
19.
Support
19.1 Support for foster carers is given a high priority in Staffordshire and the services available
to carers include:
Supervision and support from a named fostering social worker.
A Mentoring scheme for foster carers
Local support groups who meet on a monthly basis – there are nine groups across
the county.
‘Men in Foster Care’ Support group.
Sons and Daughter Support Group
Out of hours support via the Emergency Duty Service.
Out of hours support provided by the WRAP team
Mentoring scheme for Sons and Daughters
Membership of the Fostering Network.
Access to Fostering Network Advice & a Mediation Worker.
Provision of equipment, necessary for fostering.
Financial support through agreed allowances.
Additional insurance cover.
Interest free loans towards adaptations/extensions to carer’s property and for the
purchase of larger vehicles.
Use of a ‘people carrier’ for set periods of time to give support to carers who require
a larger vehicle due to fostering.
Handbook for foster carers.
Newsletter for foster carers and foster children.
Up to date information through the website and text .
A Foster Carers Advisory Group
Foster Carer’s Forums.
19.2 In order to improve the life chances for children, the following lists some of the services that
are available to children in placements:
SUSTAIN Plus (CAMHS specialist service for children in care): whose aim is to
provide a timely response to the needs of children and young people looked after
and their carers, and whose placements are under stress, or in danger of disruption.
Head teacher of the Virtual School for Looked After Children, and education co-
coordinators and mentors, linking into specific education services.
Named Nurses for Looked After Children.
Access to drugs advisory workers.
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The Voice Project.
Advocacy Service.
Access to SOVA mentors.
’Celebration of Achievements’ evening.
Teenage Pregnancy Support.
20.
Staying Put
20.1 Staffordshire County Council is committed to preventing social exclusion among care
leavers and has developed a ‘Staying Put’ policy in order to ensure that, when appropriate,
they can continue to live with former foster carer(s) after their 18th birthday and make the
transition to independent living at a pace that suits their needs.
20.2 The primary aim of the policy is to allow young people to remain with their carers past their
18th birthday to promote a gradual transition from care to independent living. This
recognises that many young people in care experience delayed maturity, and that their 18th
birthday may be an inappropriate point to leave foster care.
20.3 The
Staying Put Good Practice Guide 2014 provides information, for practitioners and
managers, in making and supporting staying put arrangements. The provision of financial
support is available designed to enable a staying put carer to meet the aims and objectives
of the arrangement.
21. Comments, Compliments and Complaints 21.1 Staffordshire County Council welcomes feedback on the services it provides to children, birth
parents and foster carers, to enable improvements to be made.
21.2 There is a complaints procedure which is accessible to all service users and carers, and there
are three stages to the procedure:
Stage 1 - Local Resolution:
The complaint is addressed at the point of service delivery by the responsible Team
Manager. There is a 10 working day timescale for responding to Stage 1 complaints with the
option to extend to 20 working days with the agreement of the complainant.
Stage 2 – Investigation:
If the complainant remains unhappy with the Stage 1 outcome they can request to proceed to
Stage 2. This must be made to the Head of Customer Feedback and Complaints, advising
why they remain unhappy and the desired outcome from the investigation. A Complaints
Investigating Officer (CIO) or an external Investigating Officer (IO) wil be assigned to the
complaint and an Independent Person (IP) wil work alongside the CIO to ensure an
independent and objective view. There is a 25 working day timescale for completing the
investigation although this can be extended to 65 with the agreement of the complainant. A
response wil provided by the relevant Strategic Lead following consideration of the reports.
Stage 3 - Review Panel:
If the complainant remains unhappy with the outcome of the investigation at Stage 2 they can
request an independent Stage 3 Review Panel. The complainant must outline in writing why
they remain unhappy and the desired outcome from the panel. The Panel is made up of
three independent people who wil review the investigation undertaken.
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22.
Contact Details for Further Information
For further information contact:
County Manager Fostering Service,
Looked After Children Services (Families First)
Staffordshire Place 1
Stafford
ST16 2LP
For a complaint or representation re the Fostering Service contact:
Staffordshire County Council
Complaints and Representations
Staffordshire Place 1
Stafford
ST16 2LP
Tel: 01785 278601
For O
fsted contact:
Piccadil y Gate
Store Street
Manchester
M1 2WD
xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx.xx
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FOSTERING SERVICES REGULATIONS AND NATIONAL MINIMUM
STANDARDS FOR FOSTERING SERVICES
Fostering Services operate within the legal framework of the Fostering Services Regulations and
National Minimum Standards for Fostering April 2011. The National Minimum Standards and the
Fostering Service Regulations 2011 form the basis of the regulatory framework under the Care
Standards Act 2000 for the conduct of the Fostering Service.
Ofsted regularly inspect all Fostering Agencies to ensure that these standards are being met.
NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS 2011 (NMS)
The underpinning values of the NMS are:-
The child’s welfare, safety and needs are at the centre of their care.
Children should have an enjoyable childhood, benefiting from excellent parenting and
education, enjoying a wide range of opportunities to develop their talents and skil s leading
to a successful adult life.
Children are entitled to grow up in a loving environment that can meet their developmental
needs
Every child should have his or her wishes and feelings listened to and taken into account.
Each child should be valued as an individual and given personalised support in line with
their individual needs and background in order to develop their identity, self confidence and
self-worth.
The particular needs of disabled children and children with complex needs wil be fully
recognised and taken into account
The significance of contact for looked after children, and of maintaining relationships with
birth parents and the wider family, including siblings, half-siblings and grandparents, is
recognised, as is the foster carer’s role in this.
Children in foster care deserve to be treated as a good parent would treat their own
children and to have the opportunity for as full an experience of family life and childhood as
possible, without unnecessary restrictions.
The central importance of the child’s relationship with their foster carer should be
acknowledged and foster carers should be recognised as core members of the team
working with the child. Foster carers have a right to full information about the child.
It is essential that foster carers receive relevant support services and development
opportunities in order to provide the best care for children.
Genuine partnership between al those involved in fostering children is essential for the
NMS to deliver the best outcomes for children; this includes the Government, local
government, other statutory agencies, fostering service providers and foster carers.
1)
The child’s wishes and feelings and the views of those significant to them
Children’s views, wishes and feelings are acted upon, unless this is contrary to their
interests or adversely affects other members of the foster care household.
Children understand how their views have been taken into account and where significant
wishes or concerns are not acted upon, they are helped to understand why.
Children communicate their views on all aspects of their care and support.
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The views of the child, the child’s family, social worker and Independent Reviewing Officer
are sought regularly on the child’s care (unless in individual cases this is not appropriate).
Children have access to independent advice and support from adults who they can contact
directly and in private about problems or concerns, which is appropriate to their age and
understanding. Children know their rights to advocacy, how to access an advocate and how
to contact the Children’s Rights Director.
Children can take up issues in the most appropriate way with support, without fear that this
wil result in any adverse consequences. Children receive prompt feedback on any
concerns or complaints raised and are kept informed of progress.
The wishes, feelings and views of children and those significant to them are taken into
account in monitoring foster carers and developing the fostering service.
2)
Promoting a positive identity, potential and valuing diversity through individualised
care.
Children are provided with personalised care that meets their needs and promotes all
aspects of their individual identity.
Foster carers are supported to promote children’s social and emotional development, and
to enable children to develop emotional resilience and positive self-esteem.
Foster carers meet children’s individual needs as set out in the child’s placement plan as
part of the wider family context.
Children exercise choice in the food that they eat, and are able to prepare their own meals
and snacks, within the context of the foster family’s decision making and the limits that a
responsible parent would set.
Children exercise choice and independence in the clothes and personal requisites that they
buy and have these needs met, within the context of the foster family’s decision making and
the reasonable limits that a responsible parent would set.
Children develop skil s and emotional resilience that wil prepare them for independent
living.
Children receive a personal allowance appropriate to their age and understanding that is
consistent with their placement plan.
3)
Promoting positive behaviour and relationships
Foster carers have high expectations of all of the foster children in their household.
Foster carers provide an environment and culture that promotes, models and supports
positive behaviour.
Children are able to develop and practice skil s to build and maintain positive relationships,
be assertive and to resolve conflicts positively.
Children are encouraged to take responsibility for their behaviour in a way that is
appropriate to their age and abilities.
Foster carers respect the child’s privacy and confidentiality, in a manner that is consistent
with good parenting.
Foster carers have positive strategies for effectively supporting children where they
encounter discrimination or bul ying wherever this occurs.
Foster carers receive support on how to manage their responses and feelings arising from
caring for children, particularly where children display very challenging behaviour, and
understand how children’s previous experiences can manifest in challenging behaviour.
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Al foster carers receive training in positive care and control of children, including training in
de-escalating problems and disputes. The fostering service has a clear written policy on
managing behaviour, which includes supporting positive behaviour, de-escalation of
conflicts and discipline.
Each foster carer is aware of all the necessary information available to the fostering service
about a child’s circumstances, including any significant recent events, to help the foster
carer understand and predict the child’s needs and behaviours and support the child within
their household. The fostering service follows up with the responsible authority where all
such necessary information has not been provided by the authority.
The fostering service’s approach to care minimises the need for police involvement to deal
with challenging behaviour and avoids criminalising children unnecessarily.
4)
Safeguarding Children
Children’s safety and welfare is promoted in all fostering placements. Children are
protected from abuse and other forms of significant harm (e.g. sexual or labour
exploitation).
Foster carers actively safeguard and promote the welfare of foster children.
Foster carers make positive relationships with children, generate a culture of openness and
trust and are aware of and alert to any signs or symptoms that might indicate a child is at
risk of harm.
Foster carers encourage children to take appropriate risks as a normal part of growing up.
Children are helped to understand how to keep themselves safe, including when outside of
the household or when using the internet or social media.
The service implements a proportionate approach to any risk assessment.
Foster carers are trained in appropriate safer-care practice, including skil s to care for
children who have been abused. For foster carers who offer placements to disabled
children, this includes training specifically on issues affecting disabled children.
5)
Children Missing from Care
The care and support provided to children, minimises the risk that they wil go missing and
reduces the risk of harm should the child go missing.
Foster carers know and implement what the fostering service and the responsible
authority’s policy is in relation to children going missing.
Foster carers are aware of, and do not exceed, the measures they can take to prevent a
child leaving without permission under current legislation and Government guidance.
Children who are absent from the foster home without consent, but whose whereabouts are
known or thought to be known by carers or staff, are protected in line with the fostering
service’s written procedure.
The fostering service and foster carers take appropriate action to find children who are
missing, including working alongside the police where appropriate.
Children are helped to understand the dangers and risks of leaving the foster home without
permission and are made aware of where they can access help if they consider running
away.
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6)
Promoting good health and wellbeing
Children’s physical, emotional and social development needs are promoted.
Children understand their health needs, how to maintain a healthy lifestyle and to make
informed decisions about their own health.
Children are encouraged to participate in a range of positive activities that contribute to
their physical and emotional health.
Children have prompt access to doctors and other health professionals, including specialist
services, when they need these services.
Children’s health is promoted in accordance with their placement plan and foster carers are
clear about what responsibilities and decisions are delegated to them and where consent
for medical treatment needs to be obtained.
Children’s wishes and feelings are sought and taken into account in their health care,
according to their understanding, and foster carers advocate on behalf of children.
Foster carers receive sufficient training on health and hygiene issues and first aid, with
particular emphasis on health promotion and communicable diseases.
Foster carers receive guidance and training to provide appropriate care if looking after
children with complex health needs.
Medicines kept in the foster home are stored safely and are accessible only by those for
whom they are intended.
Foster carers are trained in the management and administration of medication. Prescribed
medication is only given to the child for whom it was prescribed, and in accordance with the
prescription. Children who wish to, and who can safely keep and take their own medication,
do so.
Foster carers keep a written record of all medication, treatment and first aid given to
children during their placement.
Any physical adaptations or equipment needed for the appropriate care of the children are
provided to foster carers.
7)
Leisure activities
Children develop their emotional, intellectual social, creative and physical skil s through the
accessible and stimulating environment created within the foster home. Children are
supported to take part in school based and out of school activities.
Children pursue individual interests and hobbies. They take part in a range of activities,
including leisure activities and trips.
Foster carers understand what is in the child’s placement plan and have clarity about
decisions they can make about the day to day arrangements for the child, including such
matters as education, leisure activities, overnight stays, holidays, and personal issues such
as hair cuts.
Foster carers are supported to make reasonable and appropriate decisions within the
authority delegated to them, without having to seek consent unnecessarily.
Children have permission to take part in age appropriate peer activities as would normally
be granted by a reasonable parent to their children, within the framework of the placement
plan. Decision-making and any assessment of risk to the child should be undertaken on the
same basis as a reasonable parent would do.
Children are encouraged and enabled to make and sustain friendships, which may involve
reciprocal arrangements to visit friends’ homes.
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Children can stay overnight, holiday with friends, or friends and relatives of their foster
carer, or go on schools trips, subject to requirements of the care/placement plan, if foster
carers consider it appropriate in individual circumstances. CRB checks are not normally
sought as a precondition.
8)
Promoting educational attainment
Children, including pre-school children and older children, have a foster home which
promotes a learning environment and supports their development.
Children have access to a range of educational resources to support their learning and
have opportunities beyond the school day to engage in activities which promote learning.
Children are supported to attend school, or alternative provision, regularly.
Children are helped by their foster carer to achieve their educational or training goals and
foster carers are supported to work with a child's education provider to maximise each
child's achievement and to minimise any underachievement.
Foster carers maintain regular contact with each child’s school and other education
settings, attending all parents’ meetings as appropriate and advocating for the child where
appropriate.
Foster carers engage and work with schools, colleges and other organisations to support
children’s education, including advocating to help overcome any problems the child may be
experiencing in their education setting. Foster carers have up-to-date information about
each child’s educational progress and school attendance record.
9)
Promoting and supporting contact
Children are supported and encouraged to maintain and develop family contacts and
friendships, subject to any limitations or provisions set out in their care plan and any court
order.
Foster carers are given practical help to support appropriate contact, including financial
help where needed, alongside support to manage any difficult emotional or other issues
that the child and foster carer may have as a result of contact.
When deciding whether to offer a placement, the fostering service works with the
responsible authority in giving consideration to how the child’s contact with family and
significant others wil be supported, particularly where a child is placed at a distance from
home.
Foster carers understand what decisions about contact are delegated to them, in line with
the child’s care plan, and make those decisions in the child’s best interests.
10)
Providing a suitable physical environment for the foster child
Foster carers are trained in health and safety issues and have guidelines on their health
and safety responsibilities. Avoidable hazards are removed as is consistent with a family
home.
Foster carers understand the service’s policy concerning safety for children in the foster
home and in vehicles used to transport foster children. The service’s policy is regularly
reviewed in line with the most recent guidance from relevant bodies.
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11)
Preparation for a placement
Children are given free access to the household facilities as would be consistent with
reasonable arrangements in a family home. Foster carers explain everyday household rules
and expectations to children.
Foster carers are supported to maintain links with children moving on, consistent with their
care plan.
12)
Promoting independence and moves to adulthood and leaving care
Children are supported to:
a. establish positive and appropriate social and sexual relationships;
b. develop positive self-esteem and emotional resilience;
c. prepare for the world of work and or further or higher education;
d. prepare for moving into their own accommodation;
e. develop practical skil s, including shopping, buying, cooking and keeping food, washing
clothes, personal self-care, and understanding and taking responsibility for personal
healthcare;
f. develop financial capability, knowledge and skil s;
g. know about entitlements to financial and other support after leaving care, including
benefits and support from social care services.
Foster carers contribute to the development of each child’s care plan, in collaboration with
the child, including the pathway plan for an “eligible” child, and work collaboratively with the
young person’s social worker or personal adviser in implementing the plan.
The fostering service ensures there are comprehensive arrangements for preparing and
supporting young people to make the transition to independence. This includes appropriate
training and support to foster carers caring for young people who are approaching
adulthood. Arrangements are consistent with the young person’s care plan, including their
placement plan, pathway plan and transition plan for children with disabilities and special
educational needs
The fostering service has a policy and practical arrangements which enable children to
remain with their foster carer(s) into legal adulthood, for example so that s/he may develop
appropriate life skil s before being required to move to more independent accommodation.
Any such decisions are agreed with foster carers at a placement meeting and are detailed
in a child’s placement plan.
13)
Recruiting and assessing Foster Carers who can meet the needs of children and
young people in care
The fostering service recruits, assesses and supports a range of Foster Carers to meet the
needs of children they provide care for and is proactive in assessing current and future
needs of children.
14)
Foster Care Panels and the Fostering Service’s Agency Decision Maker
The Foster Care Panel and Agency Decision Maker make timely, quality and appropriate
recommendations/decisions in line with the overriding objective to promote the welfare of
children in foster care.
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15)
Matching the child with a placement that meets their assessed needs
The responsible authority has information and support from the fostering service which it
needs to facilitate an appropriate match between the Carer and child, capable of meeting
the child’s needs and consistent with the wishes and feelings of the child, so maximising
the likelihood of a stable placement.
16)
Statement of purpose and children’s guide
Children, their parents, Foster Carers, staff and the responsible / placing authority are clear
about the aims and objectives of the fostering service and what services and facilities it
provides.
The fostering service’s operation meets the aims and objectives in the Statement of
Purpose.
17)
Fitness to provide or manage the administration of a fostering service
The fostering service is provided and managed by those who are suitable to work with
children and have the appropriate skil s, experience and qualifications to deliver an efficient
and effective service.
18)
Financial viability and changes affecting business continuity
The fostering service is financially sound.
Where a service is to close or substantially change, there is proper planning, to make the
transition for children, Foster Carers and staff as smooth as possible.
19)
Suitability to work with children
There is careful selection of staff, fostering households, volunteers and the central list of
persons considered suitable to be members of a Foster Care Panel and there is monitoring
of such people to help prevent unsuitable people from having the opportunity to harm
children.
20)
Learning and development of foster carers
Al new foster carers receive an induction.
Al foster carers, including all members of a household who are approved foster carers, are
supported to achieve the Children’s Workforce Development Council’s Training, Support
and Development Standards for Foster Care. Short break carers who are approved foster
carers are supported to achieve the Training Support & Development Standards for Short
Break Carers. Family and friends foster carers are supported to achieve the Training,
Support and Development Standards for Family and Friends Foster Carers7.
Foster carers are able to evidence that the Training, Support and Development Standards
have been attained within 12 months of approval (or within 18 months for family and friends
foster carers).
Foster carers maintain an ongoing training and development portfolio which demonstrates
how they are meeting the skil s required of them by the fostering service.
Foster carers’ personal development plans set out how they wil be supported to undertake
ongoing training and development that is appropriate to their development needs and
experience
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21)
Supervision and support of foster carers
The fostering service supports their foster carers to ensure they provide foster children with
care that reasonably meets those children’s needs, takes the children’s wishes and feelings
into account, actively promotes individual care and supports the children’s safety, health,
enjoyment, education and preparation for the future.
The fostering service ensures foster carers understand the nature and level of support
which wil be provided to them by the fostering service.
There is an effective out of hours advice and support service for foster carers.
Peer support, foster care associations and/or self help groups for foster carers are
encouraged and supported.
Foster carers are provided with breaks from caring as appropriate. These are planned to
take account of the needs of any children placed.
Al foster carers have access to adequate social work and other professional support,
information and advice, to enable them to provide consistent, high quality care to the child.
This includes assistance with dealing with relevant services, such as health and education.
Consideration is given to any help or support needed by the sons and daughters of foster
carers.
The role of the supervising social worker is clear both to the worker and the foster carer.
Each approved foster carer is supervised by a named, appropriately qualified social worker
who has meetings with the foster carer, including at least one unannounced visit a year.
Meetings have a clear purpose and provide the opportunity to supervise the foster carer’s
work, ensure the foster carer is meeting the child’s needs, taking into account the child’s
wishes and feelings, and offer support and a framework to assess the carer’s performance
and develop their competencies and skil s. The frequency of meetings for short break foster
carers should be proportionate to the amount of care provided.
Current and prospective foster carers are able to make a complaint about any aspect of the
service which affects them directly. Records are kept of representations and complaints,
how they are dealt with, the outcome and any action taken. These records are reviewed
regularly so that the service’s practice is improved where necessary.
22)
Handling allegations and suspicions of harm
Al foster carers, fostering service staff and volunteers understand what they must do if they
receive an allegation or have suspicions that a person may have:
a. behaved in a way that has, or may have, harmed a child;
b. possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child; or
c. behaved towards a child in a way that indicates he or she is unsuitable to work with
children.
The fostering service ensures that the required actions are taken, or have been taken, in
any relevant situation of which it is aware.
A copy of the fostering service provider’s child protection procedures is made available to
foster carers
As soon as possible after an investigation into a foster carer is concluded, their approval as
suitable to foster is reviewed. There is a clear policy framework which outlines the
circumstances in which a foster carer should be removed as one of the fostering service
provider’s approved foster carers, in the interests of the safety or welfare of children. This is
available to foster carers.
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Investigations into allegations or suspicions of harm are handled fairly, quickly, and
consistently in a way that provides effective protection for the child, and at the same time
supports the person who is the subject of the allegation. Fostering services follow the
framework for managing cases of allegations of abuse against people who work with
children as set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children.
Fostering services ensure that a clear distinction is made between investigation into
allegations of harm and discussions over standards of care. Investigations which find no
evidence of harm should not become procedures looking into poor standards of care -
these should be treated separately.
23)
Learning, development and qualifications of staff
Children and Foster Carers receive a service from staff, volunteers and Foster Care Panel
members and decision makers who have the competence to meet their needs.
24)
Staff support and supervision
Staff and volunteers are supported and guided to fulfil their roles and provide a high quality
service to children.
25)
Managing effectively and efficiently and monitoring the service
The fostering service is managed ethically, effectively and efficiently, delivering a service
which meets the needs of its users.
26)
Records
Information about individual children is kept confidential and only shared with those who
have a legitimate and current need to know the information, and to those parts of a child’s
record or other information that they need to know.
Entries in records, decisions and reasons for them, are legible, clearly expressed, non-
stigmatising, distinguish between fact, opinion and third party information and are signed
and dated.
Information about the child is recorded clearly and in a way which will be helpful to the child
when they access their files now or in the future. Children are actively encouraged to read
their files, other than necessarily confidential or third party information, and to correct errors
and add personal statements
The foster carer understands the important supporting role they play in encouraging the
child to reflect on and understand their history. The child, subject to age and understanding,
is encouraged to keep appropriate memorabilia (including photographs) of their time in the
placement. The fostering service makes this role clear to their foster carers and ensures
they can record, and help children make a record of (subject to age and understanding),
significant life events.
27)
Fitness of premises for use as fostering service
The premises and administrative systems are suitable to enable the service to meet the
objectives of its Statement of Purpose.
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28)
Payment to Carers
Payments to Foster Carers are fair and paid in a timely way.
Foster Carers are clear about the fostering service’s payment structures and the payments
due to them
29)
Notification of significant events
Al significant events relating to the health and protection of children in fostering placements
are notified by the registered person to the appropriate authorities.
30)
Family and Friends as Foster Carers
Family and Friends Foster Carers receive the support they require to meet the needs of
children placed with them.
31)
Placement Plan and Review
The fostering service supports foster carers to play an active role in agreeing the contents
of each child’s placement plan, in conjunction with the responsible authority.
The foster carer is given a copy of the child’s placement plan as soon as this is provided.
The foster carer is supported to contribute effectively to the review of their care plan, which
includes the placement plan.
The foster carer is supported to assist the child to put forward their views, wishes and
feelings as part of each review process, and the fostering service helps to ensure that these
are fully taken into account by the child’s responsible authority.
Foster carers are supported to explain the child’s care plan, and any changes to those
plans, to the child.
Children are assisted to secure an independent advocate to support them in providing their
views, wishes and feelings to statutory reviews.
(Standards 2.5 / 2.7 / 9 and 12 do not apply in the case of the short break care provided
under the Disability Fostering Team)
Full copies of the regulations and standards can be found on the internet;
http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/families/fostercare/a0071234/regs
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THE FOSTER CARER’S CHARTER
The government introduced the Foster Carer’s Charter in March 2011 alongside the introduction of
the new National Minimum Standards for Fostering. As part of this Staffordshire County Council
was asked to produce it own local Foster Carer’s Charter a copy of which is below:-
Children Come First
In order to demonstrate that children and young people come first, Staffordshire County
Council, the Fostering Service, Foster Carers and all members of the team supporting the
child will:
Ensure that services are provided to children and their families that enable young people to
fulfil their potential regardless of their economic or social background, home
circumstances, ethnicity, gender, ability or health.
Our over-riding objective is to work together with children, young people, their family and
their foster carers to ensure positive outcomes are achieved.
Children and young people in foster care shall experience as full a life as possible as part of
a loving foster family. Foster carers will be supported to make everyday decisions as they
would for their own children, so that children in care feel part of the foster family and do not
stand out as looked after children.
Children and young people must be given every support to develop their own identities and
aspirations, fulfil their potential and take advantage of all opportunities to promote their
talents and skills. Above all, children and young people should be listened to and their
views acted on.
Staffordshire County Council and the Staffordshire Fostering Service Must:
Recognise that the child’s relationship with their foster family can make the biggest
difference in the child’s life.
We will:
Listen to what foster carers say, respect their views, take them into account and include them in
decision making.
Support foster carers to contribute their views.
Ensure that our services to foster carers meet all the requirements of the regulations and National
Minimum Standards.
Value foster carers skil s and their expertise equal y to those of other professionals.
Treat carers with respect as a colleague and respect their confidentiality.
Make sure foster carers and fostered children are empowered to be active and informed
participants in all placement and care planning decisions.
We will:
Provide comprehensive information for foster families and fostered children about each other
before placements are made.
Support foster carers and fostered children getting to know each other before placements are
made.
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Make sure foster families have all the information they need to provide safe care.
Provide foster carers with good quality, reliable and current information on all financial matters.
Provide all foster carers with an up to date Fostering Handbook.
Provide foster carers with access to all relevant policies and procedures.
Placement information records will be clear, comprehensive and of a high quality. Foster
carers and fostered children will be fully aware of the detail of the child’s care plan.
We will:
Make sure that, other than in exceptional circumstances, a placement plan wil be drawn up and
agreed with foster carers and fostered children before a placement is made.
Written copies of the care plan will be provided prior to placement and regularly updated.
Support carers to attend all statutory reviews, permanency planning meetings and any other
relevant meetings.
Make sure placement plans include contingency planning arrangements.
Staffordshire foster carers will be respected by all professionals involved as a core member
of the team around the child
We will:
Make sure that foster carers are fully informed about the plans for the foster child, are invited to
meetings and their contribution valued.
Promote the role of the foster carer as an active, competent and essential member of the team
around the child.
Make sure that foster carers are supported to make reasonable and appropriate decisions
on behalf of their foster child.
We will:
Make sure that all plans for the child are clear from the beginning of a child’s placement so that
everyone understands who is responsible for what.
Support a foster carer to make day to day decisions for foster children so that foster children are
not treated differently to their peers and can feel part of the foster family.
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Provide foster families with high quality support, learning and development opportunities to
ensure that every placement can evidence good outcomes for children and young people.
We will:
As a minimum provide foster carers with high quality supervision, monthly visits and weekly phone
contact from their supervising social worker.
Value and support sons and daughters who foster.
Provide access to an experienced mentor.
Provide out of hours support from a qualified social worker.
Review support needs regularly and act on all requests for additional support in a timely manner.
Formally review carers support needs, progress and achievements on an annual basis and
regularly provide honest and open feedback, chal enging practice where necessary.
Provide up to date Personal Development Plans.
Promote higher learning opportunities and provide a comprehensive catalogue of training events,
activities and local support groups including sons and daughters groups and activities.
Support carers to achieve their CWDC (Children’s Workforce Development Council) Training,
Support and Development Standards for Foster Care certificates of successful completion within
set timescales.
Hold Foster Carer Forums to disseminate Best Practice.
Support the consultation role of Foster Carers’ Advisory Group and promote carers participation in
the future development of services for children in care.
Develop carers fostering career pathways within a Payment for Skil s framework.
Make sure all allowances and fees are paid in a timely manner.
Recognise that foster carers have a right to be treated fairly no matter what the
circumstances.
We will:
Provide comprehensive and clear information to foster carers within the Foster Carers Handbook
about Dealing with Al egations, Complaints and Concerns. This wil include information about what
happens with allowances and fees if you are not able to foster.
Provide independent advocacy and support for all foster carers to ensure they have access to
external supports.
Be clear about timescales and be clear and open in all discussions with carers.
Consult with carers before any changes to the terms and conditions of their fostering approval is
made.
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Facilitate open and honest, two way, dialogue with foster carers as the basis of our working
partnership.
We will:
Consult with you in a meaningful way on matters that affect you.
Give you timely feedback from our consultations.
Facilitate regular meetings between foster carers’ representatives, council ors and senior officers
within Staffordshire County Council.
Foster Carers Must:
Treat the foster child as they would their own child and be a ‘pushy parent’ in advocating
for all aspects of the child’s wellbeing, health and development.
They will:
Work as an integral part of the team around the child.
Seek to resolve problems quickly using all their available support networks, formal and informal.
Advocate for the child’s best interest at all times and ensuring good quality information is shared,
confidentiality is maintained and by chal enging any disadvantage.
Ensure the foster child feels part of the foster family by including them as appropriate in family
decision making and supporting their inclusion in all the family’s activities.
Respect fostered children and young people and promote the Staffordshire Pledge to young
people and children in care in respect of their education, diversity and wellbeing, leaving
care opportunities and family relationships.
Work in partnership with all members of the team around the child and the fostering
service.
They will:
Always prioritise the needs of the children and actively seek support to do so.
Inform the supervising social worker and Childs social worker of achievements and success.
Inform the supervising social worker and child’s social worker about any difficulties and concerns
that arise promptly and seek to resolve any difficulties in partnership.
Adhere to all conditions within the Foster Carer agreement.
Meet the standards set out in Fostering Regulations and Guidance, National Minimum Standards
for Foster Care.
Comply with policy and procedures and guidance.
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Access learning and developmental opportunities throughout their fostering career and
make sure that they have the skills and knowledge required to develop practice in order to
transform the lives of the children they foster.
They will:
Maintain an effective and relevant Personal Development Plan continually reflecting on learning
needs.
Undertake a range of training and learning opportunities for at least 21 hours each year.
Attend support groups.
Where possible attend the Foster Carers’ Forum events access the Foster Carer forum website
and attend the Fostering Service celebration events.
Maintain open and honest dialogue with Staffordshire County Council.
They will:
Support consultation and discussions to inform the development of the fostering service.
Support the work of the Foster Care Advisory Group.
Representatives wil meet with council ors to give an account of the chal enges and achievements
of being a Staffordshire Foster Carer.
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CHILREN IN CARE PLEDGE
This Pledge, or set of promises, was developed with children and young people who are in the
care of Staffordshire County Council. This pledge wil commit both the Council and its staff and
foster carers to delivering the key promises.
Staffordshire’s Pledge to Children & Young People in Care.
The pledge is a set of promises made to children in the care of Staffordshire County Council. Al
adults who work for and with the Council have a duty to make sure you are safe and happy. This
Pledge shows how we promise to do this. This Pledge has been written by Staffordshire’s Children
in Care Council.
Keeping You Safe:
We wil do everything we can to keep you safe and protected from harm so you feel valued,
cared for and supported.
Your Health & Wellbeing:
We wil do everything we can to support you to be physically and emotional y healthy.
Where appropriate we wil ensure you have access to high quality emotional or therapeutic
support.
Your Views, Wishes & Feelings:
We wil offer you opportunities to share your views, wishes and feelings and we promise to
listen to them and tell you how they have influenced the decisions we make.
Your Education & Learning:
We wil do everything we can to ensure you have the very best education and training
possible, so you can reach your full potential where you can get a good job and have high
aspirations for later life; where you are able to explore your passions & interests.
Where You Live:
We wil do everything we can to make sure you have a home where you feel safe, happy
and healthy, and where you feel cared for and supported.
Places To Go & Things To Do:
We wil provide you with opportunities to take part in new experiences and activities which
you enjoy whilst giving you the support to learn new talents and hobbies where you can
aspire to be the very best.
Leaving Care:
We wil prepare you for independence where you feel safe, happy, healthy and where you
wil feel you are able to confidently live independently as part of the community.
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Throughout Everything We Do:
Every looked after Child, Young Person or Care Leaver wil be treated fairly. We wil
respect and treat you as an individual. We wil do everything to support and inspire you to
reach your full potential.
Through everything we do we will support you to develop strong and meaningful
relationships with your family, friends, carers and relevant others so you have the very best
support available.
If you would like further information please contact the Children & Young People’s Voice
Project on 01785 253878 or email xxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx. You can also find more
information on our website www.staffordshire.go.uk/cvp
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STRUCTURE OF THE SERVICE
WHERE DOES THE FOSTERING SERVICE FIT IN THE COUNTY COUNCIL?
Staffordshire Fostering Service is managed as part of Staffordshire County Council’s “People” portfolio. “People” comprises services including,
education, services for older adults, services for adults with disabilities and services considering children’s health and Families First. The Families
First Service is a new way of working that brings together the full range of County Councils professionals that help children, young people and their
families.
Fostering is part of the Looked After Service within Families First. Families First also includes Safeguarding and Targeted Services which includes
Local Support Teams and Early Years provision to support children, young people and families who need advice and assistance but who do not need
intensive social work support.
Head of Families First
Partnership & Development
Strategic Lead -
Strategic Lead – Looked After
Strategic Lead -
Specialist Safeguarding
Children Services
Targeted Services
Delivery
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Families First - Targeted Services
Strategic Lead
Targeted Services
Cou
nty
County
County Manager
Ma
nager
Manger
Educational
W
est
East
Psychology Service
Ta
rgeted
Targeted
Se
rvices
Services
District
Early Help
Leads
Assessment
X 4
Development
Officer
District
Leads
Hearing
Senior
Senior
Senior
Senior
Impaired
Educational
Educational
Educational
Educational
X 4
Psychologist
Psychologist
Psychologist
Psychologist
Loca
lity Co-
Visual
X1
X1
X1
X1
Impaired
Burton
Stafford
Lichfield
Newcastle
ordina
tors
X
9
ASSIST
BRFC
FIP
Locality
Co-ordinator
Co-ordinators
X 4
X 11
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Families First - Specialist Safeguarding Delivery
Strategic Lead for
Specialist
Safeguarding
Delivery
County Manager
County Manager
County Manager
County Manager
County Manager
Specialist
Specialist
Specialist
Responsive
Youth Offending
Safeguarding
Safeguarding
Safeguarding
Services
Service
Units
Units
Units (Mid Staffs)
(MASH)
(East Staffs)
(North Staffs)
Specialist
Specialist
Specialist
CAMHS
First
Risk
EDS
YOS
Safeguarding
Specialist
Safeguarding Unit
Safeguarding
Team
Response
Management
Team
Area
Safeguard ing
Unit
Managers
Unit Manager
Manager
Team
Co-ordinator
Manager
Manager
Developm ent
Managers
Manager
X 5
X 6
X 1
Manager
X 2
X 7
Education
YOS
Effective
CAMHS
Safeguarding
Werrington Social
Assistant
Practice
Social
Officers
Area
Family
Co-ordinator
Worker X 2
Worker
X 2
Manager X3
Group
Conferencing
X 8
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Families First - Looked After Children & Disability
Strategic Lead
Looked After Children Services
Virtual
County
County
County
County Manager
County
County
Manager
Manager
Manager
Adoption
Manager
Manager
Headteacher
Throughcare
Care Planning
Care Planning
&
Fostering
Prevention
& Court Team
& Court Team
Kinship
&
(East)
(West)
Placement
Care
Care
Team
Team
Virtual School
Placement Service
Planning
Planning
Managers
Managers
Disability Resource
Education
and
and Court
X 5
X 5
Centres X 2
Co-ordinator X 2
Court Team
Team
The Alders
Manager
Manager
Shaping Futures
Education
X 2
X 2
Transition
Intensive
Co-ordinator X 2
Prevention Service
Education Mentor
X 4
Social
Throughcare
Central
Work
Team
Leaving
Practice -
Manager
Care Team
Ev
olve YP
X 3
Manager
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Families First - Partnership & Development
Business
County Manager
Service
Business
Development &
Resources &
Development &
Improvement &
Sustainability
Business Support
Principal Social
Development
Manager
Worker
Manager
Workforce
SSM
Business
Development Team
Team Manager
ICC/IRO Business
Improvement &
OD/Engagement
(SAP Social Care)
Manager X 2
Development
Communications
Office Manager
Team
Trading & Business
Accommodation
Development
Officer
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EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES POLICY
The County Council operates an Equal Opportunities Policy, foster carers, social
workers and all staff in the County Council are expected to promote the Equal
Opportunities Policy. The Policy states that:-
We acknowledge our responsibility to address the imbalances caused by discrimination and
disadvantage. In doing so, we wil ensure that all communities have opportunities to work
with us, access our services and be involved in what we do. We will pursue this aim through
continuously striving to improve the way in which we:
Recruit, employ and develop our employees;
Provide services;
Involve communities;
Work with our partners.
The
Public Sector Equality Duty, of the Equality Act 2010, requires public authorities to;
Eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation
Advance equality of opportunity
Foster good relations
Remove or minimise disadvantages
Encourage people to participate in public life where their participation is low
The Equality Act 2010 introduces a term called “protected characteristics”. These are;
age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, race, religion and belief, sexual orientation,
civil partnerships and pregnancy and maternity. Public bodies need to ensure that no
one is discriminated against and address these areas, when redesigning or developing a
new service or policy. Al employment practices need to be transparent and internal
practices such as promotion, training and development opportunities is must be fair and
consistent.
We will do this by:
Meeting all our responsibilities for equality and diversity in the relevant legislation and
codes of practice
Mainstreaming equality and diversity into everything we do; policies, strategies, plans
and practices
Chal enging discrimination and tackle all forms of bul ying and harassment
Providing services – we will;
Deliver services throughout the County to people who need them, without
discrimination and in ways that are tailored to needs
Every customer will be treated in a professional manner, with courtesy and respect
Make sure our employees are properly trained and supported to deliver high quality
customer service in line with this policy
Make sure that our services meet the needs of our diverse communities by
presenting written information in plain English
Provide interpretation and translation services as appropriate
.
A Full copy of the policy is available on the council’s website:
http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/community/equalopportunities/equalopportunitiespoli
cy/home.aspx
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SECTION TWO
FOSTER CARERS
FOSTER CARER APPROVAL
Fol owing preparation and assessment you have been approved as a Foster Carer for
Staffordshire County Council. Your approval wil include details of the category of fostering,
the numbers, age range and gender. Your approval is reviewed initial y after the first 6
months and thereafter annual y.
FOSTER CARER AGREEMENT
The Foster Carer Agreement, which you signed following your approval at panel, outlines
your responsibilities and those of the Department. You wil receive and sign an updated copy
each year following your Annual Review or when a change has been made to your approval.
A full copy of the Foster Carer Agreement can be found in Appendix A.
The Foster carers agreement states that carers should notify us of the following:
Any intended change of address
Any change to the composition of the household, arrivals and departures.
Any further request by carers to foster or adopt
Any pending court cases, convictions or cautions of any nature relating to any member
of the household over 10 years of age, or anyone who is a regular visitor to the
household.
Any intended child-minding
Any other changes in personal circumstances and any other event affecting the foster
carers capacity to care for any children placed, or the suitability of the carers household.
Can you please inform your supervising social worker of any changes to your
household or those who are frequent visitors including:
Convictions including custodial sentences
Alcohol and drug misuse
Mental health diagnosis
Concerns in respect of adult children’s birth children
Domestic violence
DISCLOSURE & BARRING SERVICE (DBS) & MEDICAL UPDATES
DBS checks on everyone in your household aged 16 plus are updated every 3 years.
Children who are placed with you as a looked after child or move onto Staying Put
arrangements do not require a DBS check, even if they are over 16.
Medical updates are completed every 3 years via your GP or where there have been
significant changes to your health; this does not usual y require a medical examination.
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PAYMENT FOR SKILLS
Staffordshire operates a Payment for Skil s scheme. The basis of this scheme is that Foster
Carers should be paid by reference to their skil s and fostering experience rather than to the
chal enges & complexities presented by individual children placed with them. For more
information please refer to Section Six of this Handbook.
SUPERVISION & SUPPORT OF CARERS
The role of the Fostering Social Worker
Al Foster Carers are al ocated a named Fostering Social Worker whose role is to offer
support and supervision.
The Fostering Social Worker must have monthly contact and visit regularly (monthly) whilst a
child is in placement and keep in regular contact when there is no placement.
The Fostering Social Worker is there to ensure that you have sufficient information about a
child and are supported in your role as a Foster Carer. They also act as a liaison between
the Child’s Social Worker and you. It is important to understand that a child’s needs remain
the first priority for all those involved.
If, for any reason, your Fostering Social Worker is unavailable you are able to access
support from another worker in their team if you need this. This is referred to as, “office
cover”.
If your social worker is absent for an indefinite period the Team Manager wil make
arrangements with you to agree who wil support you in their absence.
SUPERVISION POLICY
What is Supervision?
Supervision in the Fostering Service is a formal arrangement for meetings between Carers
and their allocated Social Worker. It is a policy of Staffordshire’s Fostering Service that all
Foster Carers have the right to regular supervision, as this is part of our commitment to
creating a full and responsible partnership between carers and the Department.
Supervisory visits are distinct from support visits and have a set agenda. It focuses on the
care that you are providing to children and young people and the progress they are making
in placement. It also focuses on your household, identifying support/training needs and any
other issues. Supervision will give you time to consider and focus on the outcomes for
children in your care. You and your fostering social worker wil be able to discuss the ways
in which what you are doing is improving the health, happiness, success and safety of your
fostered children.
The aim is to work with you to develop your fostering skil s so that children’s needs identified
in relation to the ‘Every Child Matters’ 5 outcomes are met and to ensure that your support
needs are fully addressed.
(For more information about outcome based accountability see the good practice guide in
this folder)
Supervision is essential y a supportive and enabling two-way process:
To ensure you understand how you can contribute to the Families First Services for
children and young people
To enable you to contribute effectively to the plans for children and young people for
whom you are caring
To enable you to be clear about what is expected of you in undertaking this role
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To ensure you understand what is involved and required of you regarding each child you
care for.
To give you appropriate feedback on your work
To enable the Department to monitor and review the quality of services to children ‘cared
for’ in foster care
To support you by providing advice and oversight, or making this available from
elsewhere as appropriate;
To support your children by seeking their views on the effects of fostering on them, and
providing advice and support either directly or making this available via other established
networks
To help you cope with the stresses the work may entail;
To ensure that you are enabled to develop your skil s and knowledge by having your
training needs assessed, opportunities for development identified and when training has
occurred considering how this has aided your understanding
Supervision meetings take place between you and your allocated Social Worker. Where
partners are jointly approved as Foster Carers, it is expected that both of you wil be present,
whenever possible.
Where appropriate, the meeting may include others within the family network – immediate or
wider family members. The views of your children are welcomed and these can be shared
either directly or in a written form.
What Happens in Supervision?
Supervision must take place a minimum of four times during a year. They are formal
meetings with an agenda and there will be a written record of what was said and agreed.
Your allocated Social Worker will explain the arrangements more fully to you and will ask
you to sign a supervision agreement which specifies:
Frequency of meetings
Duration of meetings
Venue of meetings
Supervision is an opportunity for you to think about the work you are doing as a Foster
Carer, to raise problems or difficulties, and to find opportunities for developing your own
skil s and experience. It can be an opportunity for any of your children to talk about how
‘fostering’ is for them.
Issues and matters raised within supervision meetings can be reflected in your annual Foster
Carer Review. You wil receive a copy of the written record of the meeting and a copy will be
held on your foster carer file. If requested foster carers can be provided with an immediate
copy of the main points and agreed actions from their formal supervision.
Supervision creates possibilities to help you develop and grow in the work you do. Any
areas of learning and training needs wil be identified and a plan agreed as to how to
address these.
YOUR OWN SUPPORT WITH CHILD CARE - USING BABYSITTERS AND DAY
CARE
When using
baby-sitters, you should use the same person/people, either a relative, close
friend or another Foster Carer who have been DBS checked, so that the children know who
is going to be looking after them. Baby-sitters need to be responsible adults over the age of
18 years.
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Where
day care is needed, it is best for children if they receive it informally from people who
have a relationship with them and who have an understanding of the fostering task. This will
usually be a member of the Foster Carer’s own network.
Ofsted has informed agencies that for day care arrangements for children 0-8 payment can
only be made with registered child care providers, which does not include approved Foster
Carers. However carers are able to make reciprocal arrangements with other Foster Carers
or use other members of their own networks, as long as no payment is made.
In some situations, some fostered children wil access paid child care for example through a
child minder or day nursery. This must be part of the plan for the child and set out in the
Childs Placement Plan. These arrangements are agreed by the children’s team only and are
made to support the outcomes of the Childs Care Plan.
In addition to this, there are other circumstances where Day Care is appropriately sought
such as:
Attendance at meetings; e.g. court, planning meetings, training events
Support to the placement if a child is out of school or there are additional pressures
due to behaviour or health
Al Foster Carers should
Work with their Fostering Social Worker to help them to identify the Day Care
supports within their own local network
Foster Carers will be encouraged to form local networks with other foster carers to
build reciprocal support networks
In circumstances where a Foster Carer has been unable to identify anyone from their own
network and may need to access a registered child care provider, this must be discussed
with their fostering social worker ahead of time who will try to assist in finding a solution.
Any funding would need to be agreed by the relevant fostering team manager prior to
the arrangement taking place.
SUPPORT CARERS
In some circumstances, Foster Carers are able to identify members of their support network
(for example a family member or close friend) who can offer more regular child care support
than would ordinarily be the case with a babysitter. The agreement to this kind of support
wil depend on the needs of the children in placement. These
Support Carers wil need to
be assessed to consider their suitability to undertake this role and the outcome of the
assessment is presented to the Fostering Panel for their consideration. Support carers are
not approved as foster carers. The use of support carers rather than respite has many
advantages in that they wil be people known to the child or children in placement. The
support offered can be for a particular child with the carer or the support carer can be
assessed to offer respite to any child in that foster home. If you would like this kind of
support and can identify an appropriate support carer for your household please talk to your
Fostering Social Worker.
SUPPORT GROUPS
Attending support groups is an important part of all Foster Carers development. You can
attend whichever group you like or more than one. They are held regularly and are on
different days so you can choose what suits you; we also offer the men’s groups in the
evening.
As well as being a forum to exchange views, to share ideas, learn from each other and to
gain invaluable support from your peers, support groups also provide an opportunity to
develop your knowledge and skil s. Al of the support groups throughout the county are
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different and it is important that Foster Carers are able to devise the agenda for their group
according to the individual group’s priorities. Alongside this there is a general agenda which
all of the support groups wil cover which includes visiting speakers such as the Virtual Head
Teacher, Health Col eagues etc.
Details of the current support groups can be found in the training catalogue, Foster Carers
Newsletter and on the website via the Foster Carers Forum.
Dates and venues for groups can be found in the training catalogue.
Family & Friends Carers are also able to access specific support groups as can Disability
Short Breaks Carers. Please contact your Fostering Social Worker or Disability Fostering
Social Worker for details however any carer is welcome to attend the general support
groups.
Some carers have asked to be supported in arranging informal support groups with fellow
carers in their local area. If you are interested in arranging such a group please speak in the
first instance to your Fostering Social Worker.
Foster carers are expected to attend support groups.
SONS AND DAUGHTERS
Training and support is also available to the Sons and Daughters of Foster Carers. There is
a preparation training course available through the training and recruitment team, details of
which are in the training catalogue. In each school holiday sons and daughters also have an
opportunity to attend a support group. This usual y lasts for around 4 hours and comprises
an opportunity to meet with others to talk about issues related to being part of a fostering
household along with the opportunity to participate in some fun activities.
FOSTER CARER’S ADVISORY GROUP
This is a group of carers who meet regularly in a variety of locations throughout the county
usually in the evening. The group is involved in discussions around developments in the
service along with feeding back issues to the Fostering Service Management team. If you
are interested in getting involved in the Advisory Group please speak to your Fostering
Social Worker.
KEEP AND KEEP SAFE
Staffordshire Fostering Services are excited to be included in the national roll out of KEEP
training across the Fostering Workforce. KEEP has been developed by the Oregon Social
Learning Centre and has proved to be a popular and successful intervention since its
introduction into the UK in 2010.
The KEEP programme; (Keeping Foster and Kinship Parents Supported and Trained.) is
designed for mainstream foster carers and Friends and Families carers with children aged
between five and twelve years. It is a 16 week foster carer group which aims to increase the
parenting skil s of foster and kinship parents, decrease the number of placement disruptions,
improve child outcomes, and increase the number of positive placement changes. KEEP
Safe is a 20 week foster carer group.
KEEP is open to applications from all Staffordshire Foster Carers or Friends and Family
carers who have a child in placement aged between 5 and 12 at the start of the training and
anticipate that child remaining in placement with them for at least 1 month.
KEEP Safe is open to applications from all Staffordshire Foster Carers or Friends and Family
carers who have a child in placement aged between 12 and 17 at the start of the training and
anticipate that child remaining in placement with them for at least 1 month.
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Fol owing the completion of the course, a monthly support group is offered to ensure the
training is embedded and carers are supported.
If you are interested in this training, please discuss in the first instance with your Fostering
Social Worker as there is an application and shortlisting process. For more
information, contact Mandy Taylor-Mellor, KEEP Lead Facilitator at the Fostering and
Adoption Recruitment and Training Team, Tel. 01785 895009 or via
e-mail.
FOSTER CARER’S FORUMS
Once or twice a year you wil be invited to attend a Foster Carer’s Forum. These day events
are intended to provide an opportunity to discuss developments in Fostering along with a
chance to meet with your Fostering Colleagues. The forum is supported by a wide range of
colleagues within Families First and our partners. The forum aims to share views about the
new developments, initiatives and local and national changes to practice.
FOSTER CARER ASSOCIATION
A foster care association is a voluntary organisation i.e. one that is set up and operates
because the people involved want to, rather than being set up by law. Associations are
independent, fully constituted organisations, run by foster carers for foster carers.
Staffordshire Fostering Service supports the setting up of Foster Carer Associations and
seeks to work with those in operating in our local area.
Information about local Foster Carer Associations can be found on the Foster Carers Forum
http://care4child
or on the Fostering Network website:
http://www.fostering.net/england/our-work/foster-care-associations
TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
Training & Development
Training plays a vital role in developing your knowledge base and extending your skil s. The
details of all the training that is offered for Foster Carers both core training and continuing
professional development training events are contained in the most recent training catalogue
which is posted out to carers each year, or at the point of approval. The catalogue can also
be accessed on the website via the Foster Carers Forum.
Induction
Induction training 'Introduction to Fostering for Staffordshire' is a mandatory course for all
new applicants to be completed after a successful Initial Visit or approval at panel for Family
and Friends carers. The workshop is run on a four week rolling program including weekends,
evenings and daytime training. Prospective applicants wil be given the access code to the
electronic Handbook.
At the point of approval, you will receive an induction visit from a Fostering Social Worker. At
this visit we wil ensure that you have been given a copy of this handbook along with giving
you an opportunity to ask any questions and seek advice.
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Children’s Workforce Development Council Standards (CWDC)
The training programmes and activities that have been developed for Foster Carers, support
the Children’s Workforce Development Council’s (CWDC) implementation of The Training
Support and Development Standards for Foster Care. These are referred to in the training
catalogue as the TSD Standards. The training catalogue sets out in detail all of the
standards and their requirements.
Al newly approved Foster Carers wil be expected to complete the TSD Standards within 12
months of approval and attend induction training. Family and Friends foster carers and
Disability Foster Carers have TSD Standards tailored to their specific roles. They are
required to complete these within 18 months of approval. Carers wil be supported to
complete the TSD standards and produce a portfolio of evidence showing that they have met
the requirements. On the completion of this induction stage Foster Carers wil be awarded a
Certificate of Successful Completion.
Those carers who have completed their CWDC / TSD standards via another fostering
agency wil be asked to compile a portfolio detailing their knowledge and understanding of
Staffordshire’s policies and procedures within 6 months of their approval. Details of those
standards to be included in this portfolio wil be provided to you by your Fostering Social
Worker.
Personal Development Plans
Al Foster Carers wil have a Personal Development Plan (PDP), which the Foster Carer and
their Social Worker wil agree. Al Foster Carers should have a Personal Development Plan
within six weeks of approval. The PDP will be reviewed at each supervisory visit and
updated annually at the Foster Carers Annual Review. Each Foster Carer will have a PDP
based on their individual support and development needs.
The PDP will consider each carer’s development needs and agree the most appropriate
actions to address these needs. Development needs wil differ from carer to carer. For
newer carers they are likely to centre around the core training and TSD standards. For other
carers they may be more focussed on the specific needs of children and young people in
placement. Agreed actions wil also differ between carers and be dependent on their
learning style and preferences. Actions might be attendance at a formal training course but
could also include other types of learning such as E-learning, guided individual learning,
research, guided reading, accessing Government internet sites or professional discussions.
The PDP wil consider and agree timescale for completion of any actions identified.
Learning from sources outside those provided by the Fostering Service can also be
considered such as attendance at talks and briefings at schools or activity clubs or
transferrable learning from employment outside fostering.
It is a requirement that all Foster Carers should evidence their training and learning at the
level and frequency that is agreed within their Personal Development Plan.
Post Approval Training
All Foster Carers will be required to undertake no less than the equivalent of 3 days
(or 21 hours) development activity per year.
Information about post approval training courses offered is found in the training
catalogue. This includes information about E-learning which can be accessed through the
Training and Recruitment team. In addition to these courses Foster Carers are also able to
access training offered by Staffordshire County Council’s People directorate and
Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Board. More information about those courses can be
provided by the Training and Recruitment Team or your Fostering Social Worker.
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Each Foster Carer is required to complete of the Foundations to Fostering programme or
demonstrate that they have completed a suitable alternative. Those subjects covered in this
programme are listed in the training catalogue. Many carers will cover this programme
through attendance at core training events. Some aspects of the programme can also be
covered by E-learning. The Team Manager of your Fostering Social Worker wil verify when
the programme is completed. For those carers who wish to have learning from sources
outside the Fostering Service verified as covering Core Training they should provide details
of this to their Fostering Social Worker. These will then be passed to the Team Manager who
can verify whether these meet the core training requirement.
In addition to the Core Training Programme it is highly recommended that all male carers
attend training on Men in Foster Care, all carers working with teenagers attend training
on Caring for teenagers and preparing them for adult life and all carers attend training on
Managing Conflict / chal enging behaviour.
In addition to these courses, a wide range of subjects is offered in the training
catalogue. These are referred to as Continuing Professional Development and specialist
courses.
Foster Carer’s Online Forum
Staffordshire Foster Carers have access to
www.care4child.org forum. To access the forum,
carers are allocated a Login and Password. They then follow an easy process to change
their password to something more familiar to themselves. On the forum they are able to
access information on Fostering & Adoption, carers are able to post information on the
forum, respond to information posted by other carers or staff. Access information, policies,
procedures, training information, sons and daughters group. If you have difficulty accessing
the forum contact the Recruitment & Training Team on 01785 895363.
MENTORING SCHEME
Staffordshire recognises that the role of a Foster Carer is complex and demanding.
The purpose of the mentoring scheme is to provide an enhanced support service to Foster
Carers, with the aim of developing the skil s and understanding of the fostering task, and
thereby sustaining placements and improving outcomes for children.
The Mentor
The Mentor is an experienced Foster Carer who wil provide one to one support and advice
to carers in assessment, newly approved and existing Foster Carers through identified tasks.
The Mentor will:-
Maintain regular contact
Promote awareness of the fostering task
Encourage and reassure
Raise self-esteem and confidence
Encourage the development of skills
Enhance the quality of care to children
Increase knowledge base
Improve the retention of Foster Carers
Promote team work
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The Mentee
Al fostering applicants wil be matched with a Mentor. Regular meetings between Mentor
and Mentee will be agreed. The Mentor will help the Mentee settle into the role by:-
Introducing the Mentee to support groups and training, assisting with the completion of
CWDC TSD Standards Portfolio and assisting with familiarisation with the Families First
Service.
Experienced Foster Carers are able to access the Mentoring Service via their own Social
Worker when extra support is required for a specific issue.
Allocating a Mentor
The Mentoring Scheme Co-ordinator wil match Foster Carer to Mentors following a referral
from the Mentee’s Fostering Social Worker.
A range of criteria will be used to ensure a successful match, e.g. fostering experiences of
the Mentor, geography, personality and learning styles. Should the match not be successful
the co-ordinator wil seek an alternative Mentor.
Confidentiality under Mentoring Scheme
The relationship between the Mentor and Mentee requires trust and understanding around
the issues of confidentiality. A confidentiality agreement wil be signed. Personal details of
the discussions wil not be disclosed without permission of the other party. This commitment
wil continue following the conclusion of the mentoring. However, if the information received
discloses an il egal act or serious concerns of potential risks to children, adults or the
service, the Mentor and Mentee will be under an obligation to break this confidentiality.
It is hoped the Mentoring Scheme wil assist in raising the skil s and development of Foster
Carers in our service which wil compliment the role of Social Workers and improve
outcomes for children and young people.
EMERGENCY DUTY SERVICE (EDS)
Outside office hours you can access support through EDS who wil pick up on issues that
cannot wait until the next working day. This is a generic service with a limited number of
personnel covering all of Staffordshire. They wil offer telephone support and only visit if they
consider the situation warrants it.
CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE - CAMHS
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are a comprehensive range of
services available within local communities, towns or cities, which provide help and
treatment to children and young people who are experiencing emotional or behavioural
difficulties, or mental health problems, disorders and il nesses.
The teams provide a range of specialist mental health services to children, young people
and their families or carers. They can help with emotional and behaviour problems, family
relationship problems, effects of traumatic experiences, bul ying, eating disorders, sleeping,
toileting problems, anxiety and stress.
Some of these services are based in National Health Service (NHS) settings such as Child
and Family Consultation Services, in-patient and outpatient departments of hospitals, in GP
Surgeries and Health Centres. Others are based in educational settings such as schools,
colleges and universities or in youth centres, walk-in centres for young people and
counsel ing services.
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For those with concerns about a child or a young person's mental health it might be helpful
to speak to any of the following: your GP, a teacher, Head Teacher or Head of Year, School
Nurse, Health Visitor, Social Worker or Youth Counsel ing Service for advice and referral for
specialist help within these services.
CAMHS contact details:
STAFFORD:
01785 259449
BURTON:
01283 505820
CANNOCK:
01543 576967
LICHFIELD:
01543 414555
NEWCASTLE:
01782 719615
TAMWORTH:
01827 51183
MOORLANDS:
01782 652660
SUSTAIN+ (CHILD & ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE – CAMHS –
FOR CHILDREN IN CARE)
Children who come into care have often experienced trauma and neglect. Moving from one
home to another can, in itself, be traumatic for a child. Children who have had these
experiences can often appear distressed or display chal enging behaviour. They can
sometimes be difficult to get close to and their behaviour can appear designed to push you
away.
SUSTAIN+ is a health resource service that works directly with Staffordshire foster carers
and other professionals and with children and young people who are looked after. The work
of the therapist at SUSTAIN+ is strongly influenced by attachment systemic and
developmental ideas and theories.
SUSTAIN+ provide therapy and consultation to help, support and maintain placements, by
offering time and space to think about and make sense of children’s behaviours and feelings.
This thinking develops in the context of taking account of the children’s very traumatic,
neglectful and abusive early experiences, which often have a continuing impact on the
children and on their relationships with their carers and families.
SUSTAIN+ has bases in Burton, Stafford and Newcastle which cover the whole of
Staffordshire.
SUSTAIN+ offers training and workshops to carers which are included in the Training
Catalogue. This includes; Making Sense of Behaviour and Fostering Attachments.
SUSTAIN+ also runs groups for carers details of which can be obtained from your Fostering
Social Worker.
SUSTAIN+ will take referrals from you, your Fostering Social Worker, the Child’s Social
Worker or the child themselves.
What can you expect from SUSTAIN+?
Before seeing a child SUSTAIN+ often finds it useful to have an information gathering
meeting with you and other professionals involved with the child. This helps to decide the
best way forward.
Sometimes you may find it useful to have several sessions without the child present to
discuss your relationship with the child and to talk through strategies that may help.
Often the child is invited to attend therapy sessions. You may be asked to join in these
sessions as SUSTAIN+ realise how helpful it is for you to know what is being talked about
and to be there to comfort the child if necessary.
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SUSTAIN+ carries out the strengths and needs assessment for all children over the age of
18 months who become cared for.
SUSTAIN+ contact details:
161 Eccleshall Road, Stafford ST16 1PD
Tel: 01785 244545
Email:
xxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx.xx
Weekend Contact Number: 0300 790 7000
NSPCC
Within Staffordshire, the NSPCC run therapeutic services that can be accessed by children
in foster care. These are;
“letting the future in”, a therapeutic service for children who
have experienced sexual abuse,
“face to face” providing independent emotional support,
brief solution focused therapy and direct work to children in care. NSPCC also provides a
service to undertake therapeutic work with children and young people who display
sexually
harmful behaviour. These services are not generally accessible to children and young
people who are accessing other therapeutic intervention. Foster carers, social workers or
young people themselves can make a referral to the NSPCC on 0844 892 0273.
FAMILY RIGHTS GROUP
The Family Rights Group provides specialist advice for families who have children in the
Children in Care system.
www.frg.org.uk
Family Rights Group, Second Floor, The Print House, 18 Ashwin Street, Londo
n E8 3DL
T: 020 7923 2628
F: 020 7923 2683
For advice:
email:
xxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
or
Phone the advice line: 0808 8010366
Opening hours: Monday - Friday
9.30am-3.30pm
GRANDPARENTS ASSOCIATION
The Grandparents Association provide services which include an advice and information
line, welfare benefits advice, publications, support groups, and Grandparent and Toddler
groups and mediation.
www.grandparents-association.org.uk
The Grandparents’ Association, Moot House, The Stow, Harlow, Essex CM20 3AG
Advice and information line: 0845 434 9585
Or email
xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
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FOSTERING NETWORK
Al Foster Carers in Staffordshire are members of the Fostering Network.
As a member you will receive the quarterly magazine, Foster Care, which gives useful
information about fostering and developments across the country.
There is a local Advice and Mediation Officer who can help to keep you informed or in the
event of an allegation offer support and advice. Her name is: Bethan Houston
www.fostering.net
Telephone : 01905 622459
e-mail:
xxxxxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx
Members also receive comprehensive legal protection insurance to cover legal expenses
that may arise as a result of fostering and access to 24 hour helplines providing legal and
medical advice, as well as stress counselling
No longer fostering?
As a retired foster carer (someone no longer fostering) it is real y important to make sure that
you continue to be insured against the risk of allegation. A child that has been fostered by
you in the past can make an allegation at any time, regardless of whether or not you are stil
fostering, and you must be insured at the time the allegation is made in order to qualify for
legal support.
For just £18.50, our retired foster carer membership ensures you are covered by the
Fostering Network’s Legal Benefits Insurance Policy. This insurance provides you with
continued legal protection insurance as well as access to a 24-hour legal helpline. Applicants
must currently be foster carer members of the Fostering Network who are retiring and retired
membership must commence on the day after your foster carer membership ceases.
(Please note– retired membership does not give you access to any other membership
benefits.)
How to join
You can download and complete
a form then email it t
o xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx or post
to Membership, The Fostering Network, 87 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 8HA.
If you have any questions, contact us on 020 7620 6400.
FOSTER CARER ANNUAL REVIEW
It is a requirement that all Foster Carers are reviewed at intervals of no more than 1 year.
The review is to ensure that you continue to meet the standards required and to take into
consideration any changes in your lives. It takes into account the views of the foster family,
the Fostering Social Worker, the child and their Social Worker about how the previous year’s
fostering has gone. Everyone involved is expected to complete written information for the
review meeting.
The review is chaired by a Fostering Social Worker who does not have any direct
responsibility for your family.
The review evaluates your fostering experience and can recommend changes in your
approval category. The review wil identify any training and support needs.
Fol owing the review you will receive copies of all the contributions and a summary of the
review meeting, including recommendations.
Al reviews are presented to Foster Panel for them to consider your continued approval as
Foster Carers. Fol owing Panel you wil receive a letter of confirmation of the panel outcome
and a new Foster Carer Agreement.
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DE-REGISTRATION - CEASING TO FOSTER
When a foster care decides to stop fostering either because they are retiring or because of a
change in their personal circumstances they must notify their fostering social worker and
team manager in writing. This letter wil be presented to the fostering panel with a brief report
from their social worker. A letter wil be sent to them confirming that their name has been
removed from the Register of Foster Carers. A resignation in writing from a foster carer has
to be accepted within 28 days of receipt of the letter.
FOSTERING PANEL
The Fostering Regulations 2011 requires each Local Authority to have a Fostering Panel.
The function of the Panel is to consider new applications to foster and any changes to the
approval of existing foster carers. Recommendations are made to the Agency Decision
Maker who wil make the final decision. Panel wil consider suitability to foster and
recommend the approval details including the number, type, age range and gender of
children to be placed.
Staffordshire has a central list of Panel Members that include independent members as well
as representatives from the Families First Service. The independent members all come from
within the Staffordshire community and have a range of relevant experience. Al panel
members have signed a Confidentiality Agreement and have been checked through the
Criminal Records Bureau.
The panel meet on a weekly basis. The Fostering Panel Administrator also attends to take
minutes of the meeting and sometimes there may be an observer present. The panel is
supported by a Panel Advisor. They are there in an advisory capacity only and do not
influence the panels recommendations.
Your Fostering Social Worker will attend with you. If you are a Family & Friends Carer, the
Social Worker for the child/ren that you are caring for already or plan to care for will also be
invited to attend.
Al new applicants and approved carers following their first review are invited and
encouraged to attend Fostering Panel. The meeting is a formal one where there is an
opportunity for the Panel to ask questions and clarify any issues. You can also ask any
questions of the Panel Members present. The Fostering Panel Members feel that it is
important that applicants and existing carers attend so that they can contribute to the
discussion that wil ultimately make recommendations regarding approvals. Carers who have
attended the Fostering Panel have valued the experience of being able to represent
themselves and Panel Members always welcome the opportunity to meet prospective and
existing foster carers.
The Fostering Panel make a recommendation to the Agency Decision Maker. However they
wil normally inform you at the end of the discussion of their recommendation. You wil
receive written confirmation of the Agency Decision within 10 working days.
The Agency Decision Maker may not agree with the panel’s recommendation. You will be
informed of this in the letter. In circumstances where the Agency Decision Maker does not
agree to an applicant being approved as a foster carer the reasons for this decision will be
set out in the letter. This is known as a Qualifying Determination.
QUALIFYING DETERMINATION
When the letter of Qualifying Determination is sent, in circumstances where the Fostering
Service has concerns about a foster carers continued suitability to foster a full report of the
circumstances wil be given to the carers and presented to the Fostering Panel. In these
circumstances foster carers will be able to provide their own report and have someone to
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support them at Panel. Foster carers can attend the Fostering Panel. Fol owing the Panels
recommendation the Agency Decision Maker wil either agree or overturn the Panels
recommendation.
The foster carer wil receive a letter giving a full account of how the Agency Decision Maker
has reached their decision. This is known as a Qualifying Determination.
If you do not agree with the recommendation of the Foster Panel and the decision of the
Agency Decision Maker relating to your approval (e.g. deregistration, or not agreeing to a
change in approval).
1. You may make representation to the Fostering Service to review the
recommendation
or
2. Apply to the
Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) for a review of the Fostering
Service recommendation
You wil have 28 days from the date of the Fostering Service letter to make your decision
and to notify either the Fostering Service Manager if you are going through option 1, or the
Contract Manger at the IRM for option 2.
You wil receive a leaflet informing you of both of these options with the letter.
INDEPENDENT REVIEW MECHANISM (IRM)
The IRM is a review process which prospective or existing foster carers can use if they do
not agree with the Qualifying Determination (the Agency Decision and the reasons for
making the decision).
The IRM is a review panel which is independent of Fostering Service Providers. The IRM
can review your suitability as a prospective foster carer to foster a child, review any changes
proposed to your terms of approval and can make new recommendations to the agency on
your suitability and term of approval.
For more information contact:
www.independentreviewmechanism.org.uk
CHANGES TO YOUR HOUSEHOLD/NEW PARTNERS
It is vital that you keep your Fostering Social Worker updated about any significant changes
to your household. This wil include friends or family moving in and out as wel as significant
information about the health and circumstances of members of the household.
This is particularly significant where single foster carers are establishing relationships with
new partners. In establishing relationships and introducing partners to your fostered children
you are reminded that it is important to maintain stability for fostered children. You are also
reminded that fostered children can be particularly vulnerable and that it is important to
maintain safer caring principles.
When a relationship is first established and the new partner becomes a regular visitor to the
home, a CRB check wil be initiated. Should the relationship progress and a decision be
made that the partner would like to move into the fostering household you should formally
notify your Fostering Social Worker in writing. Checks and references will then be taken up
and the new partner wil be assessed to become a Foster Carer alongside you. Partners
cannot live in your home with you without being approved as a Foster Carer.
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ACCESS TO YOUR FOSTER CARER FILE
Your file is stored electronically within a secure electronic recording system. Those carers
for whom there are records dating from before this system was initiated in 2006 wil also
have a paper file. These paper files are stored securely in the office in which your Fostering
Social Worker is located. Your file contains all records relating to your contact with the
Department and complies with the Data Protection Act 1998.
As with anyone involved with the Department, you have a right to see your file. There is a
procedure which outlines the access to files process and information. Information about this
can be found on the internet:-
http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/health/childrenandfamilycare/yourdata/Yourdata.aspx
You can also request this information from your Fostering Social Worker. Where your file
contains information about another individual, consent to release the information must be
given by that person (known as the third party). If consent is not obtained the information
wil not be released. Agencies who provide information to the Department about you are
also contacted to ascertain their views on the information they have provided being released.
Foster Carers’ Files are retained in archives for 25 years after ceasing to foster.
COMPLIMENTS
Foster Carers are frequently complimented by Children’s Social Workers, other
professionals and parents. Al compliments are noted on your file and can be used in your
development portfolio.
COMPLAINTS
On receipt of a complaint made in writing or verbally, the matter must be forwarded to the
Customer Feedback and Complaints Team for consideration.
1.
Complaints from Foster Carers:
1.1 Foster carers who wish to complain about the service they receive from Families First
are entitled to access the Statutory Complaints Procedure.
2.
Complaints against Foster Carers:
2.1 Complaints about foster carers may be made by the child, parents, teacher, social
workers any other professionals, or they can be anonymous.
3.
Safeguarding:
If the complaint contains concerns regarding the welfare of a child, the matter will be
reported immediately to the First Response Team or to the appropriate County
Manager.
4.
Allegations, Complaints and Cause for Concern about Foster Carers and
Prospective Adopters:
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4.1 Where a complaint is with regards to an allegation, as defined under Section 47, the
procedure set out in
Part Five, Section 1 - Al egations about Foster Carers Policy
should be followed.
5.
Statutory Complaints Procedure:
5.1 The Local Authority has a statutory obligation to operate a complaints and
representations procedure which is in line with the Children Act (1989) Representation
Procedure (England) Regulations (2006) and the accompanying guidance ‘Getting the
Best from Complaints’ (2006).
5.2 The procedure has
3 stages:
Stage 1 – Local Resolution (Timescale 10 - 20 working days).
The complaint is addressed by the Team Manager/County Manager of the service
which is the subject of the complaint.
Once the complaint has been accepted into the procedure, the Customer Feedback
and Complaints Team wil forward the complaint to the relevant Team Manager/County
Manager with instructions for investigating and responding to the complaint.
Stage 2 – Investigation (Timescale 25 – 65 working days)
An Independent Investigating Officer is appointed to investigate the concerns. In
addition, an ‘Independent Person’ wil work alongside the Officer to ensure the
investigation is fair and thorough. A report wil be produced by the Investigating Officer
together with a report from the Independent Person. Both reports wil then be sent to
the appropriate Strategic Lead who wil consider the findings of the investigation and
produce a response to the complainant from the Local Authority.
Stage 3 – Complaints Review Panel
If the complainant remains dissatisfied following the Stage 2 investigation they can
request that their complaints are reviewed by a Complaints Review Panel. The panel
is comprised of 3 independent people and their role is to review the investigation at
Stage 2 to see if the investigation was carried out fairly and thoroughly. The panel
does not re-investigate the complaints.
The Customer Feedback and Complaints Team operate a screening process which is
applied to all complaints and representations that are received. This process involves
establishing the eligibility of the complainant to access the Statutory Complaints
Procedure, defining the complaints and desired outcomes.
Al complaints are recorded on the Customer Feedback and Complaints Team
database, including the outcome of the investigation and organisational learning and
service improvements which have resulted from a complaint. Recommendations
made following Stage 2 and Stage 3 of the process are closely monitored by the
Customer Feedback and Complaints Team via an ‘action plan’ to ensure that they are
completed in a timely manner with evidence to support the completion.
6.
The Local Government Ombudsman:
6.1
The complainant has the right, at any time during the procedure, to refer their
complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman for consideration.
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6.2
The aim of the Statutory Complaints Procedure is to:
establish a fair and accessible process
ensure a swift and satisfactory resolution at local level
monitor the Local Authority’s complaints handling
learn from complaints, and use this learning to inform service improvements.
7.
Complaints against Independent Foster Care Agencies:
7.1
A complaint regarding Independent Foster Carers should be sent to the relevant
manager for that agency in order for matters to be addressed and responded to
under their own procedure.
8.
Complaints made on behalf of a child or young person:
8.1
The Looked after Children
‘U Packs’, issued to all children who are looked after, will
contain information and contact numbers explaining how a complaint can be made.
8.2
Foster Carers can also make a complaint to the Customer Feedback and Complaints
Team on behalf of the child or young person.
8.3
The
NSPCC offers an advocacy service for children and young people. An advocate
can act on behalf of the child or young person and can provide independent and
confidential information, advice and support in making a complaint.
9.
Further Information:
9.1
Further information about the complaints procedures can be obtained by phoning the
Customer Feedback and Complaints Team –
01785 278601).
RECORDING, SAFE USE OF COMPUTERS & STORAGE OF INFORMATION
Confidentiality Statement
As part of the Foster Care Agreement, you will have signed the Foster Carer Data Processor
Agreement and Confidentiality Disclaimer (Appendix B). In signing these you have agreed to
keep all information relating to children in your care and their families confidential. This
relates to both the disclosure and storage of information. A guide to the Data Processor
Agreement can be found in Appendix C.
Recording
1.
Introduction
1.1
Foster carers are increasingly being asked to provide information about fostered
children as part of their fostering role. This information will contribute towards
maintaining a history of a child’s placement and assessments. These records are
being made as part of the child’s file and should be viewed and written in that way.
1.2
The key role that foster carers play in recording is highlighted in the Fostering
Services National Minimum Standards (2011) which state:
‘The foster carer understands the important supporting role they play in encouraging
the child to reflect on and understand their history. The child, subject to age and
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understanding, is encouraged to keep appropriate memorabilia (including
photographs) of their time in the placement. The fostering service makes this role
clear to their foster carers and ensures they can record, and help children make a
record of (subject to age and understanding), significant life events’. (NMS 26.7)
1.3
This policy and guidance aims to:
Identify the types of information and records that carers hold.
Recognise who the records belong to.
Clarify how the records should be stored.
Describe
what should be recorded.
Explain
how it should be recorded.
NB: Children and young people’s records are retained for 75 years.
Adults, who have grown up in care, wil reflect on their care experiences,
especially at key transition life stages, such as when they become parents
or grandparents. It could be many years before children wish to, or feel
able to access their records It is therefore, important that foster carers
take into account that, however chal enging living with a fostered child may
be, there are always ‘positives’ to be celebrated and recorded.
2.
Records and Confidentiality
2.1
The Fostering Service wil provide foster carers with a lockable, portable filing box in
which to store confidential information. Foster carers should keep the box and its
contents safe and the Fostering Social Worker will check the contents as part of their
supervisory role.
2.2
For the duration of their registration foster carers should keep:
Information about fostering in general. This information is not confidential but
foster carers should have access to it in order to assist them with the task of
fostering;
Information about themselves as foster carers which should be stored
confidential y.
Records about the children currently in placement which should always be
stored confidentially
2.3
Foster carers are expected to record electronically and to enable these records to be
stored safely the service will provide an encrypted memory stick to all carers (see
Section 5).
3.
Types of Recording and Information
3.1
Fostering Service information:
Recruitment information,
Preparation (for fostering) material,
Induction information,
Foster Carer Handbook,
Fostering Network information,
Training materials,
Newsletters/leaflets
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3.2
Records about themselves as foster carers:
Copy of the Form F Assessment;
Disclosure and Barring Service return,
Foster Care Agreement,
Supervision notes,
Foster Carer Annual Review,
Agency decisions and Foster Panel minutes
Training invitations/arrangements,
Certificates,
Correspondence,
Health and Safety check,
Pet Questionnaire,
Safer Caring Policy.
3.3
Records about the child:
Copy of the child’s Placement Plan
Copy of the child’s Care Plan,
Copy of the child’s Personal Education Plan (PEP)
Copy of the child’s current Health Plan/Review, Health Record (Red Book),
Placement Planning Meeting minutes,
Child Specific Fostering Support and Safe Care Plan,
Request for Service/Risk & Match document,
Statutory (Looked After) Review report / minutes,
Weekly log/records,
Child's passport,
Correspondence relating to specific children,
Incident Notifications,
Life-story work,
Risk Assessment for the child,
Pathway Plan, Transition Plan,
Photos and memorabilia.
4.
Purpose and Content of Foster Carer’s Recording
4.1
Foster carers must keep separate records for individual children. It is not acceptable
to keep collective records when fostering two or more children.
4.2
These records are required for the following purposes:
To accurately recal behaviour or incidents related to the child and provide a
balanced picture of events;
To assist in looking at the progress of a placement over time and developing
a picture of the child’s pattern of behaviour;
To inform decision-making at reviews, planning meetings and conferences;
To help the foster carer to review and reflect on their practice;
To provide information needed for court proceedings;
To support an application for additional help for the child e.g. therapy;
To reduce any risk to foster carers and their families while the child is placed,
and, in some cases, after the child has moved on.
4.3
Staffordshire Foster carers should use the specific template provided by the
Fostering Service, which will be provided by their Fostering Social Worker.
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4.4
When updating records, foster carers should consider the following basic guidelines:
The language used should be simple and jargon-free;
The record should not be overly long but with sufficient information to be able
to recal the event accurately;
A daily log is required that is submitted on a weekly basis;
Facts should be recorded, rather than
opinions. If personal opinions are
recorded then carers should make it clear that it is opinion and not fact. This
is important as records may be read by a young person or their birth family,
who may choose to access information at a later date;
The record should be made as near to the time of the event as possible and
signed and dated. If any information is changed or added later this should be
clear from the record.
5.
What to record/Where to record it?
5.1
For the duration of each placement foster carers wil keep information about each
child placed in their care. Any information about children and their families must
always be kept confidential, and remains the property of the Local Authority.
5.2
Foster Carer’s Diary:
5.2.1 The foster carer should keep a diary for appointments and dates of activities.
Dates of meetings / visits by social workers and other professionals;
Dates of reviews, or any other meetings concerning the child.
Dates of any school, or education meetings e.g. PEP reviews
Dates of any health appointments, any treatments and immunisations for the
child.
5.3
Weekly Log:
5.3.1 The following is a guide to what can be relevant to record in the foster carer’s weekly
log:
Information about health appointments, with a list of who was there and any key
decisions made.
Details of any contact visits with the child's family, or relatives and any significant
interactions including phone calls, texts, letters etc.
Child's reaction to family contact, remembering to be factual and avoiding
opinion. Record any other observations e.g. what the child’s mood or
presentation was like before and after the contact visit; how the child responded
to family members; how the parent interacted with them; how the ending was
managed; what the child’s response was like.
Details of when the child is away from home, visiting family or friends, or if they
are missing.
Details of times when alternative care is given, including baby-sitting
arrangements.
Details of any specific incidents, accidents or injuries. Describe what, when,
where and how the incident/accident happened and what follow up action was
taken. Record when it was reported to which social worker.
Details of any theft or wilful damage caused by the foster child.
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Details of any behaviour or comments from the child that give rise to concern,
with a note of any actions taken. This may help to identify any triggers for such
behaviour and what brings it to an end.
Details of any involvement with the Police, noting the date(s), which Police
officer(s) were involved, and the reason(s) for the involvement.
Details of any request made to the agency for support and any difficulties
reported, including the date of the request, the response and when it was
received.
5.4
Incident Notifications:
5.4.1 Fostering Regulations require that certain incidents in a fostering household are
recorded, specifically by the Fostering Service. For these, Foster Carers should
complete an
Incident Notification Form.
5.4.2 Carers should continue to let the child’s Social Worker and their Fostering Social
Worker know of incidents that take place, over the phone.
5.4.3 The forms should be submitted to the Fostering Social Worker and the child’s Social
Worker by email as soon as practicable after the incident (ideally within 24 hours).
This is in addition to the completion of weekly recordings.
5.4.4 The Incident Notification Form must be completed when the following events have
taken place:
Carers have physically intervened with a child for their protection, or the
protection of others
A child has gone missing from care
A serious illness or accident has occurred
A serious infectious disease has developed
There is has been involvement, or suspected involvement in child sexual
exploitation (CSE)
There has been a serious incident involving the police
There has been an incident of bul ying towards a foster child, whether it
has taken place in school, the foster home or in the community.
5.4.6 On receipt of the form, a discussion will take place with the Foster Carers, the child’s
Social Worker and Fostering Team Manager about any actions which may need to
be taken to reduce any risk to the carers, the child and other members of the family.
For example, where a child keeps going missing, a meeting wil need to be called to
discuss the risks and how they can be reduced.
5.5
Medication Guidance:
5.5.1 When a child is placed, foster carers will receive a set of Looked After Children
paperwork, including a signed copy of the child’s Placement Plan, which gives
delegated consent to carers to seek medical treatment for fostered child(ren). This
document wil also include details of any medication a child is currently prescribed.
5.5.2 Foster carers are expected to record all medication administered to fostered children
on the Fostering Medication Chart See Appendix 2. This includes both medication
prescribed by a health professional and medication which is available over the
counter.
5.6
Financial Information:
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5.6.1 There is no legal requirement for carers to record financial expenditure however,
Staffordshire County Council asks carers to keep records of financial expenditure
carried out for children placed with them. Carers should review essential expenditure
with their Fostering Social Worker and use of the Fostering Al owance will be
discussed as part of the carer’s regular supervision. Most carers wil find it helpful to
keep receipts for items directly purchased for the child e.g. clothing. Carers will be
encouraged to use their discretion on how this is recorded e.g. keeping a separate
account or stapling individual receipts in their fostering diaries.
5.7
Pocket Money:
5.7
The personal allowance for children in fostering placements includes a set allowance
for pocket money which should be given to the child with support from the foster
carer to help the child manage their money and make positive choices. Carers should
keep a record of the pocket money given to the child in their weekly log.
6.
e-Recording
6.1
The expectation is that foster carers will record ‘electronically’ and email their records
on a weekly basis to their Fostering Social Worker and to the child’s Social Worker
.
6.2
In exceptional circumstances, where carers hand-write their recordings, this should
be given to their Fostering Social Worker at every visit and the Social Worker wil
issue a receipt. The Social Worker wil then arrange for the recording to be scanned
onto the carer’s file and sent to the child’s Social Worker.
6.3
Al foster carers will need to use an encrypted
memory stick which has been issued
by the Fostering Service to store their recordings. For more information, see the
Foster Carer’s Handbook.
6.4
Where photographs are taken of the child, they should be stored on a secure CD/pen
drive and handed to the child's social worker. The foster carer must not store these
photographs on their own computers or upload them onto social media sites such as
Facebook.
7.
Life-Story Records
7.1
Records made by foster carers are also used to provide a picture of family life for the
child, to help them create a clear sense of their care experience and to recall key
events while they are looked after. Foster carers play a crucial role in meeting the
needs of children separated from their birth families, by preserving their memories,
giving them information, helping to promote their identity, preparing for life changes
and building their self-esteem through a positive image of themselves and their birth
families.
7.2
To support this, carers should develop a ‘memory box’ to keep tangible items such as
certificates, reports, concert programmes, cinema stubs, drawings, holiday leaflets,
locks of hair, first shoes etc.
7.3
Carers should also keep a photo album to record a photographic journal of a child’s
‘looked after’ experience. This may include pictures of everyday places or things e.g.
photos of the home, local shops, nursery, family car etc.
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8.
Retaining/Returning the information
8.1
On ceasing to be a foster carer the following arrangements apply:
Any information that falls into the category of ‘general fostering’ may be kept
by the foster carer. However, care should be taken not to share information
about other foster carers that may be contained within newsletters (e.g.
addresses of carers running local support groups);
Foster carers may keep any information that they have been given about
themselves.
Any information about a foster child held by the foster carers, whether it has
been provided for them, or if they have made the record themselves, must be
returned to Families First once the placement has ended, or if the foster carer
ceases to foster.
8.2
If a child’s placement ends, the Fostering Social Worker is responsible for retrieving
any documents relating to the child. This should include checking the lockable box to
ensure that all the information is retrieved.
8.3
The Fostering Social Worker should ask the carer to sign the ‘Receipt for Foster
Carer Records Returned, which should list all the documents returned. See Appendix
4.
8.4
The Fostering Social Worker should pass the information retrieved from the carer to
the child's Social Worker who should file the information on the child’s file. Any
duplicate information should be destroyed.
8.5
Foster carers may have some concerns about returning all the child-based
information to the Local Authority, feeling it may leave them vulnerable to potential
allegations. However, Staffordshire Fostering Service and all carers must comply with
the Data Protection Act (1998) which specifies who can store personal information
about another person and the principles that apply to information storage.
8.6
Foster carer files are kept for a minimum of 10 years after they cease to be carers.
8.7
Information kept on the Looked After Child’s case record must be kept until the 75th
anniversary of their date of birth, or 15 years from the date of death, if a child dies
before the age of 18.
8.8
The Fostering Network advises that foster carers are entitled to retain their own
‘personal diaries’. This is an acknowledgement that, for safe caring purposes, carers
retaining certain key facts about events that
could lead to allegations, is seen as
good practice. Personal diaries are not checked as part of the monitoring of the
placement, and are therefore, not removed at the end of the placement. If carers do
keep a personal diary they must ensure that only children’s initials are used and that
they cannot be identified if the diary is mislaid.
8.9
Fol owing approval, recording issues wil be discussed on an ongoing
basis during supervision and at the Foster Carer Annual Review. Foster carers
should be made aware that they can contact their Fostering Social Worker if they
have any queries or concerns about recording.
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INCIDENT NOTIFICATION FORMS
Incident Notification Forms must be used to let us know of any accidents, incidents of
bul ying, when a child goes missing or where physical intervention has taken place. Separate
contact, medication or notification sheets need to be used for each child in placement to
maintain confidentiality and to enable information to go with the child when they move on.
Recording should begin from the first day a child is placed with you. At the end of the
placement, recording should be given to the child’s social worker to add to their file. For
children in placement for longer periods the return of recording to children’s files should be
reviewed annually in discussion with your Fostering Social Worker.
There is useful information about recording in the good practice guide on Foster Carer
recording included in this folder.
Internet Safety and Storage of Information Electronically
All Foster Carers* need to provide suitable access to I.T for children in their care.
All Foster Carers need to complete (B)e SAFE – Embrace Modern Media. All
Foster Carers to visit the CEOP site and to look at the SSCB E safety toolkit.
1
This guidance is compiled in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. It concerns all
computers within the foster home and the safe storage of confidential information.
Introduction
Over the last few years, advances on the internet have changed completely the way we
communicate with each other, share and store information, expand our knowledge, go
shopping, book holidays and build and expand friendship networks.
For parents and carers, the internet is stil a novelty – for children growing up now, the
internet is a fact of life and their lives wil be increasingly ‘web’ based, whether on personal
computers, games consoles, mobile telephones, at home or at school. While the benefits it
can offer, with regards to education and learning are immeasurable, it can also pose risks
and possible harm for young people. Staffordshire County Council believes that families and
households should work together to understand safe care and responsible internet use.
Children in Foster Care may be particularly vulnerable. They may be at risk from contact
from friends and family members, when it may not be in their best interests to be contacted.
There is a chance that revealing their care status may make them particularly exposed to
inappropriate behaviour, grooming or online bul ying.
Principles
Foster Carers are expected to provide computing equipment to enable children & young
people in their care to have access to information technology, which can be of great
educational and social value. It is important that children and young people are safeguarded
from potential abuse via the internet and carers must take steps to protect them. Any
information stored relating to children and young people in their care must be protected in
line with the Data Protection Act, this includes accessing and contributing to web site forums
etc. If in doubt please liaise with the Foster Care team for guidance.
1 *The exception is for Foster Carers who only care for babies – this should be discussed and agreed with
the Supervising Social Worker.
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Safeguarding Children Using Computers
As the internet changes, the basic principles of what young people go on line for and the
basic principles of staying safe remain almost unchanged. For the vast majority of children,
participating online allows them to chat, message, network and game. We don’t expect
foster carers to become computer experts, but it is helpful if you speak to young people in
your home and find out what they are getting out of the internet.
Children and young people can be vulnerable when using the internet through meeting
people in chat rooms and accessing inappropriate material.
Some adults use the internet to manipulate children and young people which can lead to
emotional, sexual or physical abuse.
Carers need to take action to prevent children and young people from accessing
inappropriate and dangerous websites.
Personal information should never be given out or displayed online – age, gender,
address, telephone numbers, passwords and PIN numbers. If you need to use personal
information to purchase goods online, only use a trusted and secure website.
Language – chat users wil abbreviate and shorten words to make it quicker to
communicate. For example POS Parent over shoulder. Sites such as
www.thinkuknow.com have glossaries of chat speak.
Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP)
CEOP works with child protection partners across the UK and overseas to identify the main
threats to children and coordinates activity against these threats to bring offenders to
account. They protect children from harm online and offline, directly through NCA led
operations and in partnership with local and international agencies. Al Foster Carers should
regularly access this website. For more up to date information and some useful videos and
materials access the CEOP websit
e http://ceop.police.uk/ What can you do to protect children in your care using computers?
Familiarise yourself with the internet, perhaps by getting the child or young person to
show you or by taking an IT course at college. You can get help getting started by
accessing
http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise. If you need further advice you can also contact
the Recruitment and Training Team. More information can be accessed here:
http://www.staffsscb.org.uk/Professionals/Key-Safeguarding/e-Safety/e-Safety-
Toolkit/Internet-Safety-Training/Internet-Safety-Training.aspx
Al Foster carers should complete the (B)e SAFE – Embrace Modern Media training for
Foster Carers. Discuss this with you Fostering Social Worker and contact the
Recruitment and Training team.
Al Foster Carers should access the E-Safety Toolkit can be accessed on the
Safeguarding Children’s Board website.
http://www.staffsscb.org.uk/Professionals/Key-
Safeguarding/e-Safety/e-Safety-Toolkit/e-Safety-Toolkit.aspx
Develop your own home computer policy to include length of time spent on internet;
online games and what sites can be visited etc. Where any website registration is
required children and young people must ask your permission and assistance to do so.
Each child and young person should have their own password to use the computer.
Do not have a computer with internet access in the child’s or young person’s bedroom.
Always place it in a family room. Exceptions should be agreed as part of the young
persons placement plan.
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Monitor everything that children and young people access, ensuring that ‘private areas’
of chat rooms are not accessible. Always monitor anything to be downloaded.
Ensure that any unsuitable sites are blocked. Periodically check the computer history for
sites accessed by children or young people.
Encourage children and young people to tell you if they receive frightening or bul ying e-
mails or anything they consider unacceptable.
Never allow children and young people in your care to meet up with anyone they have
met on the internet
Children must be supervised at all times when on the internet. Remember you are in
control.
Sexting
What is sexting?
Sexting generally refers to the sending of sexual y explicit images via text, email, MSN or
through social networking sites. For example, this could be a picture of a boy or young man
exposing himself or a young woman in a state of undress.
There could be many reasons why young people would want to take these sorts of pictures
and send them to someone else. It could be that two young people who are in a relationship
want to prove their love or commitment to each other; it could be that someone is looking to
start a relationship with someone else or it could be that they simply want to show off.
Background
Most young people today are entirely comfortable with recording their entire lives online –
much like other generations used to do in a diary.
These days though, this often includes uploading and sharing photos, status messages on
what has been happening in their lives or how they are feeling, and texting back and for.
While this ‘finger on the pulse, share all’ culture has some benefits, it can also create an
environment in which teenagers and young people make impulsive decisions without
thinking through the possible consequences. Often times, they are only a click away from
doing something digitally that they would not normally do in the real world.
Consequences
While sending sexual y explicit messages or pictures carries enough problems of its own, it
can have real consequences if the content is shared with others – either by people
forwarding it on using messages or emails or by uploading it onto a social networking site or
website. This could result in immediate consequences, possibly within the school
environment, or more serious consequences for later in life such as if a prospective college,
university or employer were to see it.
Top Tips:
Talk to children about sexting and the consequences - don’t wait for something to
happen. We know it isn’t always easy to talk about sex, dating and relationships with
teenagers – but it is better to talk about these issues before something happens.
Remind children that once an image is sent, there is no getting it back. Stress to the
children that once they have sent an image, or posted it online, they no longer have
control of it and it could end up anywhere. Ask them how they would feel if their
teachers, parents, or their whole school saw what they had sent.
Address peer pressure. Peer pressure can be a formidable force so make sure that
children know that you understand that they could be pushed into sending
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something. Talk to them about making positive decisions and be sure they
understand that no matter how great the pressure becomes, the potential social
humiliation could be a hundred times worse. Also let them know that they can talk to
you about this pressure and how they can go about dealing with it.
Make sure they take responsibility. Make sure your child understands that they are
responsible for their actions. That includes what they choose to do if they receive a
sexual y explicit photo. Have them understand that if they do receive one, they need
to delete it immediately. Tell them that if they do send it on, they're distributing
pornography -- and that they could get into trouble with the police.
Sexting can happen for lots of reasons.
Feel lik
e 'everyone else is doing it' and want to fit in with in with friends - especially if
they are boasting about sending or having photos on their mobile phone
Worry about being seen as 'not sexy', 'frigid' or 'shy' and go along with things you're
uncomfortable with
Feel under pressure to sext as a way of ‘proving’ your
sexuality
Feel harassed, threatened or blackmailed into sending pictures
Feel it's easier just to ‘give in’ to somebody who keeps asking for things
Think you ‘owe’ your boyfriend or girlfriend or
made to feel guilty if you don’t do what
they ask you for
Be in love with the person and trust them completely and feel like it’s okay
Have a long distance or online relationship with someone and
want to have a sexual
relationship with them
Feel proud of your body and want to share it with other people.
Further information about sexting can be found on:
https://www.childline.org.uk/explore/onlinesafety/pages/sexting.aspx
Did You Know?
38% of 13-18 year olds have received a sexual y explicit message.
39% admit sharing intimate images.
40% do not see anything wrong with sending topless images.
56% are not aware of instances where images and videos were distributed further
than the intended recipient.
70% knew the sender; the majority were peers or current girlfriends or boyfriends. A
small minority were from known adults.*
*Survey conducted by ‘South West Grid for Learning’ (SWGfL) & University of Plymouth over
500 13 – 18 year olds.
Further information about sexting can be found on:
http://www.parentsprotect.co.uk/sexting.htm
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Gaming
Time – one of the main issues concerning online gaming, is the amount of time that
players spend online. Unless limited too much time spent on gaming could encroach on
school work, family time and socialising. You should always set appropriate limits.
Be aware that your young people may form strong attachments to other gamers without
actually knowing who they are.
Age appropriateness – many games now are aimed at an adult market, with strong
language, sexual content, violence or references to substance misuse and criminal
activity. Games are given ratings, similar to DVD’s and foster carers should ensure that
children in their household are not exposed to content unsuitable for their age group and
abilities. Al consoles now have parental controls, which can be password set to limit
time spent playing, the types of game played and the online contact list for the user.
If you have a game console in your house read the instruction. Parental controls and
filters are straightforward to use and Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony have excellent easy
to understand websites offering support and guidance.
Computers and Health and Safety
Using a computer for long periods of time can cause pains in your arms, neck and back.
Eyes can also be affected by constant focus on the screen. Ensure the following:-
Adjust seating position for each user and place laptops on a flat firm surface.
Sit facing the screen. Lower arms should be approximately horizontal to the keyboard.
Take a break every 20 minutes or so.
Security of Information
Only store information that is directly relevant to the children and young people currently in
your care. Al the information stored should be in accordance with the requirements of this
policy. Firstly ensure that you follow the Council’s good practice guidance when it comes to
your password.
Good Practice for Use of a Password:
Do not write your password down and do not share your password with anyone
Change your password if you suspect that it has been compromised
Passwords should contain a mix of letters, special characters/punctuation and numbers
Do not use passwords which are easy to guess, such as your name, pet names,
favourite footbal team, etc.
Do not use word or number patterns like AAAbbb, Qwerty123 or 12345ABCD
Do not use birthdays and other personal information such as addresses or phone
numbers
Storing Confidential Information
Hard copies of written information e.g. Looked After Children (LAC) or ICS paperwork or
individual recording about children and young people must be stored securely in the lockable
box provided by the Department. Diaries should be used to record appointments, meetings,
reviews etc. not for detailed information about individual children. Evidence produced for
foster carers’ portfolios must be suitably anonymised and the portfolio stored securely.
Confidential information relating to children and young people must not be given to or
accessed by anyone else, unless agreed by the appropriate officer; for example Social
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Worker, Team Manager or County Manager depending on the nature of the information to be
disclosed.
Storing Confidential Information on a Memory Stick
To ensure that suitable security measures are in place, all documents must be stored on the
encrypted memory stick provided which must not be accessible to anyone else and must be
stored in the lockable box provided by the Department when not in use.
Information must
not be stored on your computer. Advice on how to encrypt a memory stick and how to use
a memory stick can be found in Appendices C and D respectively.
Transfer of Information
Do not use the internet based email such as Hotmail or Gmail to transfer any confidential
information. Either print a paper copy and hand it to your intended recipient or if you have a
requirement to e-mail a document you must use the Secure File Transfer (SFT) solution.
Secure File Transfer
The Recruitment and Training Team wil create an account for you and guidance on how to
send and receive documents via the SFT can be found in Appendices E and F respectively.
There are numerous ways in which a foster carer can communicate with their social worker
and other foster carers, including text messaging, emails and online forums. Foster carers
are reminded that personal and/or confidential information should not be discussed using
these mediums.
Good Practice for Sending Electronic Documents
Ensure that you follow the Council’s good practice guidance when it comes to
sending electronic documents:
You
should:
check the message and think how the person wil react to it, or how you would feel if you
received it, before you send it;
make sure you use correct and up-to-date e-mail addresses;
file mail when you have dealt with it and delete any items that you do not need to keep.
You
should not:
print out messages you receive or send unless you need a hard copy;
send an e-mail that contains indecent, inappropriate, offensive or profane content; use
jargon, abbreviations or symbols if the person who receives the e-mail may not
understand them.
Digital Photos
Electronic files must be closed after use and written information should be locked away.
Digital photos of children or young people who are or have been in your care must be saved
to the encrypted memory stick provided and deleted from the memory of the camera / phone
used to take them; they can be printed for display around the home, but must not be
uploaded to photo-sharing sites on the internet or put on Facebook or any other social
network sites.
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Deleting Information
Information relating to young people held on electronic media must be securely disposed of
when it is no longer required, please consult with the Adoption & Fostering Recruitment &
Training Team for guidance (via ICT). When you are due to dispose of your computer you
must ensure that no data remains on the device and it must therefore be cleaned.
Unfortunately, it is not enough to just delete the files as this does not irretrievably remove
them from the system. Whilst Staffordshire County Council cannot recommend specific
products, the following applications are leaders in secure deletion software; Media WIPE,
Blanco and Drive Erase Pro. Solutions such as these will permanently erase files and
overwrite data so they cannot be recovered.
Access to the Internet on Devices Other than PCs
The following is not an exhaustive list, but includes points to be aware of and sensible
precautions to take to avoid unsupervised access to the internet on devices other than PCs
Modern games consoles can access the internet in the same way as computers and be
used for browsing the web. Nintendo 3DS, PS3, PS4, Wi , Xbox 360 and Xbox one
consoles can connect to wireless networks, therefore it is sensible to ensure that if you
have a wireless enabled router it is protected with a password to prevent unwanted
connections.
Games consoles will stil work if they are not connected to the internet, but they wil not
be able to download updates or play multiplayer games online. If in doubt you should
prevent any wireless internet access by setting a password for the network that only you
know. This is usually a simple process to achieve, but if in doubt consult the
manufacturers guidance issued with your router or modem.
Try to ensure that you know what is connected to your network; ensuring that the ports
on any routers are kept hidden away or checked regularly for any unwanted connections
should help to prevent unwanted internet access.
Try looking at the website for the manufacturer of your Router or Modem, many of them
provide FAQ sections and areas with advice on how to best protect young people online.
Modern mobile phones can often connect to the internet via a 3G, 4G or GPRS network.
Often this access is part of a phones standard contract and can be difficult to disable.
The newest generation of smartphones often have the ability to connect to wireless
networks to facilitate free internet access; this means that there is a high likelihood of
fast, unfiltered internet access being available to young people with modern phones.
Preventing phones from connecting to the internet is often tricky and only possible with
the help of the network operator or contract provider for the phone, if in doubt ask them
for help.
Just because some games consoles and mobile phones can connect to the internet does
not mean that they have to, they wil stil work without internet access.
Regularly check for other wireless networks that may be available, sometime neighbours
do not have passwords on their wireless connection. Enabling wireless devices that are
close enough to connect to the internet.
Training
Al foster carers with a computer in their household should attend our training
(B)e SAFE –
Embrace Modern Media training details can be found in the training catalogue or contact
the training and recruitment team for more information.
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Additional Support - Buddies 4 FC set up by Staffordshire Foster Carers they are happy to
give support and advice around internet safety;
http://www.buddies4fc.org.uk/
E Safety information is constantly being updated. Foster Carers are kept informed via
the Newsletter, the Foster Carers Forum, Training Events and Support Groups. It is
very important that you ensure your information on E Safety is current. If you are in
doubt please discuss this with your Fostering Social Worker.
*Please see Appendix K for Text Abbreviations A-Z
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KEEPING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE SAFE AGAINST
RADICALISATION AND EXTREMISM - ADVICE FOR FOSTER
CARERS
The carer/child relationship is the foundation to keeping children safe and supporting their social
development and educational attainment. Maintaining a positive relationship can sometimes be
difficult as children develop and seek an identity that may be different from that of their own
family. Children and young people have a natural curiosity.
You will already know that your children can be vulnerable to risks both inside and outside the
home, and wil have taken steps to protect them so they can grow, learn and develop to their
fullest potential. Protecting your children from radicalisation and extremism is similar to protecting
them from the other harms you may be more familiar with, such as drugs, gangs and sexual
exploitation. This information sets out how to help keep children and young people safe and
explains how you should respond if you have a concern.
Is my foster child vulnerable to radicalisation?
Children and young people can be vulnerable to a range of risks. They may be exposed to new
influences and potentially risky behaviours, influence from peers, influence from older people or
the internet as they may begin to explore ideas and issues around their identity.
Young people may be drawn towards extremist ideologies for a number of reasons, for example:
•
They may be searching for answers to questions about identity, faith and belonging
•
They may be driven by the desire for ‘adventure’ and excitement
•
They may be driven by a need to raise their self-esteem and promote their ‘street cred’
•
They may be drawn to a group or individual who can offer identity, social network and
support
•
They may be influenced by world events and develop a sense of grievance resulting in a
need to make a difference
How do people become radicalised?
‘Radicalisation’ describes the process of an individual engaging with and being drawn into an
extremist ideology. There is no single route to radicalisation, as every person is different and the
process is unique to each individual.
Online
Children and young people may spend a lot of time on the internet while studying and they use
other social media and messaging sites such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Vine or
Whatsapp. These can be useful tools but we need to be aware there are powerful programmes
and networks that use these media to reach out to young people and can communicate extremist
messages.
Peer interaction
Children and young people at risk may display extrovert behaviour, start getting into trouble at
school or on the streets and mixing with other children who behave badly. However, this is not
always the case. Sometimes those at risk may be encouraged, by the people they are in contact
with, not to draw attention to themselves. As part of some forms of radicalisation, parents may
feel their child’s behaviour seems to be improving: children may become quieter and more
serious about their studies; they may dress more modestly and mix with a group of people who
seem to be better behaved than previous friends.
TV and media
The media provide a view on world affairs. However, this is often a very simple version of events
which are in reality very complex. Therefore children and young people may not understand the
situation fully or appreciate the dangers involved in the views of some groups.
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What are the warning signs?
There are a number of signs which may indicate that a young person may be at risk. These
include:
•
Out of character changes in dress, behaviour and peer relationships
•
Secretive behaviour
•
Losing interest in friends and activities
•
Showing sympathy for extremist causes
•
Glorifying violence
•
Possessing il egal or extremist literature and / or accessing extremist websites
Remember that there could be all sorts of reasons for the behaviours listed above and
radicalisation is just one of these. It is important to recognise and respond to concerns to make
sure that the young person gets the appropriate support. If you have concerns, it is important for
you to discuss these with your social worker or your child’s social worker.
How can I support children and young people to stay safe?
There are many practical things you can do to help your foster child stay safe:
•
Know where your child is, who they are with and check this for yourself
•
Know your child’s friends and their families
•
Keep lines of communication open, listen to your child and talk to them about their
interests
•
Encourage them to take up positive activities with local groups that you can trust
•
Talk to your child about what they see on the TV or the internet and explain that what
they see or read may not be the whole picture
•
Al ow and encourage debate and questioning on local and world events and help them
see different points of view
•
Encourage your child to show an interest in the local community and show respect for
people from all faiths and backgrounds
•
Help your child to understand the dangers of becoming involved in situations about which
they may not have the full information
•
Teach them that expressing strong views and trying to change things for the better is fine
but they should not take violent action against others or support those that do
•
Be aware of your child’s online activity and update your own knowledge
•
Know what social media and messaging sites your child uses
•
Remind your child that people they contact over the internet may be pretending to be
someone else or telling them things that are not true
•
Explain that anyone who tells them to keep secrets from their family or teachers is likely
to be trying to do them harm or put them in danger
•
If you are concerned that your child may be at risk of travelling abroad, you might want to
consider taking the precaution of locking their passport in a safe place. Some young
people think they need to use a passport for confirming their age. They do not – they can
apply for an identification card. To obtain an official photo ID for the UK visit:
www.validateuk.co.uk. Also consider what access the young person has to money.
What do I do if I am concerned about my foster child in relation to
radicalisation and extremism?
If you have any concerns about your foster child in relation to extremism (or any other
safeguarding issue) you should discuss this with your social worker and/or the child’s social
worker who wil help you access the appropriate support.
You can also talk to your child’s class teacher or another person in the school that you trust.
They wil be able to help and can access support for you and your child.
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If you / the child does not have an allocated social worker, and you have concerns for the safety
or wellbeing of a child or young person, you can contact:
First Response Service
Our First Response Service works in partnership with colleagues in the Multi-Agency
Safeguarding Hub (MASH) to make prompt decisions regarding referrals made by the public or
by professionals to Children's Social Care. Qualified social work staff are available in the MASH
to provide advice and guidance to referring agencies, family members or members of the public.
Tel:
0800 1313 126 (In an emergency, outside office hours, please call 0845 6042886)
08:30am - 5:00pm, Monday to Thursday
08:30am - 4:30pm Friday
Fax: 01785 854223
Email:
xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx Where can I get more information?
http://educateagainsthate.com - gives information about how you can help to protect your
child/ward from extremism and radicalisation
There is lots of information, advice and resources which can be used to help children stay safe
online. Useful websites include:
www.internetmatters.org www.childline.org.uk www.cybersmile.org www.childnet.com www.ceop.gov.uk - The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) works with child
protection partners across the UK and overseas to identify the main threats to children and
coordinates activity against these threats to bring offenders to account, protecting children from
harm online and offline.
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HEALTH & SAFETY ADVICE AND GUIDANCE FOR FOSTER
CARERS
Prior to becoming a foster carer, your preparation course covered a wide range of subjects.
This document is to provide further Health and Safety help and guidance for supporting
children in foster care.
Fire Safety
Have an agreed evacuation plan with your family
In the event of a fire dial 999. Keep the door to the room where the fire is
located/suspected closed. Get the family out of the house and do not re-enter until a
fire officer says it is safe to do so.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) recommends that
approved smoke detectors are fitted on each floor of a home. These can be either
battery operated (with a long life 10 year battery) or linked to the mains circuit. In
some circumstances it may be difficult confirming whether the battery is long life or
not. In this and all cases, it is good practice that carers ensure they test their smoke
detectors on a weekly basis.
Local Fire Service may supply these free of charge.
Do not store aerosols on window sills.
Do not leave lighted candles unattended.
Do not leave remote controls for televisions/hifi equipment etc down the side of
chairs and furniture as the buttons can remain activated and they can overheat and
cause a fire.
Do not leave electrical appliances on ‘standby’ over night, as they create a higher risk
of fire.
If a chip pan is still used consider replacing it with an electric deep fat fryer or have
an appropriate fire blanket in the kitchen
Ensure chimneys are swept regularly, to ensure safe operation.
Electricity
Ensure your electrical installation and equipment is in safe working order.
If you are in any doubt about the condition of an electrical appliance, take it out of
use immediately and either arrange repair of the item by a competent person, or
dispose of the item.
Ensure that the electrical appliance and the electric socket are both switched off prior
to plugging in.
Keep electrical items away from sources of water. Never handle electrical equipment
with wet hands.
Do not fil kettles or irons with water without unplugging them first.
Visual y check electrical appliance prior to use for damage to the item, damaged or
scorched mains cable and plug, cracked plug casing and loose or protruding wires
from the plug.
Do not overload sockets. Use a multiple gang extension block if necessary. Adaptor
sockets are not recommended. Extension blocks should not be plugged into one
another to create a daisy chain.
Ensure there are no trailing cables which could cause a trip hazard.
Use a Residual Current Device (RCD) (circuit breaker), when using electrical hand
tools or outdoor electrical equipment such as lawn mowers and strimmers.
If a fuse activates in the fuse board and the fault cannot be identified, ask a qualified
electrician to check the electrical installation.
Switch off and unplug all non-essential electrical devices that are not in constant use.
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Use child safety socket covers to prevent small children sticking fingers in sockets.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) actively discourages the
use of decorated socket covers which are attractive to young children. It is always
preferable for children to be discouraged and learn not to tamper with plug sockets.
Carers are advised that when using a child appealing night light plug socket that a
risk assessment should be undertaken. This is because for some children the use of
such a night light may attract them to tamper with the plug socket.
Ensure all electrical appliances are used in accordance with the manufacturer’s
instructions. Check for signs of wear and tear e.g. fraying fabric, scorch marks, worn
flex or loose connections and do not use if any of these defects are present. Do not
use if in any doubt.
Gas
If you smell gas and suspect it could be a leak, report it to National Grid on
0800 111
999 immediately.
Do not operate any electrical switches or appliances, as they can create a spark.
Do not light a match or use a lighter.
If you suspect a gas leak, open windows to ventilate the area and lead the family
outside for fresh air.
Install a carbon monoxide detector that is constructed to the standard BSEN 50291.
Ensure the gas central heating system is serviced annually by a competent Gas Safe
registered engineer.
It is not appropriate for a gas boiler to be located with a bedroom that is used for
fostering.
Heating
Paraffin/Gas heaters should be wel maintained and fil ed with fuel in a well ventilated
area to prevent a build up of fumes. Always follow the manufacturers operating
instructions.
Do not store items on top, or in front of heaters. Do not place portable heaters in front
of beds, or other furnishings, or use them to dry items of clothing.
Position portable heaters where they will not be knocked or tipped over.
Always use a fire guard with portable heaters and open fires. When using with an
open fire, ensure it is fixed to the wall. Never place flammable items on the guard.
Smoking
Due to the known effects of passive smoking, you should not smoke whilst children
are about.
It is suggested that you have a designated area for smoking that is well ventilated
Never leave smoking paraphernalia unattended and ensure cigarettes are fully
extinguished and disposed of in a bin.
Always keep lighters and matches out of the reach of children.
Kitchen
Do not fil a chip pan more than half way or leave unattended.
Where a fire blanket is in place be familiar with the manufacturer’s instructions.
Do not leave items such as hot drinks, glasses or iron near the edge of a table where
they can be grabbed by young children.
Ensure saucepan handles do not over hang the cooker.
Do not allow young children in the kitchen area unsupervised
Ensure knives and other sharp utensils are kept out of the reach young children.
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Ensure plastic bags are stored and disposed of safely, and that children do not have
access to them.
Do not leave small items such as bottle tops where children can place them in their
mouths.
Do not place metal items in the microwave.
Food Safety
Wash hands thoroughly before and after handling food.
Cover all cuts with a waterproof dressing.
Clean area’s where food is prepared, before and after use.
Do not leave peanuts and other foods unattended that may cause an allergic
reaction, should a child place it in their mouth.
Ensure leftover perishable food is refrigerated and kept covered.
Keep raw food and ready-to-eat food separate and store ready-to-eat food above raw
food in the fridge.
Keep your food in the refrigerator below 8o Centigrade and your freezer below -18o
Centigrade.
Keep pets out of food preparation areas.
Household Chemicals
Store all household chemicals out of reach of children, including containers with a
child resistant top.
Ensure tops on containers are properly secured.
Wear appropriate protective clothing when handling/using chemicals.
Any contaminated clothing should be laundered where necessary.
Always use chemicals either in quantities recommended by the manufacturer or
diluted to levels recommended.
Never mix chemicals (e.g. toilet cleaner and bleach/chlorines urine and bleach, lime
scale remover with any other product).They can give off chlorine gas or other fluids
which can burn the skin and cause damage to the lungs.
Never decant chemicals into inappropriate, unmarked containers.
Seek medical assistance immediately if the child becomes or you suspect they have
been contaminated with a hazardous chemical by direct contact (which cannot be
dealt with by washing), ingestion, through the eyes, or by inhalation resulting in an
adverse health effect. If medical assistance is required, follow the County Councils
procedures for reporting incidents.
Warning signs that may be found on container labels.
Toxic / Very
Dangerous for the
Toxic
environment
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Contains Gas
Corrosive
under pressure
Very / Highly
Explosive
Flammable
Refers to less serious
health hazards such as
Oxidising
skin
irritancy/sensitisation and
applies to many
circumstances where the
X
s
y
mbol
i
s app
li
ed.
Reflects serious longer term
health hazards such as
carcinogenicity and respiratory
sensitisation
Infection Control
Disposable powder-free gloves must be worn when giving personal care or when in
contact with bodily fluids. These must only be used once and disposed of
appropriately.
Cover any minor cuts with a waterproof dressing.
Use separate cleaning cloths for kitchens and toilets.
Wash hands thoroughly before and after tasks, even if you have worn gloves.
Rubber gloves should be washed in warm soapy water after use.
Toothbrushes and razors should not be shared.
Spil ages of bodily fluids should be cleared up as quickly as possible, using paper
towels or similar and disposed of in a plastic bag prior to placing in the outside bin.
Dispose of continence pads in the same way.
Areas affected by a spillage should be cleaned thoroughly with soap/hot water and
disinfectant.
Do not wear sharp jewellery when providing personal care tasks.
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Hand preparation increases the effectiveness of decontamination. You should:
Keep nails short, clean and polish free
Avoid wearing jewellery, especially rings with ridges or stones
Avoid artificial nails
Any cuts and abrasions should be covered with a waterproof dressing.
Remove your wristwatch and any bracelets and roll up long sleeves before washing your
hands.
First Aid
A well stocked First Aid kit for minor injuries should be readily available.
A well stocked First Aid Kit should consist of the following items:
A leaflet giving general guidance on first aid
Individually wrapped sterile adhesive dressings (assorted plaster sizes)
Sterile eye pads
Individually wrapped triangular bandages (which should be sterile)
Safety pins
Medium sized (12cm x 12cm) individually wrapped sterile un-medicated wound
dressings
Large (18cm x 18cm) sterile individually wrapped un-medicated wound dressings
Non latex powder free disposable gloves.
Your local GP’s surgery telephone number should be kept with the First Aid kit or
another suitable location for quick easy access.
If you suspect a broken bone or spinal injury, never try to move a child unless he/she
is in danger.
You should not attempt to give First Aid for which you have not been trained.
(First Aid training is a core training requirement for all foster carers)
Medication Policy
Al Foster Carers should have written information from the County Council
indicating when they are allowed to give consent for medical treatment.
Foster Carers have a right to a full description of the medical needs of the
child.
Foster Carers will have a written health record for the child, which wil be
sent with the child as they move and a copy of the child’s Health Plan.
Foster Carers are to be given clear guidance about roles and
responsibilities for consent to treatment.
Unless the child is of the appropriate age to consent to a health
assessment being undertaken, their parent(s)/ guardians will be asked to
sign the
Consent to Health Assessment form, agreeing to the
assessment being completed.
Children are entitled to seek medical treatment without the consent of their
foster carers or social worker, age appropriate.
The child can choose to attend the Health Assessment alone or with their
parent(s)/Carer.
Failure to obtain consent from the young person/ child’s ‘birth parents(s)’
wil not be allowed to override their need for health care.
Where written information is supplied, this may be made available in an
appropriate language or format if required.
Foster Carers are to receive basic training on health issues, with particular
attention given to issues around Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV infections.
Foster Carers wil ensure that medication is stored and appropriately
labelled in line with the County Councils policy.
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Al medication must be in a suitably labelled container as dispensed by the
pharmacist.
Foster carers wil complete the relevant documentation in line with the
County Councils policy.
Details of medication are to be recorded on SW 145 (Prescribed
Medication chart and SW146 Over the counter (Homely) medication chart.
If a mistake occurs, then this must be IMMEDIATELY
reported to the
child’s GP so as to prevent any harm to the young person.
Al Foster Carers and members of their family can access immunisation
against Hepatitis B through their GP.
Manual Handling
Ensure good back care principles followed when lifting.
Extra care and consideration for posture is required when manual handling in
confined spaces, and using unwieldy items.
When attending to a child’s needs, eating and bathing etc, try to maintain a good
back posture.
Moving and handling equipment that is supplied by the County Council or Health
Authority is only to be used after suitable instruction has been given. Al lifting
equipment issued by the County Council will be safety checked and serviced at
regular intervals.
Personal Safety
Check the identity of all unknown callers to your home.
Fit a safety chain to the front door and locks or restrictors to the windows.
Always put the safety chain on prior to opening the door to unknown caller.
Consideration for the installation of outside security lights.
Be aware of your surroundings when out in the community. Stay away from
unfamiliar, unpopulated poorly lit areas. Carry a personal alarm with you and a
charged mobile phone where possible in case of emergencies.
Dial 999, or 112 (European Emergency Number) for Emergency Services.
If confronted in an aggressive manner, remain calm and try not to do anything that
could escalate the situation. If possible attempt to diffuse the situation in a non-
aggressive manner.
Never touch or place your hand on someone who is angry.
Withdraw from the situation as soon as possible, and report the incident to the Social
Worker and/or Police.
Pets
Pet Questionnaire to be completed as necessary and reviewed on an annual basis.
Foster carers must inform their allocated social worker when they have a new pet.
Be aware of any risks that animals and pets pose to children.
Ensure children wash their hands after handling animals.
Keep children away from aggressive or dangerous animals.
Wash hands thoroughly after clearing up animal waste.
Pet questionnaire to be completed where necessary.
Accident Reporting
Al accidents and incidents need to be reported in line with the County Councils
procedures for reporting incidents as soon as possible. Al significant il nesses also
need to be reported to the Social Worker as soon as possible.
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Cycling
Only use a cycle helmet that has a CE mark, and displays a normal safety standard
such e.g. BS683:1989, A.S.2063, ANSI., IZ.90.4 SNELL, B90 or B95.
Ensure the helmet is comfortable and fitted correctly.
If a cycle helmet is involved in a serious accident or fall then replace it.
If cycling whilst it is dark, a white light is to be fitted to the front and a red light to the
rear of the bicycle by law.
Children aged 14+ should access a Bike Ability course
For further advice on cycling, contact Sustrans (0117) 929 0888, visit their website at
www.sustrans.org.uk
Transporting Children & Young People
Staffordshire County Council has guidance and documentation to assist in the
management of
child car seats. This contains advice and guidance on legal
requirements and the suitability of the various types of child car seats for the different
stages in the child’s development.
Like all responsible parents, Foster Carers are responsible for driving within the law
and they wil find this information useful. Carers need to ensure the car seat is
installed correctly and it is good practice to visual y check the seat for damage,
frayed belts etc prior to each use.
The Foster Carer’s Social Worker is expected to ensure that carers understand their
role and responsibilities when transporting children and young people. If they have
any concerns about which seat to purchase for the child, they should gain advice
from a reputable retailer who has expertise in this area, or they should be advised to
contact Staffordshire County Council’s Strategic Heath & Safety Service.
Further information can also be found by looking at the
Families First ‘Transporting
Children & Young People Policy’.
Ensure that the child can be secured safely in your vehicle. If a child car seat is
required inform your fostering social worker who wil ensure that you are supported to
acquire an appropriate child seat.
Vehicle drivers are responsible for ensuring children they are transporting are
appropriately restrained with a correctly fitted seat belt. Where child car seats are
used, drivers are responsible for ensuring the child car seat is fitted correctly, is the
correct type for the child’s height and weight and also that the child is safely
restrained in it via the appropriate harness and/or seat belts. Further information and
guidance on the use of child car seats can be found at the following SCC link.
http://www.intra.staffordshire.gov.uk/healthsafetywel being/healthsafety/guidance/chil
d.aspx
RoSPA have developed a series of videos explaining the law, how to install and safe
use of child car seats. This can be used as useful reference material in addition to
any advice carers receive from the child car seat retailer. Please see link below.
http://www.rospa.com/roadsafety/resources/videos/child-car-seats.aspx
General Advice
Slips, Trips and Fal s are a common cause of injury in the home. Check that there
are no trailing cables, toys on the floor, loose carpets and other items causing a trip
hazard.
Be aware of children climbing on chairs and other objects to gain access to light
switches, door handles and windows, climbing into freezers and on the stairs.
Fit safety glass or cover with a transparent safety film on all low level glazing.
Soft furnishings and children’s equipment and toys must conform to the relevant
British Safety Standards and possess a CE mark.
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Al cords on window blinds must be cut or stowed out of reach of babies and young
children so that they do not present a strangulation hazard. See also Child Death
Overview Panel Newsletter regarding Blind Cord Awareness.
Where young children are being cared for, install a stair and/or kitchen gate as
necessary.
Use appropriate access equipment such as a kick stool or step ladder when reaching
for items up high or changing a light bulb.
Keep stairs and landing free from trip hazards.
Be aware that hot taps and hot radiators present higher risks to children than adults.
Where necessary, consideration for the installation of radiator covers.
Cover or restrict children’s access to garden ponds and pools, and never leave a
child unattended near water.
Ensure gardening equipment, tools and chemicals are safely locked away out of
reach of children.
Ensure the garden is secure and that the child cannot wander.
Ensure that your vehicle is roadworthy and that appropriate safety checks and
servicing are carried out on a regular basis.
Store keys out of reach of children.
Be aware of what children are accessing on the internet, and install security filters
where necessary to ensure they are not accessing sites which are not suitable for
their age.
Have an Emergency Plan. Know where your gas isolation valve, electric isolation
switch and water services stop cock locations are. Have an escape plan in the event
of a fire.
Keep Emergency telephone numbers in a prominent place for easy access.
Firearms must be stored safely and in accordance with the Firearms Act.
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POLICY & GUIDANCE FOR STAFF, FOSTER CARERS AND
CHILDREN/YOUNG PEOPLE ON SMOKING IN FOSTER CARE
Introduction
The Government smoking ban, set out in the
Health Act 2006, came into effect in England
on the 1st July 2007, and made it il egal to smoke in any public place, with exemptions for
certain residences, including prisons, care homes and psychiatric units. Under the Act,
Children’s Units are considered to be public places.
Although Foster Carer’s homes are not regarded as a workplace it is essential that the rights
of carers to smoke are balanced against the rights of children in care to be healthy.
The health risks from smoking and passive smoking are well known, with smoking being the
single greatest cause of preventable il ness and premature death in the United Kingdom
(Appendix I).
Most children wil have experimented with tobacco by the age of 16 and this is a key age at
which behaviour can be shaped and influenced. Research does suggest that smoke free
environments, promoting non smoking as the cultural norm and providing children with
information about the dangers of smoking does help to prevent young people from starting to
smoke. Providing positive non smoking role models and support to stop smoking can help
them to quit.
The ‘Every Child Matters’, Change for Children Agenda, has a clear framework of improved
outcomes for children, one of which is that children are healthy i.e. physically healthy and
living healthy lifestyles.
It is important, therefore, that the authority establishes a smoke-free policy which includes
residential staff, Foster Carers and the children they care for.
Foster Carers
It is important that Foster Carers understand and are made aware of the detrimental effect of
smoking and passive smoking on their health and that of other people in their household.
During the recruitment, assessment and preparation process discussions wil take place with
applicants regarding the department’s expectations and requirements. Carers will be
provided with information as to where they can access help and be supported to reduce or to
give up smoking, if they are motivated to do so.
At each stage the department wil be clear that any Carer who smokes or lives in a
household where people smoke cannot be approved to take a child under the age of five. In
addition any child or young person with known middle ear or respiratory tract infections, or
who is prone to asthma and bronchitis, will not be placed in a smoking household, although
exceptions may be made where it is in the child’s best interests.
The issue wil be raised regularly with all approved carers who smoke and reinforced through
regular supervision, the safe care plan and the provision of guidance and training on Health
& Safety issues and Healthy Care. Support is crucial, particularly as smoking can be a
response to stress, and consideration needs to be given to ways of minimising the level of
stress experienced.
The supervising Fostering Social Worker wil agree a
smoke free plan with the carers to
include the following:
Carers and other members of the household, including visitors, wil not smoke in the
company of children of any age, in the home or in the car and wil promote non-
smoking as the norm
Smoking wil take place outside the home or in wel ventilated rooms that are not
used by children
Tobacco products, matches or lighters wil not be left lying around or accessible to
children
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This wil form part of the Safe Care Plan, which is reviewed and updated regularly and for
each new placement.
Families First – Interim Guidance on Smoking (Fostering & Adoption)
Staffordshire County Council (Fostering and Adoption Services) acknowledges the proven
skil s and abilities of its carers/adopters who smoke, however the overriding priority in
fostering and adoption is the welfare of the child who is being placed. Staffordshire County
Council always aims to provide a safe, loving and positive environment for the child, helping
to improve their chances of being happy and healthy as they grow older. It is therefore in the
best interests of all children, to be raised in smoke free homes, ideally by non-smoking
carers/adopters.
The service believes that a smoking environment should be avoided in the best
interests of children who are placed away from home.
Children, under five years old, wil
not be placed with carers/adopters who smoke
1tobacco-based products.
Al children with a disability, with respiratory problems such as asthma, and those
with heart disease or glue ear should not be placed with families who smoke
Applications to adopt, or to foster children under 5 years old wil not proceed unless
the applicants have been tobacco-free for 6 months.
During the recruitment and assessment process discussions about smoking wil take
place with applicants regarding the agency’s expectations and requirements.
The issue wil be raised regularly with all approved foster carers who smoke and
reinforced through the annual review, supervision and the Safe Care Plan.
The use of e-cigarettes:
BAAF are continuing to monitor research on the use of e-cigarettes and following the
Public Health England report (2014) have recommended that agencies consider e-
cigarettes as different from tobacco.
Staffordshire County Council recognises the low risk to children and wil not see the
use of e-cigarettes as a reason to preclude foster carers/adopters, purely on this
basis. The applicant’s use of e-cigarettes will be assessed in the initial visit, as well
as during the full prospective carer/adopter assessment.
Prospective carers/adopters who use e-cigarettes will need to demonstrate in the
Risk Assessment/Health & Safety Plan, what steps they wil take to minimise any risk
to the child. This should include details about where and how often e-cigarettes are
used and how e-cigarettes and their components are stored.
Approved carers/adopters who use e-cigarettes wil be encouraged to restrict their
usage to outside of their home, and it will be expected not to use e-cigarettes in front
of children.
In the best interests of the child, the use of e-cigarettes wil be discussed as part of
the carer’s/adopter’s personal plan to cease the use of tobacco/nicotine indefinitely.
Children/Young people
It is il egal for retailers to sell any tobacco products to anyone below the age of 18. In the
same way foster carers wil not be permitted to provide children or young people under 18
with tobacco products.
Some young people may start smoking or be smokers at the point of becoming looked after.
It is important to work with young people to actively discourage them from smoking by giving
them information about the harmful effects and helping them to access support to reduce or
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give up smoking. The role of health professionals, including the Looked After Children
Designated Nurse, is crucial in addressing this issue through the child or young person’s
Initial Health Assessment, Health Plan and reviews. Information about where help can be
found is in Appendix I.
The parent or person with parental responsibility for the child or young person will be
informed of the department’s policy on smoking and involved in discussions about action that
wil be taken by the Foster Carer. Any arrangements agreed must be recorded in the
Placement Plan, and communicated in writing to the parent or person with parental
responsibility.
In situations where a child/young person already smokes it is reasonable to expect the
Foster Carer to have an agreed place to store any smoking products whilst the child or
young person is in the foster home and for the child or young person to hand them over to
the carer. This will be explained to the child/young person and their Social Worker and
recorded in the child/young person’s individual safe care plan. The child/young person wil
be expected to comply with the smoke free plan for the foster home.
This arrangement wil also apply to smoking products given to the child or young person
during contact with the parent or person with parental responsibility. The Child’s Social
Worker will discourage the parent or person with parental responsibility from smoking during
contact and return any smoking products given to the child or young person to them.
The Statutory 6 monthly review of the child or young person’s care plan wil look at any
arrangements that are in place in relation to smoking.
This policy and guidance was developed by a small working group made up of young
people, foster carers, Looked after Children’s Nurse, Children’s Commissioner, Children’s
Voice Project worker and Area and Fostering staff. The policy was widely consulted upon
and amended to try to reflect the many views expressed.
It is a working document which wil be subject to regular review and revision to ensure that
any changes in legislation, regulations or good practice are included.
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GUIDANCE ON YOUNG PEOPLE’S CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL
Principles
Foster carers have a crucial role in promoting the health of any child or young person
in their care.
Children and young people may have experienced trauma and abuse associated with
alcohol consumption or have existing patterns of alcohol abuse themselves. It is
therefore vital that carers have full background information about each child.
Foster carers need to be sensitive to the child or young person’s perceptions of adult
drinking patterns and behaviour.
Whilst it is legal for children over 5 years to drink alcohol in their home the
Department of Health guidance advises that children should have
an alcohol free
childhood.
The law in England, Scotland and Wales
Under 5 It is il egal to give an alcoholic drink to a child under 5 except in certain
circumstances (e.g. under medical supervision).
Under 14 A young person under 14 cannot go into the bar of a pub unless the pub has a
‘children’s certificate’. If it does not have one, the child/young person can only go into parts
of licensed premises where alcohol is either sold but not drunk (e.g. an off-licence or a sales
point away from the pub), or drunk but not sold (e.g. a garden or family room).
14 or 15 14- and 15-year-olds can go anywhere in a pub, but they cannot drink alcohol.
16 or 17 16- and 17-year-olds can buy (or be bought) beer or cider (and wine in Scotland) as
an accompaniment to a meal, but not in a bar (i.e. only in an area specifically set aside for
meals).
Under 18 Except for 16- or 17-year-olds having a meal, it is against the law for anyone
under 18 to buy alcohol in a pub, off-licence, supermarket, or other outlet; or for anyone else
to buy alcohol in a pub for someone who is under 18.
By-laws and police action
In the UK some towns and cities have local by-laws banning the drinking of alcohol in public
places. The police also have authority to confiscate alcohol from those under 18 who are
drinking it in a public place and can arrest anyone who tries to prevent them confiscating
what they believe to be alcohol.
Support to foster carers
The foster carer should be made fully aware of any concerns relating to the health of
the young person. This includes having full background information relating to any
history of drug/alcohol or substance use by the young person or their family.
Any risks to the child or young person need to be clearly recorded and a risk
assessment put in place.
The Placement Plan wil record agreed strategies for managing behaviour within the
placement.
The Fostering Social worker wil identify any specific support required by the foster
carer, such as further training for the foster care, and will review this support through
supervision or at more frequent intervals if appropriate.
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The foster carer should notify the child’s or young person’s social worker and the
fostering social worker of any concerns about the child or young person’s use of
alcohol, drugs or substances.
The foster carer should seek the advice of the child social worker and the fostering
social worker as required.
The fostering social worker should ensure that the foster carer has access to relevant
core training and continuing professional development activities as necessary.
Use of alcohol in the foster home
Carers should be aware that many children and young people in care have had negative
experiences of alcohol including violence and abuse. Carers therefore need to be sensitive
to the young person’s perception of adults drinking and how this might vary from their own
children’s experience.
Foster carers have a responsibility for modelling the sensible use of alcohol. When using
alcohol foster carers need to consider and understand that alcohol reduces concentration
and impairs responses that may lead to unprofessional conduct.
Carers need to ensure that they are alcohol free if they wish to drive a child anywhere. If in
an emergency a child needs to be taken somewhere and a carer has consumed alcohol then
an alternative driver needs to be found or a taxi called.
Foster carers should keep themselves informed of official health guidelines for “sensible
drinking”. Further information can be found at
http://www.nhs.uk. Under no circumstances should foster carers buy alcohol for young people or encourage
them to use alcohol.
Further related guidance from British Association for Adoption & Fostering
What you can do if your child starts drinking?
Talk to your child about the dangers of alcohol before they start drinking
If your child is drinking
If your child is drinking alcohol, or intends to, you should talk to them about it.
Make it clear that you disapprove.
Don't shout at your child. This wil make them defensive and could make the situation
worse. Instead, stay calm and firm.
Make it clear that you’re there for them if they need you, and answer any questions they
have.
Talk to your child about how alcohol affects judgment. Drinking too much could lead
them to doing something they regret, such as having unprotected sex, getting into fights
or drink driving.
Warn your child about the dangers of drink spiking
and how to avoid it.
Make sure your child has a plan for getting home safely and tells you where they’re
going. If they’re planning to drink, make sure they're with friends who can look after
them.
Further information about children, young people and alcohol can be found on:-
http://www.nhs.uk
http://www.dh.gov.uk
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SAFE CARE PLAN
The first priority of any foster home is that it should be a safe place for all its members,
particularly any child or young person coming into it. The objectives of safe caring practices
are:
To keep the foster child safe from abuse by adults
To keep children in the foster home safe from abuse by other children in the household
Keep members of the foster family safe from false allegations of abuse
Each foster home is asked to develop a Safe Care Plan through discussion with your family
members and your Fostering Social Worker. This plan wil be reviewed with every new
placement and if any previously unknown risks are identified. Alternatively, the plan will be
reviewed annually if no changes have taken place within the household during that period.
The Safe Care Plan is designed to cover many different situations including fire plan,
computer use, behavioural management etc.
In addition to the Safe Care Plan for the household, each child and young person placed wil
have an individual safe care plan detailing safer caring issues specific to them. This wil be
compiled in discussion with you, your Fostering Social Worker, the Child’s Social worker and
the child (dependent on their age and understanding) at the placement agreement meeting.
It wil be reviewed if previously unknown risks are identified or if no such issues arise
annually.
Every foster home wil receive a copy of Fostering Network’s book entitled ‘Safer Caring’,
which wil inform any discussions in relation to Safe Care issues.
Safe Care on Holiday or Trips Away
While many of the elements of a household’s safe caring guidelines will be about behaviour
and therefore relevant at all times, some wil relate to the environment in which the
household is at a particular time.
Safe care must always be at the forefront of foster carer’s minds, even at times when
boundaries are more relaxed e.g. on holidays, trips away or leisure activities
It is important that carers inform both children’s and fostering social workers of their intended
holidays or breaks away from home and the proposed sleeping arrangements.
The Fostering Service bedroom sharing policy is clear that each child living in the
foster home, whether they are a child of the foster family, or a child in care, should
have a bedroom of their own. In some circumstances it may be appropriate for
sharing to take place. For carer’s own children it is a matter for the family to agree,
but for children who are fostered, (whose history we cannot fully know), any sharing
must be risk assessed.
The policy is clear that sharing
may be appropriate in the following circumstances:
Siblings of the same gender and where sharing has been risk assessed, and in the
case of older children, they are in agreement.
Siblings of different genders up to the age of six may share, as long as the risk
assessment indicates this is appropriate.
In a foster carers home unrelated children
should not share a bedroom, unless there
are exceptional circumstances, e.g. children of the same gender and aged three and
under; and where the placement has been matched and risk assessed; or there are
strong supporting factors that indicate a significant benefit to the children for who the
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bedroom share is proposed.
In exceptional circumstances such as holidays where children and young people are sharing
a room or sharing a room with an adult and this has not previously been risk assessed a risk
assessment needs to be completed prior to the holiday. The risk assessment must be
completed with the involvement of the Foster Carer, the child’s Social Worker and the
Fostering Social Worker, and signed off by the relevant Team Manager.
The Risk Assessment must detail any strategies proposed to minimise risks and
indicate the foster carer’s views on their abilities to implement the strategies
effectively.
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SECTION THREE
FOSTER CHILDREN
PLACING CHILDREN WITH YOU
If at all possible introductions wil take place prior to placement and wil involve the child or
young person, current carers and those with parental responsibility. Where this is not
possible, the social worker for the child who is moving into placement with you, wil receive a
copy of your profile. The child’s social worker wil discuss your profile with the child/ren to
help them to be informed about the proposed placement.
It is the Childs Social Worker’s responsibility to ensure that you are provided with all the
appropriate information and documentation relating to the child which has been appropriately
signed and dated.
There are a number of documents relating to children’s care planning that you should
receive a copy of. The following is a summary:-
Placement Information Record:
To be given at or before the point of placement. Some information may be added following
the placement agreement meeting.
Child or Young Person’s Care Plan:
Usual y agreed at the first statutory review meeting for the child. Outlines different aspects
of the plan for the child whilst in placement along with the overall aims of the placement.
Statutory Care Plan Review:
The outcomes of the child and young person care plan is reviewed every 6 months (or
earlier if the care plan is changed) and changes to the care plan are agreed.
Assessment and Progress Records:
These give an overview of the child and young person and are completed over the time they
are with you.
Pathway Plan:
This is completed as the young person moves towards independence and considers the plan
for their transition into adulthood.
Risk & Match:
In addition to these documents which will be provided by the child’s social worker you will
also receive a copy of the Risk and Match Document
from placement referrals. These are
sent either by email, post or through the secure transfer portal. The document identifies any
immediate risks that the placement service (duty) has been made aware of at the time that
the placement was requested. A more comprehensive risk assessment should be discussed
at the Placement Planning Meeting. This document also evaluates the impact the placement
may have on your household and make recommendations to support you.
Well Being Plan:
For households in which there are children with disabilities and complex needs, in addition to
the completion of the risk and matching document a Wel Being Plan for the child
wil be
completed to consider the overall impact of the care needs of each of the children in the
household.
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Individual Safer Care Plan:
An Individual Safer Caring Plan must be completed for each child in placement, taking into
account the specific needs of the child and everyone else living in the foster home.
Risk Assessment:
Where there are significant risks in a placement a Risk Assessment
wil be drawn up
between yourselves, your Fostering Social Worker and the child’s social worker.
Placement Plan:
A
Placement Planning Meeting, to agree the day to day arrangements of the placement,
must take place either before the placement or within 3 working days. A Placement Plan
wil
be completed at this meeting and wil set out the department’s expectations of your role and
responsibilities. If a child moves placement a new Placement Planning meeting will be held.
Initial Health Assessment:
At this early stage the Initial Health Assessment should be discussed and arrangements
made for it to take place, either through your GP or another medical professional - See the
‘Being Healthy’ section for more information.
It may be appropriate for you to have additional documents, such as court reports; copies of
minutes of family conference meetings and previous review documents during the last 12
months or earlier if this is relevant.
All confidential information must be kept in the lockable metal box provided to you by
the Fostering Service.
BEDROOM SHARING
Each child living in the foster home, whether they are a child of the foster family or a child in
care should have a bedroom of their own. However, in some circumstances it may be
appropriate for sharing to take place. For carers own children, it is a matter for the family to
agree. For children who are fostered, any sharing must be risk assessed. Sharing
may be
appropriate in the following circumstances:
Siblings of the same gender and where sharing has been risk assessed, and in the
case of older children, they are in agreement.
Siblings of different genders up to the age of six may share, as long as the risk
assessment indicates this is appropriate.
Unrelated children should not
share a bedroom unless there are exceptional circumstances;
e.g. children of the same gender and aged three and under; and where the placement has
been matched and risk assessed; or there are strong supporting factors that indicate a
significant benefit to the children for whom the bedroom share is proposed.
Where it is known that a child/young person has abused or significantly harmed another
child, or where the risk assessment identifies that a child’s behaviour is likely to be harmful
to other children, then a bedroom share
will not be agreed.
Babies aged between 0 – 24 months (maximum) can sleep in a cot in a foster carer’s
bedroom. The Fostering Service will, therefore, only place babies aged between 0 – 12
months with foster carers, who have no other appropriate bedroom available, unless it is for
planned respite. If a baby is 6 months old or more, at the time of placement, and it is known
that the placement duration is likely to be for 12 months or more, then the baby wil only be
placed with a foster carer who wil have a suitable bedroom available at the time appropriate
for the baby to move into a bedroom.
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DELEGATED AUTHORITY
The revised statutory framework for fostering and care planning which came into force in
April 2011 and the Foster Carers Charter outline the importance placed by the Government
on foster carers being able to take a greater range of decisions about day to day aspects of
the lives of the children and young people they care for. Delegated Authority is the term used
when the responsibility for making day to day decisions about a child has been passed to the
foster carer. This can include decisions about activities, haircuts and overnight stays
amongst other things. Children & young people have told us that they feel different when
their carers have to seek permission for day to day things such as school trips. It is important
that children have the experience as much as possible of being part of family life, Delegated
Authority is very important to ensure that children and young people achieve good
outcomes.
Foster Carers should be given the maximum appropriate flexibility in making decisions
relating to children in their care. The types of decisions that you are able to make will vary
with each placement. It wil also vary over time, for example you are likely to have more say
over decisions for children who have lived with you for a longer time than those who have
only recently left home. The delegation of decisions to you must be done in consultation with
anyone who holds parental responsibility for the child and must be in line with the law.
Decisions about the delegation of authority will be made at the placement agreement
meeting and reviewed at each statutory review. The Placement Plan will record the areas
where decisions are delegated to you. Training about delegated authority is available in the
training catalogue.
U-pack Information Guides
When children are placed with you they wil be able to find information from the online 'U-
pack Information Guides' which contains important and easy to read information about being
in care. These packs are called 'Living Away from Home U-packs' and are split into
different age groups (years 7 and under; years 8-13; and years 14 and over) to ensure that
all children and young people are receiving appropriate information for their age. Details
about the pack can be found on the County Council's website
here. You can ask the Child’s
Social Worker about the U-packs and you should help and support the child or young person
to know what information is contained in the U-pack as this will assist them to understand
more about being in care.
Children’s Guide to Fostering
The 'So what's this Fostering Thing All About' guide can be found on the same web
page and you should support children and young people to know what is in this
guide too.
The Social Care Institute for Excellence has recently launched a website that helps
looked after children and young people understand their rights and entitlements
while they are in care. It includes first hand experiences and presents animated
information on key topics such as health, education, changing placements, keeping
in touch, identity and moving to independence. You can find out more at:
www.info4carekids.org.uk CHILDREN’S REVIEWS
A review is held within 28 days of a child’s placement. A further review is held at 4 months
from the date of placement. Reviews are then held at 6 month intervals. Where there is a
placement change the established reviewing process will continue and only start afresh
where there is a change to the child’s ‘Care Plan’.
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In preparation for each child’s review, Foster Carers, children and parents wil receive a
consultation document to complete. This wil be part of the discussion at the review.
Children aged over 4 years are encouraged to participate in their reviews and to
communicate their wishes and feelings about their care arrangements. Foster carers are
expected to support and encourage children and young people to get involved in the
meetings. It can also be helpful to support them in completing their consultation booklet. It is
important that all children and young people are supported to participate in the decision
making processes that affect their lives.
Reviews wil take place in your home, unless it is inappropriate to do so.
CONTACT
The Local Authority has a legal duty to promote contact unless it is not reasonably
practicable or consistent with the childs welfare.
Children in foster care wil , where appropriate, have good, regular and consistent contact
with their family and friends. Contact can be crucial to reuniting children with their family.
Contact can be through meetings, phone calls or letter with specific members of the family.
Meetings can be unsupervised or supervised by social workers, foster carers, family support
workers or other professionals, family members and friends.
Contact arrangements must be agreed from the start of the placement and set out in the
Placement Plan. Venues for contact vary. Some children may go home for visits; a neutral
venue may be necessary or contact may be arranged in the foster home with your
agreement. Meetings can take place at different dates and times regularly or occasionally.
A Risk Assessment will be carried out by the Child’s Social Worker and Carers will be
advised of any known risk.
Where supervision of contact is necessary, either due to concern about risk to the child or for
purposes of assessment, the Social Worker, Family Support Worker or other appropriate
person should always be present. If there are court proceedings ongoing, contact may be
directed by the court. Al contact arrangements must be discussed with you, especially if the
request for contact is in your home or you are being asked to help with transport.
Contact arrangements wil be considered at the child’s review. You cannot change contact
arrangements without consultation with the Child’s Social Worker. It is important you
positively encourage contact and be available after contact to provide support to the child.
Sometimes children may return from time spent with parents or their family confused and
upset. You can support the child by helping them to talk about their feelings and realising
that the child needs time to readjust.
If you have any concerns about the contact arrangements that are taking place, contact the
child’s social worker and discuss your concern with your fostering social worker.
INDEPENDENT VISITOR
In some situations an Independent Visitor may become involved with a young person in your
care. An Independent Visitor is checked and approved by the Department to offer additional
support to a young person who has limited or no contact with their own family. They are
appointed with the young person’s agreement and are independent of the Local Authority.
CHILD’S SOCIAL WORKER
Visiting Pattern
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There are minimum requirements for Social Worker visits to children who are cared for by
the Local Authority. These visits should take place as often as the circumstances of the
individual child and placement require, but at the very least:
(a)
Within one week of the beginning of placement
(b)
Then at intervals of not more than 6 weeks during the first year
(c)
Thereafter at intervals of, no more than 6 weeks (or three months if it has been
agreed that the placement is to last until the child or young person is 18 years old).
A visit must also be made following a reasonable request from the carer or the child.
If a child is placed with a Family & Friends carer (Connected Person) with temporary
approval visits must take place at least once a week until the first review and thereafter of
intervals no more than 4 weeks. When the carer is fully approved visiting patterns are the
same as all other placements.
The above also applies in the event of the child moving placement.
The child wil usual y be seen alone as well as with the carers. This may be outside the
foster home, as this can help a child and their Social Worker to get to know each other, build
up a relationship of trust and to ascertain that the child is feeling safe in their placement.
The child’s social worker will also want to see the child’s bedroom.
Unannounced visits
Both Fostering Social Workers and Children’s Social Workers have a duty to make
unannounced visits to your home, to understand what day to day life is like. Sometimes a
child’s bedroom will be seen. Occasionally visits will take place when all the members of
your household are at home.
POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN
The aim of all foster placements is to provide a safe and caring family experience for all
children to enable them to develop and grow.
The Government initiative Every Child Matters 2004 identified 5 key areas for achieving
positive outcomes for children. These are: Being Healthy; Stay Safe; Enjoying & Achieving;
Making a Positive Contribution & Achieving Economic Wel being.
As a service, our aim is promote positive outcomes for children and young people in foster
placements. Foster carers have a central role in this. At every stage of your time as foster
carers we wil discuss with you what difference your care is making to these outcomes.
There wil be particular focus on this during supervision and annual reviews.
BEING HEALTHY An important part of your role as a Foster Carer is to help a child or young person in your
care to understand the importance of maintaining good health i.e. physical, psychological,
emotional and sexual well being. You wil be seen as a role model by children and young
people and it is important that you demonstrate and model a healthy lifestyle and make them
aware of the dangers of drug and alcohol misuse, smoking, and unsafe sexual behaviours.
We have become increasingly aware of the dangers of smoking and effects of passive
smoking and the need for children to be raised in smoke free environments. The policy &
guidance for carers and children/young people on smoking in foster care can be found on
Pages 92 and in Appendix I.
As a Foster Carer you must ensure that all children:-
Are registered with a G.P.
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Know who their named Health Visitor, School Nurse or Looked After Children nurse is
Are registered with a dentist and attend for regular checkups. If you have difficulty finding
an NHS Dentist you can contact the Looked after Nurse (number in the directory at the
beginning of the handbook) to seek advice or you can discuss this with your Fostering
Social Worker. For further information on oral health please see the Oral Health
Guidelines for Foster Carers & Social Workers in the back of this folder. This provides
information and guidelines for accessing dental services for children in care, how to find
an NHS dentist, promoting good oral health, dental treatment and consent to dental
treatment.
Are enabled to attend routine and specialist appointments.
Have regular eyesight checks at an optician of your choice.
Have regular routines of eating and going to bed i.e. eating healthy meals, having
adequate sleep for their age and regular routines for getting to school on time.
Have adequate time for play and exercise and are encouraged to be active.
Are discouraged from smoking and misusing alcohol and drugs and given information
about the risks of these behaviours.
Are encouraged to read or have stories read to them in order to aid the development of
speech, reading and listening skil s.
Are allowed time for talking and discussion of everyday topics and personal issues e.g.
sitting at a table for meals is an opportunity for family conversations, information sharing
and development of social skil s.
Every child/young person, on becoming looked after, has an Initial Health Assessment which
should be done by a doctor and from which a health plan is developed. A review of the plan
and the child/young person’s health should be carried out by the named Health Visitor,
School Nurse or Looked After Children’s Nurse every 6 months if under 5 years or every
year over 5 years. This is called a Review Health Assessment. If a child or young person is
being seen by a Community Paediatrician for existing health issues it may be more relevant
for the review to be carried out by that Doctor.
Fol owing these assessments you should receive a copy of the recommendations made.
This wil ordinarily be sent to you by the health professional who undertook the assessment.
If you have not received a copy of the health assessment or Reviewed Health Assessment
and Plan please inform your Fostering Social Worker and the child’s social worker who will
chase this up for you.
You wil have access to the
Looked After Children Nurses Team who can give advice and
assist you in accessing health services or information. Contact details are below:
Springfields Health & Wel being Centre
Off Lovett Court
Rugeley
Staffordshire
WS15 2QD
Designated Nurse
Angela Jervis
Named Nurse
Sarah Borton:
01889 571399
07961 247669
xxxxx.xxxxxx@xxx.xxx
Nurse Advisor
Jacqui Harvey:
01889 571368
07791370353
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xxxxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx.xx
There are also
Teenage Pregnancy Support Workers based in each of the Targeted Youth
Support teams. These workers support the government target to reduce the number of
teenage pregnancies. The service has two strands:
Prevention service which offers training and resources to those agencies or people who
already work with young people.
Support service for young women who become pregnant. This service makes contact
with young women, many of whom are referred by their midwife, teacher or self refer.
Once contact has been made the service, wil provide an individually tailored package of
support in relation to benefits and housing, return to education or training and sometimes
more intensive support around parenting, relationships and social opportunities.
If you want to know more please contact the Looked After Children’s nurses.
STAYING SAFE Children who are cared for are often vulnerable and you, as Foster Carers, play a major role
in keeping them safe and helping them to develop strategies to protect themselves.
Children may be at risk from
:
maltreatment, neglect, violence and sexual exploitation
accidental injury and death
bul ying and discrimination
crime and antisocial behaviour
Developing relationships and open communication can help children understand the risks
they may expose themselves to and enable them to talk to you about their concerns.
Al Foster Carers are required to establish a Safe Caring Plan in conjunction with your
Fostering Social Worker which is reviewed annual y and with every new placement. Risk
Assessments are completed on all placements and strategies are put into place to minimise
any known risks. The Health & Safety checklist which was completed during the assessment
process is updated annually or where there are significant changes.
Guidance on dealing with ‘Bullying’, ‘Children who go missing’ and ‘Safe use of computers’
all help to ensure that children are protected and are enabled to protect themselves. The
Youth Offending Service offers multi-agency support which is available. Information about
these services can be found elsewhere in this Handbook.
There are a number of post approval training courses that wil inform and guide you.
ENJOYING & ACHIEVING
This outcome can also look at educational outcomes, (please also refer to a separate
section on education page 106)
We are also aware that many foster children may not have had the opportunity to develop
interests and hobbies, which can play an important part in building confidence, social skil s
and positive self esteem. You need to talk to children about what they enjoy doing and
encourage them to gain new experiences. You wil need to make sure they have access to
age appropriate toys that wil stimulate and encourage their personal development.
Developing your own links with local groups and organisations wil help you to identify age
appropriate activities for children.
There are a number of sources of information about activities in your local area. Libraries,
local newspapers, small ads and leisure centres often provide information. The internet also
has a number of useful websites including:-
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http://www.nhs.uk/change4life
http://www.youfind.me.uk
http://www.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk
http://www.under-fives.org
http://www.askamum.co.uk/Family/Search-Results/Days-out/Kids-Days-Out-and-Activities-
in-Staffordshire/
MAKING A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION
Children need to be encouraged to engage in decision making about their own lives. The
Children’s Review presents them with an opportunity to participate in this process and you
can encourage and support them to express their wishes and feelings.
As part of this decision making it is also important that they are able to develop resilience
through taking appropriate risks. This is a normal part of growing up and wil both help them
to develop resilience and prepare them for adult life. As a foster carer, you can encourage
them in this along with giving them support and advice to ensure they are kept safe.
Children need to be helped to develop a sense of community responsibility, to be law
abiding, to develop positive relationships and to have concern for others and the
environment. Through talking to children and introducing them to a variety of experiences
you can encourage them to think about others.
As a Foster Carer you play a key role in helping children to develop a sense of self worth
and be able to deal with the significant changes and chal enges life presents. You can help
them build self confidence and resilience, to maximise their opportunities in life.
ACHIEVING ECONOMIC WELLBEING
It is crucial for lifelong economic wel being that children are encouraged in further education,
employment or training on leaving school. You wil work alongside Throughcare Services to
achieve this (see Leaving Care information page 113). Staffordshire Young People’s Service
(SYPS – formerly Connexions) provide support for young people aged between 13 and 19
giving advice and guidance around higher and further education and career options. They
are based in schools, col eges, libraries and youth centres. It is important that you develop
and maintain links with this service.
Preparation for independence can begin much earlier. Even young children can be
encouraged to develop independence skil s and make age appropriate choices. For example
be involved in choosing clothes, managing their weekly pocket money, become familiar with
making choices about money and encouraged to save for things they want and be involved
in their Reviews etc. Consideration should also be given to the opening of a bank account.
More information about Every Child Matters can be found on the Department of Education
website
www.education.gov.uk
POCKET MONEY
The personal allowance for the child or young person in your care includes a set allowance
for pocket money (see Finance Section 6) which you should arrange to give to the child and
support them to manage their pocket money and make positive choices. You should keep a
record of the pocket money given to the child or young person in your daily recording file.
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PROMOTING POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR
Fostering Services Regulations 2011 state that:-
The fostering service provider must prepare and implement a written policy on acceptable
measures of control, restraint and discipline of children placed with foster parents. The
fostering service provider must take all reasonable steps to ensure that:
no form of corporal punishment is used on any child placed with a foster parent
no child placed with a foster parent is subject to any measure of control, restraint or
discipline which is excessive or unreasonable, and
restraint is used on a child only where it is necessary to prevent injury to the child or
other persons, or serious damage to property.
National Minimum Standards for Fostering 2011 state that:-
Foster carers receive support on how to manage their responses and feelings arising
from caring for children, particularly where children display very chal enging
behaviour, and understand how children’s previous experiences can manifest in
chal enging behaviour.
Al foster carers receive training in positive care and control of children, including
training in de-escalating problems and disputes. The fostering service has a clear
written policy on managing behaviour, which includes supporting positive behaviour,
de-escalation of conflicts and discipline.
. Each foster carer is aware of all the necessary information available to the fostering
service about a child’s circumstances, including any significant recent events, to help
the foster carer understand and predict the child’s needs and behaviours and support
the child within their household. The fostering service follows up with the responsible
authority where all such necessary information has not been provided by the
authority.
The fostering service’s approach to care minimises the need for police involvement to
deal with challenging behaviour and avoids criminalising children unnecessarily.
This guidance is aimed at helping you to achieve these standards by setting clear
expectations and offering some practical advice.
Children who are placed in foster care may have experienced abuse, neglect, rejection and
loss and others may have experienced inconsistent boundaries which often impacts upon
their behaviour. It is an important aspect of fostering that you manage behaviour
appropriately and that any measures of control take into account a child or young person’s
history. However this cannot include corporal punishment which is forbidden and within your
Foster Carer Agreement you have signed to abide by the County Council’s policy.
Many of you are experienced parents with your own views on discipline. However the bonds
and attachments you have developed with your own children since birth wil not exist
between you and foster children. Tried and tested methods of discipline which have been
effective with your own children may not be appropriate or effective with foster children and
you may need to develop alternatives.
The use of sanctions by a Foster Carer is a matter of choice but should take into account the
age, understanding and maturity of the child. Al sanctions must be appropriate, related to
the situation, strictly time limited and flexible enough to be reviewed and changed at any
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time. The sanction needs to be clear so that a child knows both what is expected of them
and when it will end.
WHAT CAN I DO?
Discuss appropriate behaviour management with the Child’s Social Worker so that you
can identify what sanctions to take. This can be set out in the Placement Plan and in
more detail in a Risk Assessment depending upon the nature of the behaviour and action
to be taken.
Set limits and boundaries; with some children this may need to be reinforced many
times!
Reward positive behaviour through praise or treat.
Where appropriate used planned ignoring, all the time ensuring a child’s safety.
Distract through humour and activities.
Show affection through holding a hand or giving a cuddle.
Use time out for short periods in a designated area (usually not the bedroom), to give the
child a chance to reflect on their behaviour (this does not include locking doors etc).
Increase supervision by insisting that the child doesn’t go out without you.
Use ‘grounding’ to reinforce house rules but remember to limit the period of grounding for
maximum effect as well as your own sanity!
Restrict visits to and from friends but contact with family cannot be restricted.
Foster Carers are required to give children pocket money and minimum amounts are set
out in the financial section of the Handbook. Pocket money may be delayed or an
amount deducted for restitution for damage. There are several ways of doing this:
- If you provide a higher level of pocket money you can then deduct the difference as a
consequence
- You may hold back pocket money for a period of time (no longer than 4 weeks) which
wil then be returned to the child either as actual money or in kind
- Pocket money can be deducted to pay for deliberate damage or loss; this needs to
be at a reasonable level taking into account the level of pocket money the child
receives and how long it would take to recompense. It is advisable to discuss this
with the child’s social worker.
Appropriate removal of possessions such as TV, toy, computer time/game, music
system, bicycle for a period of time, particularly if they have been misusing these or
acting dangerously with them. This must be done in a planned way and following
discussion with the Child’s Social Worker.
This list is not exhaustive and you may have other ideas which can be discussed with the
Social Workers and other professionals involved with the child and agreed in the Individual
Safe Care Plan/Risk Assessment.
Al sanctions must be recorded on the contact sheets in your foster carer file. This wil enable
you to monitor behaviour, what has been tried and whether it was successful, which can
then be shared with both the Child’s Social Worker and your Fostering Social Worker.
There are training courses to help you develop new skil s and strategies in managing
behaviour. Your fostering social worker wil discuss this with you to inform your Personal
Development Plan.
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PHYSICAL INTERVENTION
The use of physical intervention is a matter of skil and judgement and there is a thin line
between restraining a child and assault or false imprisonment which is legal y unacceptable.
Before a situation develops to a level at which physical intervention may become necessary
you may find there are indicators or triggers which you become aware of. Techniques such
as making eye contact, adopting a calm tone and voice level, gentle touch, diversion or
moving away from the area may diffuse the situation which is always preferable. You will be
given training on what to do on the ‘Managing Conflict / chal enging behaviour’ course.
Remember as you get to know a child you wil get to know what may be successful.
If these approaches have not worked and a child is at risk of hurting themselves or others or
of causing serious damage to property you may have to physically intervene.
Remember to keep calm and stay in control of your actions. Use the minimum force
necessary and try to ensure help is at hand. Under no circumstances must children be asked
to assist in physically intervening with another child.
Once the child has calmed down it is important to check that no-one is hurt and to give an
opportunity for things to settle before any attempt is made to understand what triggered it.
Where Foster Carers have acted in the best interests of the child to prevent harm they wil
be fully supported by the local authority.
ACTION FOLLOWING AN INCIDENT OF PHYSICAL INTERVENTION
Al episodes must be recorded in your file and the Incident Notification Form should be
completed and sent to your Fostering Social Worker within 24 hours.
You must also immediately report the incident to the Child’s Social Worker so that a risk
assessment meeting can be convened to draw up either a new one or to amend an existing
one. The risk assessment may identify the need for further training and where this is felt to
be appropriate you wil be offered a place on a suitable course.
Strategies can also be set out in the child’s Individual Safe Care Plan, completed with your
Fostering Social Worker and agreed with the Child’s Social Worker.
In some instances an episode of physical intervention may need to be investigated further
and a strategy meeting called if it is deemed to have been used inappropriately. This would
be convened under the Al egations, Complaints and Cause for Concern about Foster Carers
and Prospective Adopters.
WHAT YOUR FOSTERING SOCIAL WORKER WILL DO
The aim is to support you in the task of fostering through regular meetings to listen to your
concerns and issues and to help you work out what to do.
Supervision visits wil also be used to share your recording, review and monitor both your
Safer Caring Plan and the individual safe care plans for children in placement and to reflect
upon things that have happened (what worked and what didn’t).
It may be necessary to call a risk assessment meeting with the Child’s Social Worker and
other professionals to set out clearly how specific issues should be handled. In some
instances this may be chaired by a Team Manager, depending upon the complexity. You wil
receive a copy of the written document.
Additional support may be needed through referral to SUSTAIN or CAMHS and you will be
helped to access these services by the Child’s Social Worker and your Fostering Social
Worker. Upon receipt of a Notification form your Fostering Social Worker wil notify their
Team Manager who wil monitor the incident.
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PROTOCOL TO REDUCE THE PROSECUTION OF LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN
The links between being a looked after child and offending behaviour are wel established. It
is important to recognise that many of the risk factors associated with pathways into
offending behaviour also overlap with the factors identified for children who enter the care
system, for example
Conflict within the family
Poor parental supervision
Attachment problems
Living in relative poverty/deprivation
Low achievement and low commitment to education
Negative influence of their peer group
As a corporate parent Staffordshire County Council wants the best possible outcomes for
children in care and this includes reducing the likelihood of their becoming involved in
offending behaviour. We are committed to a multi-agency approach to achieve good
outcomes and divert children and young people away from criminal and anti social behaviour
to prevent reoffending and escalation of offending and to prevent them from being
inappropriately criminalised.
There is a joint protocol to reduce the prosecution of looked after children,
The full protocol can be made available by your social worker (Families First Policies &
Procedures Part 8)
Requirement for police involvement
Staff and foster carers need to consider the nature and seriousness of the incident before
deciding whether to involve the police either immediately or at a later stage or whether to
involve them at all.
It is crucial that communication between staff, foster carers and the police is clear and
evidence based.
The following are some situations where police involvement may be requested.
For full information refer to the protocol as above or ask your fostering social worker for a
copy.
Violence by a child or young person on another
In considering attendance at an incident the police service will consider the following:
Wishes of the victim
Severity of the injury sustained or threat received by the victim
Probability of a repeat incident
Previous relationship between victim and offender
Potential impact on the child or young person following formal police involvement
Effectiveness of police action court proceedings
Future best interest of both parties
Message sent to other young people
Availability of alternative courses of action e.g. restorative approaches with the
consent of the victim
Previous behaviour of offending bul ying/peer pressure/duress
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Violence to staff or foster carers by a child or young person
This can vary from verbal threats to physical acts amounting to assault. Whilst carers have
the responsibility of care towards young people, their welfare needs to be balanced with the
rights of staff and carers not to be subjected to violence in the course of their duties.
Such incidents are affected by factors similar to these listed above and staff and carers
should be encouraged to report any incidents that cannot be dealt with through restorative
approaches and behavioural management strategies.
This can include a referral to a Prevention Worker and for Neighbourhood Police Officer
which wil give consideration to the necessary intervention. If the young person is currently
supervised by the Youth Offending Service information should be shared with the Youth
Offending Team. This does not remove the individual’s right to involve the police. Any
decision to involve the police in such circumstances needs to be carefully thought through to
ensure it achieves the best outcome for the staff member, carer and the young person.
In all cases foster carers should report the incident to the child’s social worker and the
fostering social worker and record the incident on the Incident Notification Form.
Fol owing such incidents the fostering social worker should visit the carer. Risk Assessment
and Behaviour Management strategies should be updated.
Criminal Damage within the placement
Factors to consider are
Level/value of damage caused
Previous incidents of a similar nature by the same child/young person
Suitability or effectiveness of police involvement
Impact of police involvement of the childs overall care plan
Message sent to other young people if applicable
Availability of alternative courses of action, for example, appropriate consequences
addressed by the carer.
Theft within the placement
The full factors should be considered in the context of a restorative approach
Wishes of the victim
Nature and seriousness of the allegation
Requirement of formal investigation e.g. insurance claim requires a crime reference
number
Strategies identified to manage the child/young persons behaviour
If a child or young person placed with you steals either from you or another member of your
household this can be very distressing for everyone involved. It is often possible to reduce
the risk of this through simple practical steps such as not leaving money or valuables in
communal areas of the home. Fol owing safer caring guidelines in relation to young people
not spending time in one another’s rooms will also assist in preventing stealing.
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Foster carers categories of response
The following is a guide to support foster carers considering contacting the police.
INCIDENT
SERIOUS
NON SERIOUS
INTERNAL
Immediate
No Immediate
No police
response
response
response
required
required
required
Example:
Example:
Example:
Person at
No risk of harm
Young person
imminent risk
or further harm,
misbehaving,
of serious
to anyone, theft
testing
assault or
or damage
boundaries,
serious
minor damage
damage to
Action:
Action:
Action:
Foster Carer to contact
Incident reported to the
Foster Carer manages
Police on 999 if required.
Child/Young Person’s
situation and decides on
Incident recorded on file
Social Worker and
necessary sanctions.
and reported to
Fostering Social Workers
Incident recorded on file
Child/Young Person’s
on every occasion,
and reported to
Social Worker and
recorded on file. EDS
Child/Young Person’s
Fostering Social Workers,
informed if out of hours
Social Worker and
or EDS if out of hours
Fostering Social Worker,
or EDS is out of hours
Risk Assessments updated following any incidents by
Child/Young Person’s Social Worker, Fostering Social
Worker and Foster Carer. Liaison with police by Child/Young
Person’s Social Worker
Foster Carer supported
Police investigation.
in any action taken in the
Primarily by the
foster home, with no
Neighbourhood Police
police action
Officer, and any action
recommended
resulting in a
prosecution to be
determined by the CPS
In all cases you should notify the child/young persons social worker and discuss the incident
fully with your fostering social worker.
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TRAINING COURSES/WORKSHOPS THAT HELP YOU TO PROMOTE POSITVE
BEHAVIOUR
The following post approval training courses/workshops are available to Foster Carers and
details can be found in the Foster Carer Training Catalogue:
Managing conflict / chal enging behaviour
Promoting Positive Behaviour
Making Sense of Children’s Behaviour
Safer Caring
Attachment (Part 1 and 2)
Impact of Domestic Violence on Children
Keeping Foster Parents Trained and Supported (KEEP and KEEP Safe)
Managing Complex Emotions
Understanding and Dealing with Secondary Trauma
Information about these courses and workshops can be found in the Training catalogue.
BULLYING
What is bullying?
Bullying is a complex social behaviour and is difficult to define in a precise way. In
Staffordshire we have adopted the Anti-bul ying Al iance definition:
Bullying is a subjective experience and can take many forms, making it extremely difficult to
define. Children, young people and adults can instigate bul ying. The nature of bul ying is
changing and evolving as technology develops.
Bullying can take many forms including cyber-bul ying, racist bul ying and homophobic
bul ying.
Bullying usually fits into one of two categories either emotionally or physical y harmful
behaviour. This can include name calling, taunting, mocking, making offensive comments,
kicking, hitting, pushing, taking belongings, text messaging, emailing, gossiping, excluding
people from groups and spreading hurtful and untruthful rumours.
Bullying can take place in many settings e.g. on the way to and from or in school, in youth
clubs, leisure facilities, in the street, in the park and at home.
Children in care or children with disabilities can be particularly vulnerable to bullying.
What can carers do?
You need to respond quickly and appropriately to any incident of bul ying or where you
suspect that a child in your care is being bul ied. Children who are bul ied may be unable to
tell you but changes in behaviour e.g. reluctance to go to school or participate in regular
activities may be an indication of this. Some children may become withdrawn or aggressive.
There are many reasons for changes in behaviour however it is important that you consider
bul ying as a possibility.
You must inform the child’s Social Worker if you suspect bul ying so that action can be taken
to address it.
When an incident of bul ying has taken place you must inform the child’s Social Worker and
complete an Incident Notification Form and forward it to your Fostering Social Worker.
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As Foster Carers you have a responsibility to chal enge bul ying and it is important for the
safety and well being of all children that you have a clear expectation in your home that
bul ying will not be tolerated. Bullying wil be addressed within both your Safer Caring Plan
and the child’s individual safe care plan and you wil develop strategies for dealing with this.
KIDSCAPE produces very useful information and can be accessed through their website:
www.kidscape.org.uk/
CHILDREN WHO GO MISSING
Children in foster care are significantly more likely to run away than those living at home and
when they do they can be particularly vulnerable. Children who run away are at a heightened
risk of being victims of crime, sexual y exploited, involved in substance misuse or of
becoming involved in crime and disorder. Additionally, research shows that the level of risk
to the individual child escalates with each episode they go missing and repeat episodes
have been identified as a significant indicator of high risk to the child or young person.
When thinking about a child or young person going missing from home it is helpful to
consider the factors that can lead to this behaviour. These are often divided into
push
factors and
pull factors.
Push factors could be:-
Problems at home - ranging from arguments with parents to long-term abuse or
maltreatment.
Family break-up - young people drawn into their parents’ conflicts are less likely to do
wel at school and more likely to truant or to run away from home.
Mental health problems - a disproportionate number of young people who run away
from home have mental health problems.
Bullying - children who are being severely bul ied are more likely to run away from
school and home or care.
Teenage pregnancy - some young women run away or are forced to leave home
because they become pregnant (or fear that they may be pregnant).
Pull Factors could be:-
1. Running to be near friends or family.
2. Grooming for potential sexual exploitation or child trafficking - young people may run
away or go missing following grooming by adults who wil seek to exploit them.
Every time a child or young person goes missing it should be considered to be serious.
Some instances are considered to be
Unauthorised Absence. This is usually where the
child or young person is not considered to be at immediate risk. On other occasions the
young person will be considered to be
Missing. Children and Young people on remand or
participating in the intensive fostering scheme may also be considered to be
Absconders.
The decision as to whether a child or young person is missing will be subject to a risk
assessment. This wil usually be undertaken by a social worker, possibly within the
Emergency Duty team in consultation with you.
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Factors that wil inform the assessment of whether a child or young person is considered
missing are:-
The circumstances of the absence.
The child or young person's care plan.
The age of the child or young person
The maturity of the child or young person.
Any physical or cognitive disability of the child or young person.
Any continuing or urgent need for the child or young person to have medication or
other medical treatment.
The legal status of the child or young person.
Previous behaviour and history of the child or young person.
Danger posed by the child to themselves or others.
General vulnerability of the child or young person.
The child or young person’s disposition towards drug/substance abuse.
Whether the child or young person is perceived as running to, or running from,
someone or something.
Any circumstances within the placement, say with carers or other residents that may
be relevant to the absence.
The risk of offending.
The influence of peer groups, families or friends.
Predatory influences on the child or young person. These may relate to others
wanting to use the child or young person for crime, sex or drugs.
Any known risk of abduction.
Environmental factors including weather, time of year, community events or tensions.
The length of time needed before you should consider reporting a child or young person
missing will vary according to all these factors. In some circumstances it wil be appropriate
to report them missing immediately whereas in others some time may pass before their
absence gives cause for concern. Unless there is an immediate risk identified, and parents/
carers are in a position to do so, they are expected to undertake the following basic
measures before reporting a missing child/young person: NB: if parents/carers are unable to
undertake the following e.g. they are the only adult at home/in the care setting etc. they
should ensure that the call-taker is alerted to this.
Search bedroom/house/grounds/outbuildings/vehicles;
Ascertain if any clothing, cash, mobile phones and/or medication etc. are
missing;
Speak to any other people at the house who may know where they are;
Contact known friends and relatives where the child may be;
Visit locations that the child is known to go, if safe to do so;
Check social media sites.
If a child or young person has been missing before this will not reduce the level of risk they
are exposed to. A child or young person wil always be considered missing after a
maximum of 6 hours or if their whereabouts are unknown overnight. Once there is cause
for concern you should contact the child’s Social Worker, their Manager or Duty Officer, or, if
outside office hours, EDS on 08456 042 886 and Police.
The Social Worker must notify the child’s parents, unless there are reasons connected to the
child’s welfare making this inappropriate, or different arrangements are made in the Care
Plan.
This is the responsibility of the Social Worker not the Foster Carers. Once the
assessment has been made if the child is considered to be, “missing”, you will need to
provide the following information if possible.
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A description of the child
When the chid was last seen and with whom
A recent photograph (if available)
Family addresses
The name and address of the child’s GP and dentist.
Circumstances which increase the risk to the child.
Any other relevant information known acquaintances and addresses frequented
Any previous history of being missing and circumstances where found
Mobile phone number of child or young person, email and bank account details (to help
with tracking)
You should also contact the police to report the child missing. The contact number is
0300
1234455. You should keep in contact with the child’s social worker and police for the
duration of the time the child is away to keep everyone informed.
You must keep a record of all episodes with detailed information recorded on individual
contact sheets. You should inform the child’s Social Worker and Fostering Social Worker
and complete an Incident Notification Form and forward this to your Fostering Social Worker
within 24 hours.
A monitoring form will be completed by the child’s Social Worker for all episodes categorised
as missing, absconded or unauthorised absence. The Social Worker wil record details on
the child’s file, with a copy being placed on your file.
Within 72 hours of their return children wil be offered an independent interview called a
Return Interview. This wil often be undertaken by their social worker.
Where a particular young person has been missing on a number of occasions (3 times in 90
days or 4 – 6 times in a year) a strategy meeting wil be held to consider what action needs
to be taken to keep them safe. These meetings may also be held where there have been
fewer episodes of going missing if the risks to the young person are considered sufficiently
significant.
Where children and young people are thought to be at risk of going missing, it is important
that they are supported to understand the dangers and risks that this can cause. Both you
and their social worker can be involved in doing this.
OVERNIGHT STAYS – SLEEPOVERS
Overnight stays with friends play an important part in some children’s lives. It is important
that children in foster care are able to experience this in the same way as their peers.
Children in care should experience the same opportunities to stay overnight with friends,
when carers consider the arrangement appropriate, in the same way as for their own
children
There is no requirement for friends’ parents to be CRB checked for overnight sleepovers.
Government guidance expects foster carers to make the same judgements, in giving or
refusing permission on each occasion, as parents would normally make, based on a
reasonable assessment of any known risks in staying in a particular household or in staying
overnight. Carers are not required to refer this decision to the Department unless there are
exceptional circumstances or where there are restrictions on overnight stays from a court
order or are included in the child’s Care Plan and Placement Plan.
Decisions on overnight stays should in most circumstances be delegated to Foster Carers
and arrangements for such decisions written into the Placement Plan.
The guidance expects Foster Carers to make the same judgements in giving or refusing
permission on each occasion as parents would normally make, based on reasonable
assessment of any known risks in staying in a particular household or staying overnight.
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Carers are expected to have contact details of the household, to make contact to confirm
arrangements and ensure that the foster child has their contact details.
Whilst carers are not expected to seek permission from parents or Social Workers if children
do have overnight stays, it is important to inform parents, if appropriate and the Social
Worker that these have taken place.
HOLIDAYS
Taking holidays is part of family life and there is an expectation that if you are going away on
holiday you wil take foster children with you unless there are extenuating circumstances. It
is expected that children wil not miss school to go on holiday.
It is essential that you inform your Fostering Social Worker and the child’s Social Worker well
in advance of any holidays. If the child is ‘accommodated under Section 20 of the Children
Act 89,’ you will need the consent of the birth parents and anyone else that holds parental
responsibility, whether the holiday is in this country or abroad.
If you plan to go abroad and the child needs a passport you need to discuss this with the
child’s Social Worker well in advance of the date to allow sufficient time for this to be
processed. You wil need to have a letter signed by a Senior Manager giving permission for
the child to leave the country.
It is important that you discuss your holiday plans with foster children, to prepare them for
going away and to reassure them that, where appropriate, they wil be able to keep contact
with their parents.
A set Holiday Al owance is paid annually and is provided to assist you in taking the child on
holiday. If you are not going on holiday you must talk to your fostering social worker about
how the money wil be used to provide activities, outings or events for the child during the
summer holidays. In situations where no additional activities are provided the holiday
allowance wil be recouped.
If you experience problems on holidays please call the child’s Social Worker and EDS if out
of office hours.
There may be situations when it is not possible to take foster children with you on holiday.
You must discuss this with your Fostering Social Worker and the child’s Social Worker well
in advance so that alternative arrangements can be made.
EDUCATION
Education is vital for all children to improve their life chances and as Foster Carers you play
an important role.
As a result of their early life experiences many children in foster care may not have received
a consistent and positive educational experience. As a carer you will need to ensure that
children attend school regularly and that you become involved in school e.g. attending
parent’s evenings and other events, offer significant support to the child with school work
and at times act as an advocate.
You play a vital role in helping children and young people to achieve their potential in all
areas of education, including achieving national standards (SATS) and gaining qualifications.
PERSONAL EDUCATION PLAN
Al children living in foster care wil have a
Personal Education Plan (PEP). The PEP will
ensure that the child whom you are responsible for wil be receiving the best possible
education available to them.
When a child comes to live with you, if the child is of compulsory school age and they are
already in care - you should ask for a copy of the current PEP or PEP Review for the child –
or ask for an expected date when the PEP is to take place.
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For younger children at the Foundation Stage - there is the Early Years Personal Education
Plan - for pre-school children attending a registered child care provision, continuing to the
end of the Reception Year in school, the process is the same.
If the child or young person has not been in care before they will require a PEP within 10
days (14 school days) of becoming cared for (to inform the 28 day statutory review) and the
PEP should be reviewed regularly as outlined below;
- First PEP within 10 days (14 school days) to inform 28 day statutory review.
- PEP review in time to inform 4 month statutory review.
- PEP review – thereafter – 6 monthly minimum to inform statutory reviews.
Where there are significant changes to a child’s schooling e.g. change of school, change of
placement or change of key stage the full PEP rather than the PEP review should be
undertaken. The child or young person’s Social Worker should initiate the PEP process and
inform the Designated Teacher for Children in Care in the child's school that the child or
young person is in care. The Social Worker should arrange the PEP meeting and set a date
with the Designated Teacher. As the child’s foster carer you should be invited to the PEP. It
is important that you attend.
As Foster Carers you have a huge opportunity to make the difference with regard to PEPs.
You need to be driving them in the sense that you ask to see PEPs and ask the Social
Worker for the date of the next PEP for the child or young person in your care.
VIRTUAL SCHOOL
The virtual school has been set up to support schools and social workers in achieving the
best possible educational outcomes for looked after children. It is made up of a headteacher
and 4 Education Co-ordinators providing support across the county (contact details at the
front of the handbook). They work closely with schools, offer advice and training to foster
carers and monitor the educational progress of Staffordshire’s looked after children. They
also provide some direct educational mentoring in schools through the Education Mentors.
Education Co-ordinators can be contacted to give support and advice including around
funding available to support the education of looked after children.
More Information can be found on
www.education.staffordshire.gov.uk
The training catalogue offers a number of courses to help carers achieve positive learning
and development outcomes for children and young people.
The Fostering Service is currently working with the Head teacher of the Virtual School to
develop a dedicated special interest group for foster carers to help promote children’s
learning outcomes. This group links to Virtual School arrangements. You can contact the
Recruitment & training Team for more information on 01785 895363 or contact the Virtual
Head Teacher directly on 01785 845195.
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Staffordshire Virtual School
for Looked After Children
‘Staffordshire’s Virtual School for
Looked After Children provides
‘Foster Carers will be
support for Foster Carers, to
Policy for
supported to provide a
ensure that education is promoted
Supporting
home which promotes a
and valued, at each key stage of a
learning environment’.
child’s educational journey’.
Looked After
[Fostering NMS 8.1]
[DfE Fostering Regulations 2011]
Children to
Achieve their
Educational
‘The Virtual School will
Potential
‘Foster Carers will be
support Foster Carers in
encouraged to help
providing children with access
children achieve their
to a range of additional
individual educational
educational resources to
goals’.
support their learning’.
[Fostering NMS 8.4]
‘The Virtual School
[Fostering NMS 8.2]
will support Foster
Carers in doing
everything possible to
‘Foster Carers will be
‘Foster Carers will be encouraged
avoid exclusion of a
supported to engage with
to attend PEP meetings, parent’s
looked after child’.
schools, and will receive up
evenings and to advocate for
[Fostering NMS 8.3]
to date information about
individual children’.
each child’s progress’.
[Fostering NMS 8.6]
[Fostering NMS 8.7]
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“Staffordshire is committed to achieving the best possible educational outcomes for its looked after children. Schools are at the heart of
providing an education for them that will unlock a brighter future. The Virtual School supports foster carers to achieve the best possible
outcomes for Looked After Children - together we can make a difference”.
Headteacher
Virtual School for Looked
After Children
Sarah Rivers
Virtual School
Virtual School
Virtual School
Education Co-ordinator
Education Co-ordinator
Education Co-ordinator
Moorlands, Newcastle &
East Staffs, Tamworth &
Lichfield, Cannock &
Stafford North
Stafford South
South Staffordshire
Eamonn Fitzpatrick
Paul Wilkie
Denise Grimshaw
Virtual School
Virtual School
Virtual School
Education Mentors
Education Mentors
Education Mentors
Headteacher:
xxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx 01785 85 4195
Education Co-ordinators:
xxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx 01782 297524
xxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx 01283 239761
xxxxxx.xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
01543 512056
Visit our webpage: www.education.staffordshire.gov.uk/lookedafterchildren
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PARENT PARTNERSHIP
Staffordshire Parent Partnership Service provides services to children with Special
Educational Needs. These include:-
Helpline support with educational issues
Support at meetings and home visits where appropriate
Access to a trained Independent Parental Supporter
Leaflets and parent packs on a variety of topics
Books and resources available to borrow
A termly newsletter full of useful information
Regular coffee mornings around the county
Support if a child is excluded from school
Parent training events through our Skil share project funded by the Big Lottery
Fund.
Their contact details are:
Telephone: 01785 356921
Email: xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Website: www.staffordshire.gov.uk/spps
OTHER EDUCATION Outside of school you can take children to the library, encourage them to choose their own
books, read with and to them as part of your routine. Help them with maths and basic
subjects, such as telling the time, and the use of money. Above all make learning fun!
Consideration should also be given to the use of computers and the internet- see pages 68-
72.
EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN
According to national legislation, a child is someone who is of compulsory school age. This
means until the last Friday in June of year 11 (at school) if they are 16 years of age or will be
before the end of August that year, they can not be employed in the following instances
Where the child is under 14 years of age
During school hours on school days
For more than two hours on school days
Before 7am or after 7pm any day
For more than 2 hours on a Sunday
In a bar or betting shop
Where the job requires them to lift, carry or move heavy objects that could cause
injury, or to use “dangerous machinery”
In any industrial undertaking, vessel, ship or boat (seek further advice here as the
rules are complex)
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The law does cover children “assisting in a trade or occupation carried on for profit” even if
they are not paid e.g. a child helping out in the family business. Children should not work in
petrol stations and there are separate rules governing the employment of children in
entertainment.
Children may be employed by their parents in a limited range of farming tasks. Your Local
Authority will also operate bye-laws which vary from area to area. These may impose extra
restrictions. Check with your local authority (Education Welfare Department) for further
advice. An employer who ignores Local Authority by-laws is guilty of a criminal offence.
Young People under School Leaving Age
The law generally states the following:
Age
Work Levels Al owed
Under 14 yrs
Not allowed to work (other than occasional light agricultural work
for parents).
Age 14 years
Light work only which is specifically permitted by the Local
Authority and of a kind which is not prohibited
Agricultural work
Newspaper delivery
Work in a shop, café, salon, office
Domestic work in hotels
Riding stables work
Car wash by hand in a private residential setting
Prohibited employment usual y includes:
Cinemas, discos, clubs, pubs, betting offices, kitchen, fairgrounds, arcades,
slaughterhouses, butchers
Factories, mines, construction, transport, manufacturing, quarries
Selling/delivery milk, alcohol, fuel, oils
Refuse collection
Work involving exposure to adult material
Telephone sales
Work at heights: (The Work at Height Regulations 2005 states that no one should be
working where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury)
Handling dangerous loads, cleaning machinery, exposure to chemicals
Door to door selling, canvassing, money collection
Personal care e.g. residential homes (unless under adult supervision)
Street trading (may be allowed for those 14 year olds employed by parents)
Any work at night
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Day Type
Eligible Hours
Any day
No work before 7am or after 7pm
School days
No work during school hours/before end one hours work before
school (only certain areas – check by-laws)
No more than two hours per day
Saturdays
No more than 5hrs total (under 15 years)
No more than 8hrs total (15 years or more)
Sundays
No more than 2hrs total
School holidays
No more than 5hrs total per day (under 15 years)
No more than 8hrs total per day (15 years or more)
No more than 25 hrs total per week (under 15 years)
No more than 35 hrs total per week (15 years or more)
Rest
Breaks No more than 4hrs without a rest break of at least one hour
entitlement
Holidays entitlement
Two weeks at least which must be work and school free
ALWAYS CHECK LOCAL BY-LAWS FOR ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS
Sixth Formers/Students and Young Workers 16-18 Years
In general, this group of young people are subject to National Employment Legislation with
some exceptions:-
Special Health & Safety requirements
Minimum 30 minute rest breaks (work over 4.5 hours)
2 days off per week, 12 hrs consecutive rest per day
Health and capabilities assessment before undertaking night work
Excluded from universal minimum wages
Redundancy rights only applicable after 2 years continuous employment
For further access to guidance on the employment of children you can view the following
website information
www..education.gov.uk/publications
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PRESERVING MEMORIES
For many children in foster care their memories are very important and may be all they have
to remind them of the past. It is important that information about a child is kept safe and
treated with great respect, to prevent it from being lost.
Some children return to their birth families and others move on to permanent families
(usually adoptive). You need to help a child to remember the time spent with you and your
family.
From the point a child comes to you it is important that you set up a ‘memory box’ and start
to collect items such as photographs (it is a good idea to put dates on photographs),
drawings, school reports, significant outings/souvenirs etc.
The Family and Friends Team can offer specialist advice for Family and Friends Carers who
may have specific needs around life story work and preserving memories.
Life books can help children understand their past and to move forward. Foster carers will
need to collect important information which will be passed on to the Child’s Social Worker
who wil be responsible for preparing the child. In some instances you could be involved in
direct work with the child and you wil be offered guidance on an individual basis.
Life work needs to go at the child’s pace as it can be distressing for some children.
There are Post Approval courses which address preserving memories and helping children
to move on.
MOVING ON
A child’s placement may end for a variety of reasons:
(a)
return home to family
(b)
move to another placement, including adoptive family, or long term fostering or
special guardianship
(c)
move to independence
(d)
placement disruption
The aim of all involved is for children to move on in a planned and positive way with
minimum disruption to the child. You may be involved in a variety of meetings such as life
appreciation meetings, introduction planning meetings, maintenance and disruption
meetings.
If children are moving on to permanent placements i.e. adoption or long term foster care you
wil play a key role in the process of introducing the child to a new family. This wil involve the
carers spending time in your home getting to know the child.
A child may have to move, for a variety of reasons, before the care plan has been achieved.
Where it is identified that the foster placement is under pressure and may come to an
unplanned end, a
Maintenance Meeting wil be held to explore the strengths and difficulties
of the placement along with the supports that are in place. This meeting should be held at an
early stage in the placement getting into difficulty in order that supports can be identified and
put in place promptly. The meeting wil also explore what would assist in maintaining the
placement. Over the course of a placement there may be a number of these meetings held.
It is often possible to work through the difficulties and, with additional supports, continue the
placement to a positive conclusion. Wherever possible supports should be identified to
enable a child to move on from you in a planned and positive way. The maintenance
meeting wil usual y be held in your home. It wil involve yourself, your Fostering Social
Worker and the child’s social worker. It can be chaired by either a Senior Practitioner or a
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Team Manager in the Fostering Service. It is sometimes helpful if the young person
participates in the meeting or if others involved such as SUSTAIN are also invited. It is
expected that a maintenance meeting wil have taken place prior to any unplanned move for
a child unless there are exceptional reasons why this has not been possible.
Where it has not been possible to identify supports to maintain a placement a
Disruption
Meeting wil be held. In some circumstance, a disruption meeting can occur immediately
after a maintenance meeting. The disruption meeting will consider the reasons why a
placement has come to an unplanned end along with planning for how the child wil be
moved to a new placement. Reflections on the ending will inform future planning for both the
young person and the carers.
Do share any concerns you may have about the placement with your Fostering Social
Worker and the Child’s Social Worker at an early stage. This may avoid an unplanned
ending.
If you are caring for a young person preparing for independence you will be involved with the
Throughcare Teams who are providing leaving care services for young people who leave
care.
THROUGHCARE TEAMS
Services for young people leaving care are integrated into the Throughcare Teams. The
purpose of these services is to offer preparation and support to young people who are
leaving care, to ensure that they have the skil s to live independently in the community.
When a young person in care reaches the age of 16 they wil be al ocated a Personal
Advisor from the Throughcare team to begin to consider their Pathway Plan. As part of this
planning they wil work with the young person and you to identify the needs of the young
person to be addressed to prepare them for independence. The Pathway Plan must be in
place by the time the young person is 16 years & 3 months. This plan is reviewed every 6
months and wil be in place until they reach the age of 21 years or up to 25 if they are in
education at 21.
The Pathway Plan details the young person’s current position and long term aims in relation
to personal support; accommodation; education & training; employment; family & social
relationships; practical & other skil s; financial support; health needs and wil develop a
contingency plan.
The role of the Personal Advisor is to work with key professionals; build a network of support
for the young person; monitor progress through close discussion with the young person; link
them to Staffordshire Young People’s Service; take responsibility for reviewing the Pathway
Plan and help them open a bank account if required.
As a Foster Carer you play a vital role in the preparation of a young person for
independence. This begins at an early age, encouraging children to acquire age appropriate
skil s, in preparation for them to take on responsibility for budgeting, cooking, shopping,
cleaning etc when they leave care.
In addition to the work undertaken by the local Throughcare teams, support is also offered
by the
Central Throughcare Team. This team is based in Stafford but operates throughout
the county (contact details are in the front of this handbook) The team provides a specialist
service to assist Social Workers and Personal Advisors to improve outcomes for care
leavers. It includes specialists in employment, welfare benefits and youth inclusion as well
as providing social work support to unaccompanied asylum seeking children. The team also
have extensive knowledge of accommodation options for care leavers.
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The central throughcare team are also responsible for distributing a CD rom entitled,
“Get
Ready for Adult Life”. This is a selection of questions and exercises that young people can
work through independently or with the support of yourselves and their PA to prepare them
for moving towards independence.
The Leaving Care training course provides a wide range of information about provision for
young people leaving care. Al Foster Carers involved with young people aged 14+ wil be
expected to attend this course.
Young people cannot legally remain “looked after” beyond their 18th birthday and so cannot
remain in foster care past that date. Arrangements can, however, be made for them to
remain with their foster carers after they have turned 18. This would be on the basis of a
Supported Accommodation Placement. This wil be considered if:-
They were in foster care or a Supported Accommodation Placement at age 16 /17
They have asked to remain with their carers past 18
Their pathway plan recommend that it is appropriate for them to do so
They are continuing education or undertaking vocational training/apprenticeship or
plan to go to University
If young people are in employment their circumstances wil be assessed individually.
Where plans to remain in placement are made these should be based upon the young
person’s assessed needs and vulnerability. The legal status of the placement will change
and there will also need to be alterations in the nature of the care provided to them. Carers
providing support to young people over 18 wil be asked to do so on the basis that they are
supporting their transition into adulthood. They wil be asked to enable them to develop
independence skil s and to practice these skil s.
If there is a proposal for young people to remain in placement the carers wil be assessed by
the Supported Accommodation Officer 4 months prior to the young person’s 18th birthday.
Who will meet with the carers, their fostering social worker and the young person’s PA. If the
foster carer wil cease fostering on continuing the placement, support for this wil transfer to
the Supported Accommodation Officer.
There will be an alteration of funding for a placement post 18. The young person wil be
offered welfare benefits advice. They will then be asked to pay the carer housing benefit
plus an element from any other benefits of £26.67 per week. These payments wil be topped
up to make the total received £180.60. This will apply to all placements regardless of the
carers’ payment for skil s level.
Transitions arrangements for some young people with disabilities will be different as they
may become eligible for support from adults services. In some circumstances this can result
in them being eligible for adult placements. If you feel this may apply to the young person
you are caring for please discuss with the child’s social worker as well as your Fostering
Social Worker.
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NYAS (NATIONAL YOUTH ADVOCACY SERVICES)
As you may be aware we tendered the Children & Young People Advocacy Service and now
have a new provider - the National Youth Advocacy Service which wil provide a service
across Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent.
The NYAS runs a national advocacy helpline for the following groups:
Looked After Children
Children with emotional wel being/mental health issues (
Staffordshire only)
Children subject to a Child Protection Plan
Children & young people with Learning Disabilities
Children & young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
This may, on occasion, include children and young people living/placed outside the
Staffordshire County and Stoke-on-Trent City Council boundaries. The Service will be
available to children and young people from the above groups between the ages of 5 – 18
years, and up to the age of 25 for those with SEND or for Care Leavers. The Service wil
also deliver a small additional element of an
Independent Visitor programme for children
and young people from Stoke-on-Trent.
You can contact NYAS in the following ways:
Freephone Helpline (some mobile networks may charge): 0808 808 1001 (9am-
8pm Monday - Friday & 10am-4pm Saturday)
Chat Room: www.nyas.net
Email: xxxx@xxxx.xxx
Writing: Write NYAS Freepost on an envelope
FOSTER CARERS WISHING TO ADOPT CHILDREN IN PLACEMENT
For some children in foster care it can be a positive outcome to be adopted by their foster
carers. Staffordshire supports the application of foster carers to become adopters for
fostered children. Should you wish to be considered as an adopter for a child in your care
you should discuss this with both the child’s social worker and your Fostering Social Worker.
Once the child’s plan has been confirmed you can then formally notify the department of
your wish to be considered in writing. You wil then be assessed in relation to your suitability
to become an adopter for that child.
FOSTER CARERS WISHING TO BECOME SPECIAL GUARDIANS
For some children in foster care it can be a positive outcome for foster carers to take on
special guardianship. If you are interested in becoming the special guardian of a child in
your care, you should discuss this with your Fostering Social worker and the child’s social
worker. The social workers can share with you information about the consequences of this
change of status and the supports that you might be able to access under Special
Guardianship. Should this plan be pursued the Fostering Service will undertake a Special
Guardianship assessment and support you through the court process.
STAFFORDSHIRE YOUNG PEOPLE’S SERVICE (SYPS)
SYPS work with young people aged 13-19 and up to 25 years for young people with learning
difficulties or disabilities. They offer information, advice or guidance to help a young person
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choose options for study and careers. They wil also offer support with accessing personal
development opportunities e.g. sport, art or voluntary work.
SYPS Advisors wil also support you by keeping you up to date with the changing world of
education, training and employment.
You can contact SYPS on 01785 356656 or e-mail xxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx for advice or
information
STAFFORDSHIRE YOUTH OFFENDING SERVICE
The Youth Offending Service is part of Staffordshire Young People’s Service within Families
First. It is made up of social workers, Police, Probation & Health. Its roles are:
Look after the interests of all young people between the ages of 10-17 who are involved
with the criminal justice system.
Undertake restorative justice programmes with young people convicted of offences.
Undertake programmes to reduce youth offending
Supervise court orders and write reports for courts
Provide an appropriate adult for police interviews and courts where necessary
The Youth Offending Service work closely with Intensive Interventions in relation to the
provision of Foster Placements both for those children remanded to the care of the Local
Authority via the Youth Courts and those children placed in the Intensive Fostering Scheme
as part of their sentence. (More information about these schemes can be found in Section 8
of this handbook)
If your foster child is involved with the police you must notify their Social Worker and your
Fostering Social Worker. If it happens out of office hours you should let EDS know.
At no
time must you act as an appropriate adult in an interview situation as this role requires
training and wil be undertaken either by a worker from the Youth Offending Service or the
EDS worker.
END OF PLACEMENT REPORTS
When a placement ends you and the child’s social worker wil be asked to complete
questionnaires about how the placement has gone. This can provide important information
about how you, your Fostering Social Worker and the child’s social worker have worked
together to meet the needs of a child and to achieve the care plan.
PROMOTING EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY
The Fostering Service aims to ‘ensure that children feel secure in their placements with
carers appropriately trained, supported and capable of providing quality care to meet their
needs and maximise their life chances. This wil include ensuring that the child has a secure
identity, making the most of educational opportunities as wel as ensuring the child is
healthy, emotionally wel and enjoys a network of social relationships within which the child
feels valued’.
To be able to do this Foster Carers need to build on the foundation training provided by the
Introduction to Fostering Course which introduced you to the importance of a child or young
person developing a positive sense of identity and the impact of prejudice, unfair
discrimination and racism on children in the care system.
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Al Foster Carers are required to undertake the Core Training Programme modules ‘Valuing
Diversity’’ and “Children with Additional Needs”. “Valuing Diversity” enables foster carers to
develop their understanding of the different types of prejudice and discrimination which can
affect children and young people. It will develop your understanding of why it is important to
provide care which respects and preserves each child’s ethnic, religious, cultural and
linguistic background and will help foster carers to demonstrate how they can support and
encourage children and young people to develop skil s to deal with discrimination, enhance
self worth and make a positive contribution. “Children with Additional Needs” provides
Foster Carers with an understanding of the needs of children with disabilities, the similarities
and differences between these and the needs of children without disabilities and the social
model of disability. Foster carers development needs can be met further by attending
continuous professional development modules such as
“Identity”, ‘Sexuality Awareness’,
“introduction to Special Educational Needs”, “Introduction to Autism” and “Introduction to
Epilepsy”
It is vitally important that all foster carers are able to recognise and chal enge prejudice and
discrimination and that foster carers can confidently support children and young people who
experience prejudice and discrimination and are able to help them to develop their own skil s
to deal with discrimination. Foster carers need to be confident about accessing advice and
support to ensure that they are able to meet the care needs of a child or young person who
has a different racial, cultural or religious background to their own. A child’s needs should be
clearly identified within their Care Plan and The Foster Placement Plan and Agreement
should identify any support you need. This should be regularly reviewed with your Fostering
Social Worker in supervision.
For more information about equality and diversity follow these links
Staffordshire County Council Equality and Diversity
www.staffordshire.gov.uk/community/equalopportunities Equality and Human Rights Commission
www.equalityhumanrights.com
Office for the Children’s Rights Director for England (CRD)
www.rights4me.org
Also further information can also be found on Staffordshire’s Foster Carers Forum,
www.care4child.org
THE CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE’S VOICE PROJECT
The Children and Young People’s Voice Project ensure that young people who are looked
after by Staffordshire County Council are consulted on various projects and issues relating to
them and the wider community. We encourage young people to fully participate in current
initiatives which affect both them as young people looked after and individually.
The Team covers many areas of work including:
Young Peoples Forums
Children in Care Council
Young people's interview panels
Workshops for young people/professionals
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Partnership working with local agencies
Consult8
Young People's Forums
The Children and Young People's Voice Project runs young people's groups across
Staffordshire called the Young People's Forums. Al looked after young people aged 10
years and over can attend their local Forum. The groups are held monthly in various venues
including youth and community buildings.
Children in Care Council
The Children in Care Council is made up of 10 young people who meet once a month to look
at the Care Matters agenda. The group works alongside the Corporate Parenting Panel to
involve young people in planning and developing services and their care.
Consult8
Consult8 is Staffordshire's way of consulting with children and young people who are in care
and who live in residential units, foster care and independent placements. The Consult8
Facilitator visits young people and goes through a set of questions which are linked with the
five 'Every Child Matters' Outcomes. Consult8 brings attention to issues surrounding care,
health, education, leisure, and equality and diversity. Any issues or concerns raised are
immediately followed up and resolved by a Social Worker, Team Manager or Head of
Service. Positive feedback is shared with staff and/or carers.
If you want more information please contact 01785 253878 or
email
xxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
NSPCC ADVOCACY SERVICE
The NSPCC in Staffordshire run an independent advocacy service for al children in care.
This service offers advice, information and representation for all looked after children, in
accordance with legislation. They offer support to children ensuring that their wishes and
feelings in respect of decisions that effect them are heard and taken into consideration. If a
child requests representatives from the NSPCC are able to attend their statutory reviews and
meetings. Anyone can make a referral on behalf of a child but the service would not become
involved unless the child was in agreement with this. A leaflet about this service can be
found in the U Pack provided to the child when they come into care.
NSPCC can be contacted on 0808 800 5000
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SECTION FOUR
SAFEGUARDING
Safeguarding children and young people in your care wil have many aspects. Several of
these are covered elsewhere in this handbook. These include:-
Safer Caring Guidance and Safer Caring plans
Health and Safety
Keeping safe on the internet
Safeguarding children who go missing from care
Risk assessments and risk and matching documentation
Other safeguarding issues are covered in this section.
PROTECTING CHILDREN & ADULTS
Many of the children you wil care for have experienced abuse or neglect and all wil feel
sadness and loss at leaving their families, whatever the circumstances. This can make them
very vulnerable to further abuse and as a Foster Carer you have a responsibility to protect a
child whilst they are in your care.
If you have reason to be worried or concerned about a foster child, it is your duty to share it
with the Child’s Social Worker and your Fostering Social Worker.
If the Child’s Social Worker is not available, ask to speak to a Duty Social Worker or a Team
Manager. If out of office hours contact the Emergency Duty Service.
You must
always report the following immediately:
If a child:
Has bruises or scratches with no obvious explanation
Has an accident whilst in your care
Is accidentally hurt by you or someone in your household
Complains that somebody has hurt or threatened them, including bul ying
Goes missing
You wil have developed a
Safe Caring Plan (see page 85) in which you have set out how
you and your family wil protect everyone in your household to minimise risk and the
potential for an allegation. This plan is updated with every new placement in conjunction with
the child’s
individual safe care plan).
Remember to record all incidents in detail on the day they have happened so that you can
give details to anyone who requires them. There are some rare occasions when your written
records may be requested by the police or by a court.
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DISCLOSURES
As a foster carer, it is likely that at some time a child in your care may disclose information
about what has happened to them either to you or a member of your support network.
If a child does disclose information to you there are some important things to remember:
Never prompt the child or ask questions. Disclosures are a source of evidence;
Let them say everything they have to say in a caring environment;
Comfort the child if they are distressed;
Do not be judgmental;
Record the details as soon as possible. Keep recording factual;
Reassure the child that they have done the right thing;
As soon as it is possible report the disclosure to the child’s social worker and your
fostering social worker;
A foster carer should maintain normal family routine
ALLEGATIONS AGAINST FOSTER CARERS
It is recognised by the department that carers are increasingly required to look after
particularly vulnerable children who can present difficulties for their carer. Some of these
children may make an allegation against their carer or anyone else in the household.
An allegation is where a carer is accused of neglecting a child; sexual abuse; emotional
abuse or physical abuse. Al egations of this nature, as defined under Section 47 of the
Children Act 1989, are investigated under child protection procedures and can be made
against a carer, or any member of their household, concerning any child within that
household. This can include children who are currently or have been previously fostered
and indeed the carer’s own children. Allegations may originate from a number of sources,
including, schools, foster children, parents, neighbours and the Internet.
The allegations that can be made against people who work with children (including foster
carers) are listed as:
Harmed or may have harmed a child
Has committed a criminal offence against or related to a child
Behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates unsuitability to work
with/care for children
There is a difference between
allegations and
general concerns. If an allegation is made
and the decision is that it wil be treated as a concern rather than an allegation, issues wil be
dealt with by the social worker for the child and the Fostering Social Worker rather than an
investigation taking place under child protection procedures.
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INVESTIGATION PROCESS
When information regarding an allegation is received the following procedure wil be
followed.
A discussion (known procedurally as a ‘
strategy discussion’) will take place between the
fostering service, the children’s team and the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)
who is located in the First Response Team. The information is assessed and a decision is
then reached (regarding any further action, if any, required) by the professionals involved
based on the nature and seriousness of the allegation.
If it is decided at this stage that there is sufficient concern to instigate child protection
procedures, information gathering wil commence and the outcomes shared at a
strategy
meeting to which carers are not invited. This meeting will include the police and other
agencies and should be held within 2 working days. The meeting is chaired by a County
Manager or may be delegated to a team manager.
The meeting wil decide if further investigation is required and if so whether it wil be done
jointly with the police or as a ‘single agency investigation’ by the children’s team. A Social
Worker independent to the case wil be identified to conduct the investigation unless there is
good reason why it should be done by the Child’s Social Worker.
The strategy meeting wil also consider what, if any, are the risks to other children in the
household, including your own children. In situations where a carer works with or is involved
with groups of children the meeting must also consider whether any risk is posed to them.
Only if there is any risk to those children will the employer or organisation be informed about
the allegation.
Once this meeting has taken place the investigation can start.
If the Police are not
involved you wil immediately be informed of the allegation, the process that will be followed
and this will be confirmed to you in writing. You wil also be given a copy of the procedure for
dealing with allegations by your Fostering Social Worker.
If the Police are involved, however, we may not be able to tell you about the allegation until they have conducted their
interviews.
Further meetings may take place to consider the findings of the investigation and at any
point if there is evidence to show that the allegation is false the investigation can be ended
and the allegation withdrawn.
When all the investigations have been completed a
‘resolution meeting’ will take place.
This should take place within two weeks of the conclusion of the investigation unless there
are exceptional circumstances resulting in a delay.
In general terms there are three potential outcomes to any investigatory process:
The allegation is
Substantiated – the range of concluding actions may include
criminal prosecution, report for the Foster/Adoption and Permanency Panel, referral
to the Independent Safeguarding Authority. Occasionally al egations maybe be
substantiated but the assessed level of risk allows less formal concluding activity.
The allegation is
Unfounded - The term ‘unfounded’ means that there is no evidence
or proper basis which supports the allegation being made, or there is evidence to
prove that the allegation is untrue. There is the possibility that the allegation may be
malicious (see below), but it might also indicate that the person making the allegation
had misinterpreted the incident or was mistaken about what he/she saw, or was not
aware of all the circumstances.
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The allegation is
Unsubstantiated - An unsubstantiated allegation means that there
is insufficient identifiable evidence to prove or disprove the al egation. The term,
therefore, does not imply guilt or innocence. In these situations it wil necessary for
careful professional judgments to be made on ‘the balance of probabilities’
The term ‘malicious’ implies that an allegation, either whol y or in part, has been made with a
deliberate intent to deceive or cause harm to the person subject to the allegation. For an
allegation to be classified as malicious, it will be necessary to have evidence to prove the
intention to cause harm. Care should be taken in dealing with such allegations as some facts
may not be whol y untrue. Where there can be sufficient confidence to conclude that an
allegation has been made with malice then it is appropriate fro the LADO to refer the matter
to the Police for their consideration.
Where the allegation is either substantiated or unsubstantiated the fostering/adoption service
shal make an assessment of the situation with regards to the carer’s continued suitability to
care for a child or children. Where there are concerns regarding suitability a report must be
presented to the respective panel to review and make recommendation about future status.
SUITABILITY PROCESS
The Foster Panel must consider a report of the allegation investigation no later than 3
months after the date of the resolution meeting. The Foster Carers wil have received this
report at least 4 weeks prior to the panel meeting to enable comments to be made and for
them to attend panel if they choose.
Panel can recommend the following options:
Continue as approved
Change of approval
Re-assessment of carers
No longer suitable to foster
If the outcome is ‘no longer suitable to foster’ and the Agency Decision Maker agrees with
that recommendation the carers wil be notified and given 28 days to make representation.
This can be done in one of two ways:
Either through application to the Independent Review Mechanism for a review of
decision (fostering agency then has to consider this review information when making
the final recommendation)
or
You may make representation to the foster panel with information provided by
yourselves for them to consider.
See page 62-63
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SUPPORT FROM FOSTERING SERVICE
The Fostering Service understands that carers naturally feel anxious when an allegation is
made. Your Fostering Social Worker is there to offer you support throughout the process.
They wil not, however, be able to comment on the nature of the allegation, or say that they
believe your description of events. What the Fostering Social Worker can do is to listen to
your feelings and concerns and keep in regular contact. They will keep you informed of
progress of the investigation as far as possible and also try to ensure that your views are
represented.
The Fostering Social Worker’s first priority is always the welfare of the child and information
shared by carers will be recorded and placed on file.
INDEPENDENT SUPPORT
The Department has contracted Fostering Network to offer independent advice and
mediation to Staffordshire foster carers. Their Advice & Mediation worker can support you
through the allegations process and be available to attend foster panel if requested.
Bethan Houston can be contacted on 01905 622459 or via e-mail at
xxxxxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx
Fostering Network also operates a Foster Carers’ advice line called Fosterline on 0800
040 7675
You may wish to talk through the allegation with a trusted friend or fostering colleague but
choose carefully as there may be implications for confidentiality.
The making of an allegation is traumatic for all concerned and you will feel a wide range of
emotions. You may wish to seek medical advice which could include counselling.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Fol owing the strategy meeting where a decision has been made to either remove any foster
children or where there are no children in placement and the household has been placed on
hold, the Foster Carer wil be paid the fee element of Payments for Skil s only for the
suspended placement/s. This will continue to be paid until the resolution meeting has made
a decision about the return of the child or continuation of fostering.
In circumstances where future fostering is to be decided by the Foster Panel the fee element
wil be paid until the Agency Decision Maker has made their decision. If the foster carer
makes further representation to either the Fostering Service or the Independent Review
Mechanism the fee element wil continue to be paid until the conclusion of the process is
reached.
CONCLUSION
As a Fostering Service our priority is to protect children in care and those carers who look
after them. It is not possible to eliminate all risk but by offering good support, supervision and
training to carers, and developing comprehensive Safer Caring Plans, the risks can be
reduced. However, when an allegation is made the affects can be devastating for all those
concerned, irrespective of how long they may have fostered.
There is further information about the al egations process in the Good Practice Guide
included in this handbook.
It is expected that you discuss the allegations procedure with your Fostering Social Worker
and also arrange to attend the Safer Caring training course.
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SECTION FIVE
MEDICAL MATTERS
As part of the five outcomes, be healthy, we suggest carers adopt a healthy lifestyle with a
balanced diet and regular exercise.
As part of the Core Training - Foundations to Fostering you must attend training on basic
first aid, this must be reviewed every three years. Information can be found in the training
catalogue.
Useful hints tips, recipes and more can be found at the
Change4life website It is advisable that you are immunised against Hepatitis B, which is available to you through
your GP.
The County Council does have an infection control policy relating to blood borne diseases,
you can access this policy and other related policies on the Foster Carers Forum website.
It is essential prior to fostering any child that you are fully informed about the child’s health,
including allergies, and any medical problems. This should be detailed in the Placement Plan
and updated in the review health assessments and at the Child’s Reviews.
CONSENT TO TREATMENT
Make sure that you have a signed copy of the Placement Plan which gives delegated
consent to you to seek medical treatment for your foster child. Please be aware each child
placed wil need to have an initial health assessment within the first month of placement,
(paperwork should be provided by the child’s social worker) this is then reviewed every 6
months for under fives and annually for older children. Where older children feel a medical
is not appropriate for them, they are able to access the Looked After Children’s nurse for an
individual consultation in their placement.
Any young person aged 16+ is able to seek medical advice & treatment without the consent
of parents, Foster Carers or Social Workers. This also applies to any young person under
the age of 16, who is deemed able or have sufficient understanding of what is proposed.
MEDICATION GUIDANCE
Any medication prescribed by the child’s doctor must be in the original container and clearly
labelled with the child’s name and dosage. It must be stored securely. It may be appropriate
for the child’s individual safe care plan to include details about storage and disposal.
Medication must be administered in accordance with the GP/Pharmacist’s instructions and
recorded on the Medication Record. There are two parts to the Medication record – one for
prescribed medication (SW145) and another for over the counter (or homely) medication
such as Calpol, paracatomol etc. (SW 146) If a mistake occurs which could have a major
impact on the child’s health, medical advice must be sought immediately and the Child’s
Social Worker informed.
Your Fostering Social Worker will discuss the medication records with you at each
supervision session. Medication records need to be completed for each child placed who
receive medication.
Al health information recorded for the foster child wil need to go to new carers or social
workers when the child leaves.
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Please note Disability Short Breaks Carers will need to discuss medication policy in more
detail with their worker and other professionals as well as the child’s family.
Information about Administering Medication is included in the Healthy Care Course. Carers
who regularly administer medication for children in their care are encouraged to attend the
training course, “Administration of Medication”
SELF ADMINISTRATION OF OVER THE COUNTER MEDICINES
If a child has the mental capacity to choose and wishes to buy their own remedies for minor
ailments they should be supported in this decision, and encouraged to speak to a
pharmacist.
This is included in the Delegated Authority Section of the Care Plan and should be
discussed at the Placement Planning Meeting and subsequent reviews when appropriate.
SELF MANAGEMENT OF MEDICATION
If a child or young person in foster care is assessed as being capable of looking after and
administering their own medication, foster carers should monitor that they keep the
medicines with them or store them in a lockable space.
Medication policies of the child’s school, where relevant, should be requested by the child’s
social worker or foster carer by agreement.
If there is concern about a child or young person’s ability to administer their own medicines
safely, the foster carer together with the young person should consult with the social worker
and the child’s parent(s) if possible and agree how much responsibility the young person is
able to undertake. Where it is assessed as safe to do so, the young person should be given
charge of their own medicines for a trial period. A risk assessment should be put in place.
After this, the foster carer should check whether or not the young person has taken the
medicine as prescribed and a decision should be made by the involved professionals (e.g.
GP or consultant) and recorded in the child’s personal file as to whether or not they can cope
with their medicines in the long term. The child or young person’s ability to administer their
medicines should be reviewed on a regular pre-planned basis. A risk assessment should be
put in place.
The age at which children are ready to take care of, and be responsible for, their own
medicines, varies. There is no set age when this transition should be made, and there may
be circumstances where it is not appropriate for a child of any age to self-manage.
In all situations discuss the management of medication in supervision with your fostering
social worker who wil be able to support you. Also in all cases you should seek consultation
of the Looked After Children Nurse as in some cases it may be appropriate for them to meet
and discuss self-medication with the young person.
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ACCIDENTS AND EMERGENCIES
In the event of an accident or medical emergency you must take appropriate action to
access treatment either through your GP, A & E or the emergency services.
Al accidents must be reported to the Child’s Social Worker or, if they are not available, their
Team Manager, your Fostering Social Worker and, if out of office hours, to the Emergency
Duty Service. Record all accidents in your Foster Carer’s Folder record. Complete Incident
Notification Forms within 24 hours and forward to your Fostering Social Worker
HIV AND HEPATITIS
Blood-borne viruses are infectious agents that some people carry persistently in their blood.
They can cause severe disease in some cases, and few or no symptoms in others. The
virus can be spread to another person and this may occur whether the carrier of the virus is
il or not.
The main blood-borne viruses of concern are:
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) which causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome
(AIDS);
• Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV).
Blood-borne viruses are spread by direct contact with the blood of an infected person.
Certain other body fluids may also be infectious e.g. semen, vaginal secretions and breast
milk. It should be noted that blood-borne viruses are not spread by normal social contact and
daily activities e.g. coughing, sneezing, kissing, hugging, holding hands, or sharing
bathrooms, swimming pools, toilets, food, cups, cutlery and crockery.
HIV
HIV attacks the body’s immune system making it vulnerable, over time, to infections that a
healthy immune system would fight off. However, people with HIV do not necessarily
have symptoms or feel unwel .
When a person with HIV infection contracts other opportunistic infections that take
advantage of the already damaged immune system they may be diagnosed as having AIDS
(acquired immune deficiency syndrome). There is as yet no cure for AIDS but there are
antiretroviral drugs that can improve the quality of life/extend the lifespan of people with HIV
as well as prophylactic drugs that prevent them from contracting opportunistic infections
and keep them in good health.
The vast majority of HIV-infected children in this country have acquired HIV infection through
mother to child transmission. Infection may pass from the mother to the unborn child in the
womb during pregnancy, during delivery of the baby or after birth through breastfeeding.
Children with HIV should be referred to a specialist HIV paediatrician for assessment.
How is HIV spread?
• By sexual intercourse with an infected person without a condom (i.e. unprotected sex);
• By sharing blood-contaminated needles or other equipment for injecting drug use;
• From an infected mother to her baby during pregnancy, while giving birth or through breast
feeding.
• By unprotected oral sex with an infected person;
• Through a blood transfusion where blood donations are not screened for HIV (all blood
donations in the UK are screened for HIV);
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• By invasive medical/dental treatment using non-sterile instruments/needles;
• By tattooing, cosmetic piercing or acupuncture with unsterilised needles or equipment;
• By sharing razors and toothbrushes (which may be contaminated with blood) with an
infected person.
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). The virus is found in the stool (faeces)
of HAV infected people. It is uncommon in the UK, but certain groups are at increased risk.
This includes travellers to parts of the world with poor levels of sanitation, men who have sex
with men, and people who inject drugs. Hepatitis A can be unpleasant, but it’s not usually
serious and most people make a full recovery within a couple of months.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a viral infection that may damage the liver and cause serious long-term
consequences. People with acute hepatitis B infection do not necessarily have symptoms or
feel unwell, but some do get a short “flulike il ness, often with jaundice (yellowing of the skin
and eyes and dark urine), nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. Infection without symptoms,
and il ness without jaundice, occurs particularly in children. Children with persistent hepatitis
B infection should be referred for assessment by a specialist clinician. Drug treatments may
be available.
Hepatitis C
Like hepatitis B, hepatitis C is a viral infection that may damage the liver. Many people with
hepatitis C infection have no symptoms and are often unaware that they have been infected.
Some people wil experience tiredness, nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain and flu-like
symptoms. They may also develop jaundice (yel owing of the skin and eyes and dark urine),
but this is unusual.
How do hepatitis B and C spread?
Hepatitis B and C are spread by blood-to-blood contact with an infected person’s blood or
other body fluids if they are contaminated with blood. The main routes by which the
infections are spread are the same as HIV but there is no proven association between
breastfeeding and hepatitis B & C transmission.
You do not get hepatitis B from sneezing, coughing, kissing or holding hands.
Immunisation against hepatitis B
Hepatitis B infection can be prevented by immunisation.
Immunisation of Foster Carers
The need to offer immunisation to other foster carers should be based on a risk
assessment by the local authority making the placement.
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STRENGTHS AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Recent research has found that children in care are fives times more likely to suffer from a
mental health problem compared to children living at home, and that many of these
problems often go unnoticed and undiagnosed. Therefore, SUSTAIN have been
commissioned to assess all children in Staffordshire who become cared for.
Once a child, over the age of 18 months, has come into care and remains cared for when
they reach their 4 month review the Strengths and Needs process wil be initiated. SUSTAIN
ask all Social Workers to complete a SUSTAIN Strengths and Needs referral form for the
child and send a copy of the Child’s Core Assessment to them. SUSTAIN also request
Social Workers to obtain written consent from the child’s parent, or whoever holds parental
responsibility.
Once SUSTAIN have received all documents they will contact you, the child’s teacher and
parent to complete some questionnaires. For children over 4 years old SUSTAIN wil make
an appointment to assess the child directly. This wil require the child to complete some
questionnaires and quizzes.
The areas the assessment wil cover are: Emotions and Behaviour, Trauma, Attachment,
Thinking Planning and Performing and Understanding Other People.
Once the assessment has been completed SUSTAIN will provide the Child’s Social Worker
with a written report of their findings, along with any recommendations, and you wil be made
aware of this.
The assessment wil make future recommendations for the childs care. The child’s social
worker wil discuss this with you.
HEALTH BOOKLET FOR CHILDREN IN CARE
Al children and young people wil be issued a Health Booklet. This record of health
assessment reviews the child’s health and immunisation history and is an important
document and should be made available at al health appointments. Separate guidance wil
be issued with the booklet for foster carers to follow. Discuss this with your social worker for
further information.
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SECTION SIX
FINANCIAL
FOSTERING ALLOWANCES
1.1
The table below sets out the allowances paid to all Foster Carers to cover the cost of
caring for a looked after child. The minimum amount to be paid has been determined by
the Department for Education (D
fE) and Staffordshire County Council now pays the
same, or more than that rate.
AGE RANGE
WEEKLY ALLOWANCE
0-1
127.05
2-4
130.06
5-10
143.01
11-15
171.08
16+
191.03
Guide to what allowances cover and how it should be allocated
1.2
The fostering allowances paid to foster carers covers the cost of caring for a child at
home. The percentage guidance chart below gives an indication to the foster carers of
the way this allowance is made up, and the amount of money allocated to each element.
This is intended as a helpful guide for foster carers and to assist them in the use of the
allowance.
TRANSPO
PERSONAL/
AGE
FOOD
CLOTHING
TOTAL
RT
HOUSEHOLD
34%
22%
8%
36%
100%
0 – 1
£43.20
£27.95
£10.16
£45.74
£127.05
34%
22%
8%
36%
100%
2 – 4
£44.22
£28.61
£10.40
£46.83
£130.06
32%
26%
7%
35%
100%
5 – 10
£45.76
£37.18
£10.01
£50.06
£143.01
11 – 15
32%
26%
11%
31%
100%
years
£54.75
£44.48
£18.82
£53.03
£171.08
16 +
30%
26%
9%
35%
100%
years
£57.31
£49.66
£17.19
£66.86
£191.03
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The following lists the items that the allowance is expected to cover. It is a
guide only and not an exhaustive list.
Food costs
School dinners/lunch money
Clothing/footwear (including replacing regular school uniform items)
Costs of clubs’ clothing (e.g. Cubs, Brownies etc)
Nappies and other baby items
Personal self-care items
Pocket money and savings
Toys/books/games etc
Education material costs
Leisure/family day trips/hobbies/activities/entertainment
School trips/activities
Life-story work materials and costs
Transport costs to attend school, support contact and attend meetings
Household costs, utilities e.g. additional gas, electric, washing
Household wear and tear e.g. to furniture, carpets and household items
Luggage costs.
Clothing
There is an expectation that the clothing element of the allowance is fully spent on the child,
ensuring that they are well clothed while with the foster carer(s), and when they leave their
care.
When the child/young person has sufficient clothing, the allowance should be placed in a
saving’s account for future needs. This should also be discussed with the child/young
person depending on their age and understanding.
The clothing allowance indicated is the minimum that can be used flexibly to purchase items
directly by foster carer(s) as necessary for young children and be provided to older children
and young people on a weekly/monthly basis, or as agreed.
It is expected that in order to encourage young people to develop budgeting skil s that they
should be given more responsibility for spending some or all of their clothing allowance.
When funds for children and young people’s basic clothes have been purchased (or funds
allocated) e.g. underwear, shoes, school uniform, the young person should be allowed to
purchase their own clothes. It is expected that carers should monitor this by seeing receipts
or at least, verifying that clothes have been bought and by recording the purchase in the
daily records. It is recommended that foster carers set up a separate bank account for the
clothing money. Foster carers should retain receipts of purchases.
Pocket Money and Savings
Pocket money should be given to children for their own use and not to pay for regular
entertainment, clothes or personal toiletries.
It is recommended that foster carers record on their daily log when they have given a child
pocket money and the amount given .They may also wish to record what this money has
been spent on, particularly in the case of younger children.
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Primary school aged children would be expected to be paid their pocket money weekly,
preferably on a set day. Older children may prefer to receive their pocket money and any
other allowances given to them for personal toiletries and entertainment and clothing,
monthly and paid into their personal savings account. They may also wish to do this with
some of their birthday and Christmas allowances. This wil depend on their maturity and
should be discussed with them and their social worker.
The amount of pocket money must be clarified at the start of a placement and discussed at
the placement planning meeting. .Although the minimum amounts for each age group have
been defined (see table below), foster carers are free to pay additional pocket money if they
wish to. An increase in pocket money should be linked to the child or young person’s
birthday to mark their increasing age.
Pocket money (weekly payment) and birthday allowances for children at school or
unemployed
Age
Pocket Money
Age
Birthdays and Festivals
0 – 1
£127.05
0 – 4
£2.10
2 – 4
£130.06
5 – 6
£2.35
7
£2.60
8
£2.85
5 – 10
£143.01
9
£3.15
10
£3.40
11
£3.95
12
£5.05
13
£6.00
11 – 15
£171.08
14
£7.20
15
£8.60
16
£10.30
16 – 17
£191.03
17 and over
£11.85
When a child or young person has a short break there is an expectation that the short break
carer will pay the child’s pocket money (pro rata). If the amount is paid monthly into a
savings account, then some discussion will need to occur as to who is responsible for
payment or part payment.
Foster carers are expected to put aside weekly amounts of the personal al owance for the
child as savings. Foster carers should support children to open a savings/bank account in
their own name for this purpose from the age of seven, when they wil be able to open an
account without an adult sponsor. It is expected that all children would have a bank account
by their 14th birthday. Once a young person reaches 18, they are entitled to access their
own saving’s account and it is expected that carers wil offer the young person advice on
how to use these savings.
The following weekly saving’s amounts are recommended:
Up to 10 years old
- £5.00 per week
11 – 15 years old
- £10.00 per week
16 / 17 years old
- £15.00 per week
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Initial Placement Expenses
A payment of £25.00 to cover initial placement expenses is made for those children being
admitted into foster care. This wil enable carers to purchase essential items. The money
wil be brought at the point of placement by the placing social worker and wil not be
deducted from the weekly maintenance allowance or any subsequent clothing allowance.
Supplementary Payments
When children are placed and additional needs have been identified within the child’s
placement plan, supplementary payments may be authorised.
Supplementary payments
are discretionary and need to be authorised through the child’s social worker/team
manager.
1. Food
Any special dietary requirements should be discussed at the Placement Planning Meeting
and included in the child’s Placement Plan and agreement reached if a supplementary
allowance is required.
2. Clothing
Children may not have suitable clothes when they first come into care and an initial clothing
allowance may be available. The child’s Social Worker and Team Manager are responsible
for the approval of a supplementary clothing allowance. Approval and authorisation of the
amount agreed must be in place before any supplementary items are purchased. This
should be agreed as part of the placement planning meeting and included in the child’s
Placement Plan. Foster carers should ensure that unrealistic standards are not set for
children returning home, e.g. the purchase of expensive/designer clothes. As a guide,
children should have the following items as a minimum requirement. The placement
planning process, at the beginning of the child’s placement, provides an opportunity to
discuss and agree if supplementary items of clothing are required.
Minimum Clothing Standards:
Babies: 6 vests, 5 daytime outfits, 6 sleep suits, 3 cardigans, 6 pairs socks, 1 pair gloves, 1
warm hat, warm outdoor suit.
Supplementary clothing allowance – up to £120 Toddlers: 6 vests, 6 pants, 6 socks, 5 daytime outfits, 2 jumpers/cardigans, 1 pair shoes, 1
pair trainers or sandals, hat, gloves, coat, 3 pairs of pyjamas/nightdress, 1 dressing gown, 1
pair slippers.
Supplementary clothing allowance – up to £150 Children aged 5-10 years: coat or waterproof, 6 pants, 6 vests or T-shirts, 6 pairs socks, 5
daytime outfits,3 pairs pyjamas/nightdress, 1 dressing gown, 1 pair slippers, 1 pair shoes, 1
pair trainers, 1 pair of Wellingtons, gloves, hat, PE kit including swimwear, school uniform, 1
suitcase/holdal .
Supplementary clothing allowance – up to £180
Young people aged 11-16 years: 7 pairs pants, 3 bras, 6 pairs socks/tights, 6 T-shirts, 5
daytime outfits, 1 coat/jacket, 1 pair shoes, 1 pair trainers, 3 pairs pyjamas/nightdress, 1
dressing gown, 1 pair slippers, gloves, hat, PE kit including swimwear, school uniform, 1
suitcase/holdal
Supplementary clothing allowance – up to £220
In exceptional circumstances the placement planning meeting may identify that an additional
resource is required based on the individual needs of the child being placed. Any additional
resource requires the agreement of the child’s Team Manager before purchasing.
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School Uniform:
School uniform, where needed, should be considered over and above the initial clothing
allowance. A supplementary allowance can be agreed by the child’s social work Team
Manager to cover some additional school uniform expenses.
As a guide, an additional allowance will be paid to cover the expense of providing uniform for
children recently placed with foster carers and/or when children need to move to a new
school.
It is expected that foster carers wil be able to provide standard items of school clothing and
footwear for children who have been placed with them for over three months. The
supplementary allowance is intended to pay for the more expensive items required by
individual schools e.g. items such as blazers, school logo-branded items of clothing and
sport’s kits, if required.
Transport:
The personal allowance covers all normal family mileage to see friends, attend clubs, routine
doctors/dental appointments etc. For school and contact- related journeys that the child
needs to attend and that take place outside the foster carer’s locality, a supplementary
mileage allowance wil be paid at
40p a mile. This should be agreed in advance and be
recorded as part of the Placement Plan agreement with the child’s Social Worker and Team
Manager. Additionally, when the foster carer is required to attend meetings regarding the
child that are outside the foster carer’s locality/school catchment area, mileage will be paid at
40p a mile.
Personal Items:
The child’s weekly personal allowance covers personal items such as toys and toiletries as
wel as leisure activities such as swimming, gymnastics and other activity groups. For
African or African/Caribbean children and young people, an additional allowance of
£5.00 (12 years and under) and
£7.00 (13 years and over) wil be paid per week, to purchase
creams/oils for skin care.
Household Equipment:
The personal allowance covers extra electricity, gas or other fuel, normal wear and tear on
household items, maintenance and redecoration of the foster child’s bedroom. Basic
equipment for the use of children and young people is provided to foster carers by the
Fostering Service. The equipment that can be provided with the agreement of the Fostering
Social Worker and Team Manager is as follows:
For babies and infants:
Cot and mattress
Buggy and cover
Stairgate x2
Fireguard
Highchair
Bedding: 6 cot sheets, 3 cot blankets
Car seat
Feeding equipment
Bath and bath set, changing mat
Two towels
Baby monitor
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Other children/young people:
Bed
Bedding: 2 pil ows, duvet, 2 sheets, 2 duvet covers, 4 pil owcases, waterproof cover,
Two bath and two hand towels
Chest of drawers,
Wardrobe,
Desk and chair.
NB: This is considered a ‘start-up package’ to assist foster carers and they would then be
expected to appropriately maintain equipment. Consideration wil be given at each new
placement as to whether additional items are required. This would need to be agreed at the
Placement Planning meeting; or in exceptional circumstances, with the Fostering Team
Manager.
The funding of the ‘start-up package’ wil be based on the most cost-effective purchases
available at the time. The Fostering Social Worker wil need discuss with their Team
Manager about the agreed set cost.
In some circumstances, foster carers may wish to purchase a more expensive item and fund
the difference in price themselves. The fostering team manager has the discretion to
consider such requests on an individual basis. This would not be agreed for some items
which can be re-used in other placements.
Birthday/Festival/Holiday Payments:
Birthday:
A grant, equal to one week’s child’s allowance payment appropriate to the age of the child
wil be made automatically for a child’s birthday. The birthday allowance is provided to
enable foster carers to purchase a gift(s) and to provide a contribution towards the cost of
celebrations.
Christmas/Festivals
A grant equal to one week’s child allowance payment appropriate to the age of the child will
be made at Christmas, and payable for al children in foster placements. The
Christmas/Festival Al owance is provided to purchase a gift(s) and to provide a contribution
towards to cost of celebrations. If the allowance is required for an alternative religious
festival, a request should be made via the child’s Social Worker.
Holiday Grant:
An annual holiday grant is paid equivalent to two weeks’ personal allowance per child (age
related) and is provided to the foster carer as a contribution towards a holiday or for an
equivalent number of day trips.
Family holidays are important social events that can build lifelong memories, and foster
carers are expected to include the children that they foster when planning their family
holidays. The County Council recognises that families have different priorities and family
budgets when choosing holidays and this holiday grant is reflective of the available
resources and the need to set appropriate budgets within Families First. Foster carers
should take this into account when planning their holidays and activities. The holiday
allowance is paid in advance to foster carers and should there be circumstances where this
allowance is not fully used e.g. due to the child returning home or moving placement, then
the foster carer should return the holiday allowance.
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Adoption Introductions
A supplementary payment can be agreed up to
£5.00 per day (maximum of £30 per week),
hospitality payment when foster carers facilitate introductions between children and adoptive
parents. This payment wil be discussed and agreed by the Fostering Team Manager.
In exceptional circumstances, further expenses can be agreed to facilitate unusual
arrangements that will promote the introductions and the needs of the child. This wil be
agreed by the Team Manager to support the requirements of the child’s plan.
Educational Trips:
The child’s personal weekly allowance covers educational and social events, for example,
school day trips, school discos etc.
In exceptional circumstances, the responsible County Manager for the child’s social work
team may agree to fund certain educational events such as field trips, where for example,
this is part of the young person’s curriculum and/or course work. Details should be discussed
by the foster carers with the child’s social worker in advance of the submission dates.
Additionally, the County Manager may also agree to pay for one major school trip in the
course of a child’s school life. The child’s social work Team Manager must seek the County
Manager’s approval beforehand.
Miscellaneous
With the prior agreement from the child’s social work Team Manager, funding can be agreed
for:
Essential documents including a child’s passport and birth certificate
School photographs.
In exceptional circumstances a nursery/after school placement may be funded if this had
been agreed by the child’s social work Team Manager as part of a child’s placement plan.
PAYMENT FOR SKILLS - OUTLINE OF THE SCHEME
INTRODUCTION
The Payment for Skil s scheme was introduced in 2001 and is designed to recognise the
range of knowledge; competency and experience that foster carers possess, with carers
paid an additional fee for each child in placement by reference to their competency.
The acquisition and subsequent maintenance of the necessary skil s in relation to higher
levels of payment is assessed by the allocated fostering social worker by reference to
detailed examination of the evidence of competency level required.
Foster carers are required to demonstrate and maintain evidence of their competency
through the collection of practice evidence presented within a personal portfolio. Foster
carer’s portfolios are regularly and consistently audited by the supervising social worker and
their manager.
There are four levels of payment three of which involve payment of a higher rate over
and above the basic maintenance allowance:
Level 1 Foundation Level: The carer receives the fostering allowance for the child in
placement.
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Level 2 Accredited Level: The carer receives the fostering allowance for the child in
placement and an additional fee for the carer’s skil s
Level 3 Advanced Level: The carer receives the fostering allowance for the child in
placement and a higher level additional fee for the carer’s skil s.
Level 4 Advanced+ Level: The carer receives the fostering allowance for the child in
placement and a higher level additional fee for the carer’s skil s. The additional fee is paid to
carers who care for children aged 10 year and over.
STANDARDS AND LEVELS OF PAYMENT
Everyone who applies to Staffordshire County Council to foster children undertakes the
preparation course, ‘Introduction to Fostering’, as wel as a home assessment. This offers
basic preparation for the task of foster caring. Expectations of a new carer cannot be as
great as a carer who has many years experience in fostering and who has undertaken
relevant post approval training and development activities.
The baseline expectations for all carers, and the starting point for new carers on approval,
are set out later in this section. Typically new foster carers wil be approved on the basis
that there is confidence that they will meet these expectations, even though the evidence
that they do meet them may not be complete. Collection of evidence wil begin from the start
of the preparation to foster.
Level 1
Newly approved Foster Carers wil be paid at Level 1 Foundation Skil s Level. Exceptionally,
newly approved foster carers with previous fostering or demonstrable relevant experience
may be approved to start above Level 1.
Level 2
Progression to level 2 will depend on the foster carer meeting the following requirements:
A minimum of six months fostering experience
A positive first annual review that identifies that the carers are working
towards and are on target for the completion of the Certificate of Successful
Completion within a year of their approval
Their portfolios of evidence contain 2 completed Standards which have been
presented to the Standardisation Panel for Feedback and have met the
required standard.
If these criteria are met the level 2 payments can be made to the foster carers with the
proviso that their Certificate of Successful Completion is achieved within 12 months of their
approval. On achieving the Certificate of Successful Completion foster carers wil
automatically be awarded level 2 accredited skil s level and paid accordingly
When Foster Carers have achieved The Certificate of Successful Completion they may work
towards achieving Level’s 3 and 4 Payment for Skil s by working to develop their skil level to
an Advanced/Advanced + level by evidencing the required Standards against the PFS
criteria.
Level 3/4
To achieve the Advanced/Advanced + levels foster carers will be required to submit
portfolios detailing evidence at an advanced level of competency against a number of the
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CWDC training, development and support standards for foster care. These standards are
referred to by the Staffordshire Fostering Service as Higher Level Learning Indicators and
are documented in the Staffordshire Fostering Service CWDC Training Support and
Development Standards for Foster Carers Policy.
Carers should submit portfolios of evidence that demonstrate advanced knowledge and skil
against these standards to the Standardisation Panel who wil confirm that the requirements
have been met. In addition to meeting these competencies at the advanced levels foster
carers wil be required to meet the following performance criteria
Performance requirement for Level 3
Foster carers should demonstrate that they:
Support and are involved with the Fostering Service recruitment activities; for
example, they are contributing to others learning by participating in ‘Reggie
the recruitment bus events, information evenings, supporting preparation and
other training events.
Have a 70% attendance record at support groups
Produce verbal and written reports to a high standard about the child and
young person in placement
Have worked and continue to work successfully and positively with parents
and professionals
Have a positive experience of direct work with children with complex needs,
for example children with communication difficulties, ADHD, life story work
with children with a disability.
Work closely and successfully with Sustain in direct work/behaviour
modification programmes with children
Have completed core training activities and can demonstrate participating in 6
certified training activities within a 2 year period including developmental
activities such as e – learning and guided learning programmes.
Have worked with children and young people in reducing the incidence of high
risk behaviour.
Have positive annual reviews
Have demonstrated they have developed, enhanced and consolidated their
knowledge, understanding and skil s in the higher level learning indicators to a
level 3 advanced level standard and this has been verified by the
Standardisation Panel.
A written submission will be required by the Fostering Social Worker and will show how
these expectations have been met. This report, the carer’s portfolio and the current Personal
Development Plan/Review wil be verified by the relevant Team Manager who wil sign and
date the social work report and submit it to the Fostering Service Manager for agreement
that the skil s level has been met. The Fostering Service Manager wil confirm in writing to
the carer that the skil s level has been met. Payment wil begin from the date verification was
made by the Team Manager. The Fostering Social Worker/Team Manager will then notify
the Finance Section of the change in circumstances.
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Performance requirement for Level 4
Foster carers should demonstrate that:
They meet the performance criteria for Level 3
And additionally that:
That they take a lead role in the development of the Fostering service, for
example, being a champion for a particular area of the service such as TSD
Standards, recruitment, support groups, health and educational
developments.
They co – facilitate and support training and development activities
Their personal development review shows evidence of their participation in
advanced continuing professional development training activities. Carers
should have attended a minimum of 6 certified development activities within a
2 year period.
They undertake the role of formal mentor to new/less experienced carers
and/or undertake the role of learning mentor to support other carers personal
development
They are pro active in their own continuing professional development keeping
evidence within their portfolio up to date. Their portfolio should be assessed
as current and at an advanced plus level standard.
They should demonstrate that they have developed, enhanced and
consolidated their knowledge, understanding and skil s in the higher level
indicators to a Level 4 Advanced Plus skil level. This should be verified by the
Standardisation Panel
They should be able to demonstrate that they have worked with young people
aged 10 – 18 years with high tariff behaviour and complex needs
One carer must be available at all times and therefore not in paid employment
They should be able to demonstrate that they have engaged with therapeutic
work. For example, planned risks approach under appropriate supervision and
support.
Have positive annual reviews
A written submission will be required by the Fostering Social Worker and will show how
these expectations have been met. This report, the carer’s portfolio and the current Personal
Development Plan/Review wil be verified by the relevant Team Manager who wil sign and
date the report and submit it to the Fostering Service Manager for agreement that the skil s
level has been met. The Fostering Service Manager wil confirm in writing to the carer that
the skil s level has been met. Payment will begin from the date verification was made by the
Team Manager. The Fostering Social Worker/Team Manager wil then notify the Finance
Section of the change in circumstances.
Maintenance of the current PFS Level
In all cases, the evidence contained in a Foster Carers portfolio must be current. Foster
Carers need to maintain current and reliable evidence within their portfolio and be able to
demonstrate the required performance criteria for their PFS level. For example, it is
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understandable that some carers may have other commitments that prevent them from
working to achieve the criteria required to meet the advanced levels, in these circumstances
carers wil need to maintain their portfolios at their current level by ensuring that the
evidence of the skil s and knowledge they have acquired remains current and reliable.
Fostering Social Workers wil assess Foster Carers portfolios on a regular basis. Fostering
Social Workers will submit the Foster Carers portfolio for review with their Team Manager on
an annual basis.
It is expected that the Social Worker and Carer regularly review the requirements for the
PFS levels within the supervisory meetings. Carers should be informed within Supervision
meetings about the requirements to maintain or progress their PFS level.
Carers may move between PFS levels according to whether they meet the competencies
and criteria for a particular level. If a carer is no longer performing at, or meeting the
competencies and criteria of their current level they will be moved to a lower level.
Fol owing the annual review of the evidence by the Fostering Social Worker and Team
Manager, and where a Carer has been assessed as unable to maintain the current skil level
criteria, the Team Manager wil notify the Fostering Service Manager of the changed
circumstances and recommend the appropriate skil level. Following verification by the
Fostering Service Manager the Carer wil then be notified in writing of the change in
circumstances with details of the proposed Payment for Skil Level. The PFS level will be
altered to the new level 28 days following the letter being sent to the Carer. The Fostering
Social Worker/Team Manager wil notify the finance section to make the appropriate
changes.
There may be some circumstances where Carers are unable to maintain the required
performance criteria due to unforeseen temporary events, for example, significant personal
circumstances or il health. In such circumstances reasonable allowances should be made
and the PFS level may be maintained. The Team Manager will regularly review these cases
with the Fostering Social Worker and timescales for the maintenance of the performance
criteria should be recorded within the Carers Personal Development Review.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR ASSESSMENT
Responsibility for the assessment needed to progress from one level to another is divided as
follows
A Fostering Social Worker wil be assigned to each Foster Carer and wil be
responsible for home visits, supervision meetings and all necessary interviews
as required.
It is the responsibility of the Foster Carer to demonstrate that they have
achieved the required competency (standard or higher level indicator) and
performance. The role of the Fostering Agency and the Supervising Social
Worker is to empower and enable Foster Carers to do this.
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The Fostering Agency has a responsibility to provide Foster Carers with the
tools and an appropriate and reasonable level of support to enable them to
demonstrate their underpinning knowledge, skil s and learning and meet the
required performance expectations.
It is the responsibility of the Foster Carer to ensure that they are meeting the
targets set within their Personal Development Plan/Review and their
supervision records and that they are participating fully in developmental
activities agreed within their PDP/Review.
It is the role of the Fostering Social Worker to assess whether the Foster
Carer has met the competency requirements (standards or higher level
indicators) and performance criteria.
It is the role of the Team Manager to monitor the work of the Fostering Social
Worker and verify and endorse the evidence produced. It is the role of the
Team Manager to endorse; where appropriate the recommendations made
and subsequently report to the Fostering Service Manager.
It is the role of the Team Manager to review evidence with the Fostering
Social Worker on an annual basis to ensure that Carers are maintaining and
developing their skil level. It is the Team Managers role to monitor and review
individual cases on a regular basis where the performance criteria and/or
portfolio evidence is not being met and to agree the support plan and
timescale for resolution.
The Fostering Service Manager will consider the recommendations made and
confirm the outcome.
AREAS OF DISPUTE
Areas of dispute may arise regarding the outcome of decisions by both The Standardisation
Panel and the final outcome regarding the Payment for Skil level. In these circumstances
the representation process (see 2.5) should be undertaken. Alternatively Carers may choose
to make a complaint by using Staffordshire County Council, Vulnerable Children’s Service
Complaints procedure (see separate policy). In all cases Carers should be advised of the
Complaints Procedure.
REPRESENTATION PROCESS
Grounds for making representation
Foster Carers may make representation regarding the decisions made in circumstances
where they believe that the assessment process and procedure were not properly carried
out. This is the only ground for representation.
How to make representation
Foster Carers should put their request in writing, providing detailed information in support of
their case. This letter should be sent to the Fostering Service Manager.
Time scale
The letter of representation from the Foster Carer should be received no later than 21 days
following the receipt of the notification of the outcome of the decision.
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Acceptance
The Fostering Service Manager wil consider whether the issues raised in the letter meet the
grounds for representation. The Fostering Service Manager will write to the Foster Carer to
indicate whether or not the appeal has been accepted. If accepted the matter wil be referred
to the Fostering Panel. The Carer wil be notified when their representation wil be
considered by Panel which wil take place within 2 months of the receipt of the
representation.
Fostering Panel Consideration
The Fostering Panel wil consider the representation, specifically,
Whether or not the assessment procedures and process were carried out
The reasons for the Standardisation Panel’s decision and/or the outcome of
the Payment for Skil s decision.
The Carer will be given the opportunity to put his or her case to the Fostering Panel in
person
The main focus of the representation process is to consider whether the assessment of
evidence has been conducted in accordance with the relevant policies and procedures.
Representation Outcomes
The recommendation of the Fostering Panel in matters of representation can be either
The representation is UPHELD.
The representation is NOT UPHELD
In both cases panel wil detail the reasons for their decision. The recommendation wil be
considered by the Agency Decision Maker who wil notify the carer of the outcome in writing
no more than 5 working days from the date of Panel.
Financial Consideration
In circumstances where the representation is made regarding a change in the Payment for
Skil level to a lower level, the higher level payments wil be maintained until the
Representation Process has been completed.
FOSTER CARERS WITH RELEVANT PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WHO JOIN THE
STAFFORDSHIRE FOSTERING SERVICE
An experienced Independent Foster Carer transferring to the Staffordshire Fostering Service
to care for children aged 10+ may come in at Level 4. They wil be given 12 months to
produce their portfolio of evidence for the Higher Learning Indicators and to demonstrate
they meet the performance criteria. Any transfer wil be in accordance with the protocol for
transfer between agencies. For those wishing to take children under the age of 10 Level 3
payments may be made dependent upon experience.
NEW APPLICANTS WITH RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
An experienced foster carer who fosters for an independent fostering agency and who is
transferring to Staffordshire Fostering Service to care for children aged 10+ can be paid
Level 4 fee from approval providing they are able to evidence their experience and skil s.
They will be given 12 months to produce their portfolio of evidence for the payment for skil s
scheme and to demonstrate they meet the performance criteria. For those wishing to take
children under the age of 10, level 3 payments may be made dependent upon their
experience. Arrangements for the proposed fee level will be made with the carer prior to
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approval. When foster carers transfer to Staffordshire and continue to care for a child in
placement there should be no detriment to the allowance and fee that the foster carers
previously received for that child prior to the transfer. Any transfer wil be in accordance with
the protocol for transfer between agencies.
NEW APPLICANTS WITH RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
For new applicants with relevant professional experience, entry at Level 3 can be agreed
with the foster carer who wil then have 6 months to produce a portfolio of evidence to
demonstrate they can meet the requirements of the payment for skil s scheme.
FOSTERING RATES 2018/19 PAYMENT FOR SKILLS
Level 1
AGE RANGE
WEEKLY ALLOWANCE
WEEKLY FEE
TOTAL
0-1
127.05
-
127.05
2-4
130.06
-
130.06
5-10
143.01
-
143.01
11-15
171.08
-
171.08
16+
191.03
-
191.03
Level 2
AGE RANGE
WEEKLY ALLOWANCE
WEEKLY FEE
TOTAL
0-1
127.05
43.61
170.66
2-4
130.06
44.45
174.51
5-10
143.01
51.66
194.67
11-15
171.08
70.98
242.06
16+
191.03
81.13
272.16
Level 3
AGE RANGE
WEEKLY ALLOWANCE
WEEKLY FEE
TOTAL
0-1
127.05
106.47
233.52
2-4
130.06
107.45
237.51
5-10
143.01
126.70
269.71
11-15
171.08
164.22
335.30
16+
191.03
182.49
373.52
Level 4
AGE RANGE
WEEKLY ALLOWANCE
WEEKLY FEE
TOTAL
0-9
Level 4 not paid for
children under 10
10-15 years
171.08
283.29
454.37
16+
191.03
321.02
512.05
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Intensive Fostering Fee Levels:
Fees paid to carers who are approved to provide placements for specific intensive fostering
programmes – resilience care, fostering disability full-time short break fostering and the
Thrive placement schemes.
A fostering fee is paid at a higher rate is outside the Payment for Skil s scheme. The
programme offers solo placements to children and young people who require intensive
support. Each programme has individual criteria that the carers are required to meet.
AGE RANGE
WEEKLY ALLOWANCE
RETAINER
TOTAL
10
171.08
477.61
648.69
11-15
171.08
477.61
648.69
16+
198.03
477.61
675.64
PAYMENT FOR SKILLS – ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS:
In addition to the Payment for Skil s, the directorate wil make additional payments.
For carers on Payment for Skil s only, the following payments apply:
A payment of
£25 to cover initial placement expenses will be made for those
children being admitted from their own home into foster care. This will enable
carers to purchase essential items. The money wil be brought at the point of
placement by the child’s Social Worker and wil not be deducted from the weekly
maintenance allowance or any subsequent clothing allowance.
Where a carer takes a sibling group of three an additional payment of
£30 per
child per week will be made. For four children or more the fee will be
£150 for
the whole sibling group.
For carers who have fostered for
more than two years, and have cared for a
child/children for
more than 250 days in the year, a
loyalty bonus of £300 will
be paid. The year will run from 1st April to 31st March and the payment wil be
made the following April/May.
JOINT FINANCE UNIT (VCPT) – PAYMENT DETAILS
TIMING OF PAYMENTS
The payment period runs from Sunday to Saturday, so a payment advice or cheque received
on a Friday/Saturday will be in respect of the fortnight ending that Saturday.
Al owances wil continue to be paid when a child has an unplanned absence from placement
for three days or less. There wil be a deduction of this allowance when the absence is pre –
agreed.
Child benefit is not payable to foster carers who are in receipt of a weekly fostering
allowance.
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Payment of all fostering allowances ceases the day before the young person reaches the
age of 18 years. Fostering allowances are paid fortnightly, in arrears, by either BACS (a
credit direct into your bank account) or by cheque posted on Thursdays, which should arrive
on a Friday or Saturday.
BACS payments are available for withdrawals to be made from Friday. Cheques will take up
to three days to clear through a bank account, or longer through a Building Society account.
Carers presently paid by cheque can opt to be paid directly into their bank/building society
account by phoning 01785 277180.
CHECKING ALLOWANCES/ENTITLEMENT
Carers should look carefully at the payment they receive to ensure that they are getting all
the allowances they are entitled to. Please contact Staffordshire County Council, Joint
Finance Unit (VCPT), with any payment queries, or Tel: Stafford (01785) 277182 or 277180.
Alternatively, you can email:
xxxx.xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx or
xxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx Where young people are moved at short notice, then the balance of any part weekly
payments wil not be expected to be returned. This practice does not automatically apply to
Special Initiative Payments.
Please be advised that it is a legal requirement that all remittance advices be retained for a
period of six years. This complies with the Statute of Limitations and meets both VAT and
Tax compliance rules.
CHANGE IN CIRCUMSTANCES
The child’s Social Worker must inform Adult’s and Children’s Financial Services (ACFS)
immediately of any change in circumstances. The carer should also contact ACFS
immediately should a placement end to try and avoid any overpayments. Any overpayments
wil be re-claimed by deducting 25% of the total allowance each pay run until the
overpayment is cleared.
OVER PAYMENTS
Every effort will be made to ensure that the overpayments of fees or allowances do not
occur. However, foster carers have an individual responsibility to check all payment
information received and to contact the payment’s team immediately if an overpayment does
occur. In the event of an overpayment, the payments team
will recover the full amount.
Prompt arrangements for repayment should be formally agreed as soon as possible.
The County Managers (Fostering and Adoption) will be notified by the payments team
and authorise a repayment’s schedule if required according to County Council
Financial policy and procedures.
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INCOME TAX AND NATIONAL INSURANCE
Foster carers are treated as self-employed for tax purposes. There is a specific tax scheme
foster carers can use called qualifying care relief. The scheme calculates a tax threshold
unique to the fostering household which determines if a foster carer has to pay any tax from
their fostering.
Anyone who is self-employed must register to pay Class 2 National Insurance Contributions.
If a foster carer’s taxable profit from self-employment is nil or below £5,965 (2015-16) they
automatically qualify for the Small Profit Threshold (SPT) and wil be exempt from paying the
contributions. The individual circumstances of the foster carer will determine if this is the best
option for them or whether they have to make other arrangements to maintain their national
insurance record.
Further information about tax and national insurance is available on HM Revenue and
Customs website
BENEFITS
Foster carers are approved rather than employed by their fostering service, and this status
has a particular effect on means tested benefits. In the main, fostering payments when a
child is placed with a foster carer are disregarded when calculating welfare benefits.
Alternatively, foster carers may be able to claim Working Tax Credit because fostering is
regarded as ‘work’ by HMRC when they have a child in placement. However it is also
important to also remember that the benefit system can often change at short notice.
Additional information in regard to Tax and Benefits can be found on the Fostering Network
website in the finance section at
https://www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk or by phoning 020 7620 6400
If foster carers are stil unsure about any of the above, they should speak to their fostering
social worker.
DISABILITY LIVING ALLOWANCE
There are a number of benefits that foster carers can apply for on behalf of the
children and young people they care for, including Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
It is advisable that carers seek guidance from the Department for Work and
Pensions (DWP) and the child’s Social Worker before applying for any benefits for
the child.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a non-means tested benefit paid by the
Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) to individuals who are disabled in order to
provide financial support to meet the additional needs that they have as a result of
their disability.
Disability Living Allowance for disabled or terminally ill children may help with the
extra costs of looking after a child who:
Is aged under 16
Has difficulties walking, or needs more looking after than a child of the same
age who doesn’t have a disability.
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The current DLA rate depends on the level of help the child needs which may be
informed by the undertaking of an assessment.
Eligibility:
Entitlement to DLA is subject to meeting all the eligibility criteria stipulated by the
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Claims for a child under 16 are only paid when the child's disability means that they
have substantial / additional needs above those of an average child of the same age.
To qualify for DLA, a child must need additional help, above those of an average
child of the same age, during the day and/or with everyday living tasks such as:
• Getting in and out of bed
• Going to the toilet
• Washing and bathing
• Extra help at school
• Dressing or undressing
• Playing and learning
• Eating and drinking
• Taking medicines
• Climbing stairs
• Turning over in bed
• Communicating with other people and learning social skills.
For example, the child may need someone with them to:
• Stop the child from hurting themselves, or other people, because of
behavioural difficulties
• Protect the child from dangers of which the child is unaware
• Prevent accidents. For example, children with learning disabilities or with
autism and with poorer road sense could be at risk outdoors
• Guide a hearing impaired or partially sighted child to walk outdoors safely;
• Support a child with mental health problems to avoid becoming anxious and
panicked in group/crowd situations.
DLA is paid in two parts – the mobility component and the care component and is
paid at different rates according to the child’s needs. A child may receive one or
both components.
The care component is paid at a low, medium and high rate and may be payable to a
disabled child from the age of three months, once the child’s needs have been
assessed.
The mobility component is paid at a low or high rate (i.e. higher? rate from age three
and higher rate from age five).
Any adult caring for a disabled or terminally ill child, providing the child is not in
hospital or residential care for more than 28 days, can apply for this benefit. Although
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the foster carer does not need the permission of the parent to apply for DLA, it would
be good practice for the child’s Social Worker to inform the parent of the foster
carer’s intentions.
If a child is in receipt of DLA prior to becoming looked after, the child’s Social Worker
should be involved in discussions with the parent concerning the transfer of the DLA
to the foster carer. The parent must notify the DWP that the child is no longer in their
care and the foster carer must be advised by their Fostering Social Worker to make
an application to the DWP to receive it. In the same way, if a child moves placement
from one foster carer to another, the foster carer must notify the DWP.
www.dwp.gov.uk
Carers should seek advice from the DWP and must tell their Fostering Social Worker
that they have applied for DLA, if they haven’t already spoken with their FSW.
DLA is paid every four weeks to the child, not the carer. Normally, if the child is
under 16 the carer acts as an appointee, otherwise, the young person, providing they
are capable, can have the benefits paid to them directly into their own bank
accounts.
Foster carers should set up a separate bank account in the foster carer’s name into
which the DLA will be paid. For young people aged over 16, the foster carers should
set up a bank account in the child’s name.
DLA expenditure
The child's social worker and foster carer should agree the manner in which the DLA
is to be spent, and this agreement should be recorded on the child's record,
placement plan and reviewed during statutory visits to the placement. The Fostering
Social Worker should review the agreement in supervision with the carer.
DLA should be spent by the foster carer in securing services and to support the
child's additional needs. DLA is intended to support everyday living, and can be
spent on a range of activities and equipment to meet the child's additional needs,
e.g.:
•
Activities that are costly e.g. horse riding, sensory sessions (Please note that
all escorts or helpers must have a current CRB check to ensure their
suitability)
• Provision of an escort to enable social events to be attended
• A special holiday for the child, which could (in exceptional circumstances and
prior to agreement) include covering the family’s expenses
• Extra support including child sitting, using DBS-checked sitters
• Individual equipment such as a computer or communication aids
• Specialist and/or replacement clothing, where there is excessive wear and
tear on clothing,
DLA should not be saved for the child to use in later years as this could result in
them being penalised. For example, for a child reaching 16, a sum of between £6000
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and £16000 in their own bank account will affect their claim for income support and
housing benefits.
The child's bank statement details should be kept by the foster carer, along with
records and details of expenditure. These records should be entered onto the child's
record as a financial document, on a three-monthly basis by the child's Social
Worker.
Although foster carers are not expected to produce receipts, it would be good
practice to do so to show how money is being used for the benefit of the child. Foster
carers are expected to record how the DLA is used to promote the child’s outcomes
within the placement. A record sheet (Appendix 1) is available to enable carers to
evidence how DLA has been used.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Disabled children aged over 16 can make an application for a Personal
Independence Payment (PIP) which has replaced DLA for anyone aged 16-64 years.
In order to confirm eligibility for a PIP, applicants will be required to undergo an
assessment.
If a child is in receipt of DLA and is approaching 16 years, they will automatically
receive an application pack for PIP, approximately 28 days before their 16th
birthday. Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Further information:
For further information on the appropriate use of DLA, contact the DLA Helpline on
0345 712 3456, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm who will offer clarify.
Claiming benefits - advice for members
https://www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/advice-information/finances/claiming-
benefits/claiming-benefits-advice-members
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children:
https://www.gov.uk/disability-living-allowance-children/overview
NATIONAL INSURANCE
Al foster carers who receive a reward from fostering are required to pay National Insurance
contributions as self-employed people, which wil provide benefits e.g. pension. This does
not apply to Level 1 and Level 2 carers.
Those carers whose reward payment is below the threshold level for National Insurance
payments need a ‘Certificate of Small Earnings Exception’ from their local DSS office. This
does not, however, give entitlement to benefits nor give credit towards a pension.
Carers at Levels 3 and 4 will need to register as self-employed and pay National Insurance
contributions. They have three months, from the time they become liable to pay tax, in
which to apply.
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PENSIONS: HOME RESPONSIBILITY PROTECTION
Home Responsibility Protection (HRP) was made available to foster carers from 2004. HRP
protects the basic retirement pension position of people whose opportunity to work is limited
because they are caring for children, or a sick or disabled person. It also helps with
bereavement benefits. It is designed to have the simplest of qualifying criteria - namely as a
'passport' entitlement based on the receipt of appropriate benefits. For carers of children,
Child Benefit is the trigger.
Foster carers are not employees of the local authority and the allowance they receive for
caring for a child is not normally subject to National Insurance or tax. ‘Reward payments’
are made in certain circumstances, which are classed as earnings from self-employment and
are liable for NI payments, but few foster carers receive these and some of them are granted
exception from NI liability on the ground of low earnings.
As the children cared for by foster carers are technically in the care of the local authority,
foster carers are not entitled to Child Benefit for them. Consequently, they are not covered
by the HRP provisions for periods of foster caring unless they have children under 16 of their
own.
HRP has been extended to foster carers for each full tax year for which they are registered
as an approved foster carer. This means that they will be covered for periods when they are
awaiting a placement and will benefit emergency foster carers who are ready to take in a
child at any time.
How HRP works
The amount of basic (Category A) retirement pension a person is entitled to will depend on
the number of qualifying years (i.e. years covered by national insurance contributions or
credits) they have built up during their working life. The working life runs from age 16 until
state pension age. In order to receive a full basic pension, 9/10ths of the working life
normally needs to be covered by qualifying years. The working life is currently 49 years for
men and 44 years for women. Therefore, for a full basic pension, a man needs 44 qualifying
years and a woman 39.
HRP reduces the number of qualifying years needed for a full basic pension. However, it
cannot reduce that number below 20. The provisions apply equal y to men and women.
The current maximum number of HRP years is 24 for men and 19 for women. When state
pension age is equalized at 65 in 2020, both men and women will need 44 qualifying years
for a full pension and HRP wil cover a maximum of 22 years.
The broad intention of HRP is to protect a person's pension over substantial periods of home
responsibilities, not short periods of a few weeks or months; the legislation therefore applies
to complete tax years during which a person satisfies the conditions.
What has to be done?
Foster carers need to complete claim form CF411, which they can get from social security or
Inland Revenue offices and send it to the Inland Revenue. They will need to enclose a letter
of confirmation that they have been approved as a foster carer throughout the previous tax
year. This letter wil need to be provided by the Local Authority which has approved them.
Provided everything is in order, they wil have their entitlement to HRP for that tax year noted
on their National Insurance account.
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INSURANCE
Foster Carers must inform both home and car insurance companies that they foster. They
must have appropriate home insurance and fully comprehensive car insurance with business
use for fostering. If the companies impose an extra charge, i.e. for business use, this should
be discussed with their Fostering Social Worker. Where a foster child has caused damage to
a foster carer’s property, the carer should initially contact their insurance company. Families
First have an insurance policy, which covers foster carers in circumstances where an
insurance claim cannot be met.
FOSTER CARER INSURANCE – GUIDANCE NOTE
The following insurance is provided in respect of Foster Carers, including those involved in
the Disability Short-Break scheme; those of children under remand from the Court, and
lodgings providers registered with Staffordshire County Council and involved in the
Supported Lodging Scheme.
Property Insurance
Insurers: Travelers Insurance
Policy Number: UCPOP 398807
Indemnity Limit: £300,000 Buildings / £15,000 Contents any one household
This policy provides cover to all property belonging to persons appointed as foster
parents/supported lodgings provider in respect of damage (wilful or otherwise) caused to
Foster Carer/Supported Lodgings Provider’s property by the foster child residing with an
Insured Foster Parent/Supported Lodging Provider.
It is a contingent policy that would only pay if no other policy is in force or if the policy in
existence fails to pay out for some reason. Carer’s property is defined as follows: ‘Buildings
and Contents belonging to an Insured Foster Parent/ Supported Lodging Provider’.
The following is not covered under this policy:
1. Theft of money
2. Damage to Motor Vehicles (whether being driven or not)
Where such damage or theft has occurred, the foster carer should discuss recompense with
the fostering social worker. The policy is on a reinstatement basis and provides cover on a
new for old basis.
The policy would cover Foster Carer/Support Carers/Supported Lodgings Provider’s own
children’s property provided this property is within the Carer’s home and forms part of the
household’s contents. The policy is subject to an excess of £100, which wil be met by the
Fostering Service. Standard policy terms and conditions wil apply to this cover, and it
should be noted that all claims should be reported to the Insurance Company within 30 days
of the loss.
Liability Insurance:
Insurers: QBE Insurance (Europe) Ltd
Policy Number: Y097981QBE0116A
Indemnity Limit: £5,000,000
Excess: nil
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This policy indemnifies individual Foster Parents/Support Carers /Supported Lodging
Provider approved by Staffordshire County against any claim made by a third party against
the Foster Parents/Supported Lodging Provider arising out of the fostering by them of
children in care of Staffordshire County Council.
The policy provides retrospective cover for Foster Parents arising out of claims made during
the currency of the policy in respect of injury, il ness, loss or damage, which occurred,
between 1st April 1964 and 16th June 1989 when Policy TP-2A004-0183 was effected.
During this period of cover, the Indemnity Limit was £1,000,000 and not as stated above.
Cover for period 16th June 1989 to 30th April 1998 provided under policy TP-02A004-0183
with Indemnity Limit of £1,000,000. Standard policy terms and conditions wil apply to this
cover.
EQUIPMENT
Equipment is provided through the Fostering Social Worker via the issue of an official order
giving details of the items to be purchased and maximum amount to be spent. The type of
equipment that family placement provide is detailed in 1. In exceptional circumstances
permission wil be given for carers to make the purchase and for money to be reimbursed on
submission of the receipt.
DISABILITY SHORT BREAK PAYMENTS
When a link has been set up the child’s Social Worker will complete a SW734 and
forward it to JFU. Payments for each session or series of sessions are initiated by
the Fostering Social Worker who will complete the Form SW807 for each date the
child is in placement.
Payment is as follows:
Intros/Meetings
£15.85
Up to 84 hours
£185.50
Up to 6 hours
£31.60
Up to 96 hours
£205.25
Up to 12 hours
£47.40
Up to 108 hours
£224.95
Up to 24 hours
£63.20
Up to 120 hours
£244.70
Up to 36 hours
£94.70
Up to 132 hours
£264.50
Up to 48 hours
£126.30
Up to 144 hours
£284.20
Up to 60 hours
£146.00
Up to 156 hours
£303.95
Up to 72 hours
£165.80
Up to 168 hours
£323.65
Where agreement has been given by the area social work team to cover transport
costs, the mileage will be paid at the rate of 40p per mile.
Any equipment required will be provided through the Family Placement Social
Worker, in conjunction with the specialist OT services. See previous sections for
details of equipment, insurance, tax etc.
REMAND PAYMENTS
Payments to remand foster carers are initiated by the child’s social worker through
submission of a SW734 to JFU (VCPT).
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Remand carers receive a payment of £450.00 per week or £65 per day for periods of less
than one week.
EMERGENCY DUTY SERVICE FOSTERING
Foster carers wil be available on a rota to accept placements made by the County
Emergency Duty Service Social Workers (EDS) outside normal office hours. This wil
increase placement choice, reduce the need to use residential emergency beds and enable
siblings to be placed together.
EDS Incentive Fee: Carers will receive £50 for one child, £75 for two children and £100 for
three or more, in addition to payment of the appropriate for skil s level (paid pro rata).
Placement should be until the next working day only.
LOANS TO FOSTER CARERS
Staffordshire County Council may authorise the provision of a loan to Foster Carers under
duties set out in Section 23 Children Act 1989, to provide accommodation and maintenance
for children they are looking after.
Applications for loans for conversion or extension to the carer’s property, or for the purchase
of a larger vehicle, will be considered by the Directorate, for carers approved by the
Authority. This is to enable carers to be supported in the fostering task through providing
additional accommodation for fostering or a larger vehicle where it is necessary due to the
number of people in the family or an adapted vehicle when caring for a severely disabled
child.
Al loans exceeding £4,999 wil be secured through a legal charge against the carer’s
property and will be repayable by instalments over an agreed period of time. Should the
carers cease to foster for the Authority, the outstanding balance of the loan wil be repayable
in full.
Loans of £4,999 or less wil remain unsecured but will be subject to a clause in the contract
requiring repayment of the loan in full should the carer cease to foster for the authority.
Loans wil be re-paid through instalments by standing order / direct debit payable to
Staffordshire County Council.
The provision of a loan will be subject to the standard terms set out below, unless
exceptional circumstances apply, and agreed by the Service Manager (Fostering services)
or Head of Provider Services (Looked after Children), dependent upon the amount and
whether secured.
STANDARD TERMS
Parties: Staffordshire County Council and Foster Carers approved by Staffordshire. Special
Guardians and Adoptive parents where children have been placed by Staffordshire.
Security: Al loans of £10,000 and above to be secured by way of a legal charge against the
carer’s property, in favour of Staffordshire County Council. The outstanding balance will
become repayable in full should the carers cease to foster for Staffordshire. Where the loan
required is for less than £10,000, there will be a clause in the contract requiring repayment in
full should the carer cease to foster for Staffordshire.
Should the borrower miss any two payments in any six month period they will be required to
repay in full the outstanding balance, and the contract will come to an end.
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Amount to be advanced: Loans of less than £30,000 to be determined by the County
Manager following application to, and positive recommendation from Resource Panel. Loans
above £30,000 require a positive recommendation from resource Panel and the agreement
of Strategic Lead Looked After Children Services.
Period of loan: the maximum period wil be the date of the 18th birthday of the youngest
foster child at the point of the agreement for long term placements or for an agreed number
of years. Relocations/extended loan periods may be considered in exceptional
circumstances
Repayment of loan the borrowers wil make monthly payments by standing order / direct
debit to Staffordshire County Council.
Early termination of the agreement: wil occur when the loan is repaid in full or where the
borrower ceases to foster for Staffordshire. There will be no penalty for early repayment.
Interest: loan to be interest free.
PROCEDURE
1.1
Families First is committed to providing the right support to our families and carers.
Sometimes this requires agreeing financial support to assist with home adaptations in
order to provide suitable accommodation for children being placed, or growing older
in their placements; or in order for a household to purchase a larger vehicle to meet
their needs as carers.
1.2
This type of financial support is agreed under duties set out in Section 23 (Children
Act 1989), to provide accommodation and maintenance for children they are looking
After
(Special Guardianship Orders Regs 2016)
1.3
Al loans over £10,000
wil be secured through a legal charge against
the carer’s property and wil be repayable by instalments over an agreed
period of time. If the carers cease to foster for the Local Authority, the
outstanding balance of the loan will be repayable in full.
1.4
Loans of £10,000 or less will remain unsecured but wil be subject to a
clause in the contract requiring repayment of the loan in full should the
carer cease to foster for the Local Authority.
1.5
Loans will be repaid through instalments by standing order / direct debit
payable to Staffordshire County Council.
1.6
Recipients of loans must understand that they are legally bound by the conditions of
the contract issued by Staffordshire County Council to repay any loan amount in full.
1.7
Where the recipient of a loan is experiencing difficulty maintaining their repayments,
they should contact Staffordshire County Council Order Payments team at the
earliest opportunity.
1.8
Decisions in relation to changes in the terms of repayment schedules will be passed
to the Resource Panel for consideration and agreement.
1.9
Where the recipient of a loan has defaulted and the Resource Panel is not satisfied
that an effective repayment plan is in place, the outstanding debt will be passed to
Staffordshire County Council’s Debt Recovery Team. Legal action wil be instigated
to recover outstanding debt where required.
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1.10 The provision of a loan wil be subject to the standard terms set out below,
unless exceptional circumstances apply, and agreed by either the County Manager
(Adoption/Fostering Services) or the Strategic Lead, Looked After Children Services.
2.
Procedure for Home adaptions
2.1
Al practitioners are reminded that, in their discussions with carers and potential
carers, they must remain realistic about the provision and availability of this type of
financial support. It is not fair to unrealistically raise cares/prospective carer’s
expectations before the outcome of a fair and transparent assessment and decision-
making process.
2.2
All practitioners share a responsibility to manage carers/prospective carer’s
expectations.
2.3
When considering issues around the need for home adaptations the following must
be considered:
Is this absolutely essential in order to meet the needs of the child being
placed/in placement?
Have all possible solutions to meet the identified needs been explored?
Is this an immediate or future need (if it’s a future need can we consider other
options like support with rehousing)?
What is the most cost-effective way to achieve a
good enough outcome in
order to meet the child/ren’s needs?
2.4
Al requests for financial support must be raised with the Team Manager.
2.5
The Team Manager can decide to reject the request or support the request from their
own team budget (e.g. S.17) for up to £1,000.
2.6
For higher cost arrangements, the Team Manager can consider supporting a request
to the Families First Resource Panel.
2.7
Before supporting a referral to the Resource Panel, the Team Manager
must meet
with the carers/prospective carers and undertake a visual inspection of the home,
taking into account the principles set out above.
2.8
The Team Manager should make a key decision supporting the need for financial
support to be considered by the Resource Panel and include this when booking onto
Panel.
2.9
The carers/prospective carers must be informed that there is stil a process to go
through and their expectations must be managed. They will be required to provide
detailed information about their household finances and costings in relation to any
work proposed. They need to remain open to critical chal enge/creative thinking
about ways to achieve the outcomes needed in the most cost-effective way.
2.10 Resource Panel wil only consider applications for loans where they are in receipt of
all information.
2.11 Where required, Resource Panel will make time available to discuss potential
applications with team managers and practitioners in order to arrive at ‘
in principle’
decisions to help support early decision-making/care planning.
2.12 No indication of a decision should be given to carers/prospective carers before this is
formally agreed at Resource Panel.
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2.13 Applications to the Resource Panel for home adaptations from Care Planning &
Court and/or Safeguarding Team Manager’s wil be considered. NB: Panel wil not
consider any other applications for funding outside of Regulated Services.
3.
Procedures for accessing car loans
3.1
Car loans to carers should only be provided where there has been an assessed need
that the household require a larger/different vehicle in order to meet the needs of the
children who have been placed.
3.2
Requests should not exceed £12,000 unless exceptional circumstances have been
identified.
3.3
Social Workers supporting requests for car loans must take into account the carer’s
current and future commitment to their role and the carer’s ability to repay the loan
without it impacting adversely on the children in placement.
4.
Resource Panel Process
4.1
With the agreement of their Fostering Social Worker, carer’s must complete the
application form for
Home Adaption/Extension or Purchase a Larger/Adapted
Vehicle, attaching the necessary estimates/quotes.
4.2
Panel wil consider ‘in principle’ decisions, where this is required.
4.3
The Team Manager wil review the application and make a decision re progression to
Resource Panel. Team Managers are required to complete the applications re home
adaptions over £1000.
4.4
The completed ID1 Application form and estimates will be forwarded to the Resource
Panel Administrator.
4.5
The Resource Panel wil consider all applications for loans between £1,000 and
£30,000 and make a decision, setting out clearly the basis upon which the loan has
been agreed.
4.6
Any unsecured loans and/or secured loans exceeding £30,000 wil be considered by
Resource Panel and a recommendation made. These will then be escalated to the
Strategic Lead, Looked After Children Services, who wil consider the application and
the Panel recommendation and make a decision, setting out the basis upon which
the loan has been made.
4.7
The signed application form will be forwarded to Legal Services who will arrange
through Property Services, in cases where the loan is to be secured against the
carer’s property, for the property to be surveyed to establish whether there is
sufficient equity to absorb a legal charge. Where there is insufficient equity, the
County manager (Adoption/Fostering Service) will consider whether the request is
exceptional so as to justify an unsecured loan in excess of £10,000 being made.
4.8
Legal Services wil liaise directly with the carer to explain the process,
the proposed agreement.
4.9
Legal Services wil draw up and execute the contract, ensuring that any
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legal charge is set against the property.
4.10 The application form wil be forwarded to the Joint Finance Unit (JFU) by
Legal Services in order for the finances to be released on the agreed date
4.11 The carer wil provide proof of purchase to the JFU to confirm the loan has been
used to purchase the vehicle for which it was agreed.
4.12 For extensions to properties, the carer will send a copy of the Building
Regulation’s Certificate to the Resource Panel as proof that the building works have
been completed and to a satisfactory standard.
4.13 Recipients of loans are contractual y obliged to inform the Local Authority where
these circumstances change. Where required, fostering social workers wil inform the
Families First Finance Manager where circumstances arise that may impact upon the
full repayment of the loan.
5.
Financial Matters:
5.1
Once a signed legal contract is received from Legal Services, the
following action will be taken by Families First Joint Finance Unit:
a) Issue loan payment to the carers in accordance with the above legal document
ensuring that loan repayments are calculated exactly to ensure that that the total
amount to be repaid equates to the contract sum and the standing order / direct
debit mandate.
b) A Sales Order will be raised against the carers, where applicable, with all
paperwork being forwarded to the FF Debt Recovery Officer.
c) The FF Debt Recovery Officer will send a letter to the carers informing them of
their repayment obligations as outlined in the approved contract.
d) On receipt of the returned signed standing order / direct debit bank mandate
form, the FF Debt Recovery Officer will forward this completed document to the
carer’s bank.
e) A copy of the Building Regulation’s Certificate will be sent to JFU by the carer as
proof that the building work has been completed and to a satisfactory standard. In
the case of purchase of a vehicle proof of purchase will be sent to JFU.
f) In the event of any
two payments not being made in any six month period, the FF
Debt Recovery Officer wil liaise with the child’s social worker and Legal Services
with a view to terminating the contract and seeking immediate recovery of the
outstanding balance of the loan. Should this amount not be paid by the borrower
on request, the FF Debt Recovery Officer wil instigate normal debt recovery
procedures.
g) The FF Debt Recovery Officer will notify Legal Services when loans have been
fully repaid that have been secured against the carer’s property.
h) The register of loans maintained by the JFU wil be reviewed on a 6 monthly
basis by the FF Finance Manager and forwarded to the relevant County
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Manager, (Adoption and/or Fostering) for identification and notification to the JFU
of any breaches in the carer’s contractual obligations.
JDU wil notify Legal Services and the Fostering Social Worker when the loan has been fully
re-paid.
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SECTION SEVEN
DISABILITY FOSTERING TEAM
Disability Fostering is a Short-Break Service, which links families of disabled children with
individuals and families who can provide their children with short-term care on a regular
basis.
ACCESS AND CRITERIA (for children and young people who access the service)
The aim of the service is to promote the upbringing of the children and young people within
their own families. The careful matching process when placing a child/young person adheres
to working in partnership with the young person and their parent/carer along with other
agencies to provide the best possible individual service to all.
When foster care is provided as a short term break for a child, arrangements should
recognise that the parents remain the main carers for the child. The parents remain central
to the promotion of the child’s health and education at all times.
The series of short term placements to which this regulation applies may be treated as a
single placement.
Al Disability Fostering referrals are processed through the two Disability Resource Panels,
East & West.
Disability Fostering is a planned service.
The referral for Disability Fostering is an agreed referral made in conjunction with the
family and child/young person.
The child is aged between 3 and 16 years at the time of referral. Children outside this
age range will need to seek guidance from the relevant Disability Resource Panel.
The referral to the service is in line with Staffordshire’s Children with Disabilities
Services Eligibility Criteria for which the Matrix of Need is used. The Disability
Fostering Team will be accessed at level 2 or level 3 of the Matrix of Need.
The quantity of service provided will be up to a maximum of 29 overnight stays per
year. Additional stays must be agreed by the Head of Service or through the
Disability Resource Panel.
To meet the needs of the child efficiently, it is essential for a social worker to be
allocated to a child to access and maintain the service.
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PLACEMENT PROCESS
Monthly Service meetings are held to discuss resources and potential links for
children awaiting a placement.
Once a possible match has been identified, the child’s social worker and Disability
Fostering Social Worker will discuss the proposed placement in greater detail.
Meetings will take place between the Parent/Carer, Disability Short Breaks Carer,
Child, Child’s Social Worker and Disability Fostering Social Worker.
A Risk assessment wil be completed prior to placement.
Once the link has been agreed by everyone, in addition to the mandatory placement
paperwork, the Child’s Social Worker, family and child wil complete the child’s
passport containing details of the child’s needs and wishes.
LEVEL 5 FOSTER CARE FOR DISABLED CHILDREN (Contract Care)
In line with guidance through “Aiming High for Disabled Children” which states that “the
570,000 disabled children in England around 100,000 of whom have complex care need,
need support from a wide range of services.”
Our remit under ‘Aiming High’ is to recruit five households to meet the needs of the following
groups of children:
1. Children and young people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (likely to have other
impairments)
2. Children and young people with complex health needs
3. Children and young people with moving and handling needs
4. Children and young people where chal enging behaviour is associated with other
impairments
Level five carers are paid a weekly fee plus allowances in recognition of the
complexity of the Children’s needs
EXPECTATIONS OF LEVEL 5 CARERS
This will provide 230 placement nights with the child in placement plus 10 days
allowed covering training, reviews etc.
Carers would be expected to work a minimum of 30 weekends per year and be
available for placement for the majority of the school holidays.
Sick leave - carers would be expected to submit a letter from the GP after 2 weeks if
they were unable to care because of sickness. The fee would continue to be paid for
one calendar month, should the sickness continue the fee would reduce to half for 2
months. Should this exceed 3 months and prevent them from caring, their fitness
would have to be assessed with the help of their GP or consultant.
Resignation - a three month notice period would be expected from carers to enable
an alternative provision to be arranged.
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CRITICAL ILLNESS/CHILD DEATH IN PLACEMENT
Guidance for Foster carers of children who have no Advanced Care Plan
(An Advanced Care Plan is drawn up by family/carers and health professionals involved
when it is clear that a child has a life threatening or life limiting condition, it is led by Health)
When a child is critically ill in placement
Why procedure is required
Local Safeguarding Children Boards have responsibilities set out in statutory regulations
when
a
child
dies
(Working
Together,
Chapter
7,
2010).
http://www.staffsscb.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/B423F1E7-9E1E-4C51-BF56-
364932A39B59/152049/10AOverviewDocument.pdf Purpose of Document
This document provides details of the procedure which is to be followed in the event of a
critical il ness or child death in placement, and includes guidance and information for foster
carers.
The procedure to follow if a child is in placement with foster carers and is taken
critically ill or appears lifeless, then the foster carer will take the following action:
1. The foster carer is to stay with the child. If alone, take the phone to the child and phone
999. Give details of the child and il ness to the operator, plus any details of open access
to a hospital ward.
2. The foster carer is to follow the Health care plan guidance in carrying out CPR as
appropriate to the child.
3. The Emergency Operator wil stay on the phone and guide you until the ambulance
personnel or paramedic arrives to take over. The foster carer wil collect the child’s
emergency file, medication and most recent medication chart for the hospital. They wil
require details of the last medication given.
4. On the arrival of the paramedics/ambulance personnel, the foster carers wil be guided
by them as to when it is appropriate to contact the child’s parents and inform them of the
situation. The paramedics wil guide the foster carer as to whether the child is taken to
hospital and if so, which one.
5. The foster carer wil inform the child’s social worker as soon as practicably possible.
After this the foster carer will contact their supervising social worker or the relevant team.
6. If out of hours, contact the duty social worker Tel No. 01785 354030, or 0845 6042 886
7. Medical personnel wil be available to take charge at the hospital. They wil require the
following details:- medication sheet, full name, date of birth, address, names of parents,
contact details, diagnoses, any recent il ness, allergies, names of consultants if known,
or which hospital they are seen at. They may also need the child’s current medication.
8. At the first opportunity, the foster carer is to record the child’s health and behaviours prior
to the incident. This is information which may clarify the onset of the il ness
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9. The child’s social worker and Medical staff are responsible for following statutory
procedures which may lead to an investigation.
10. The child’s sudden death may lead to an investigation. If so, information collated by the
Foster carer will be removed at the earliest opportunity. Foster carers may also be
required to be interviewed by the Police
Procedures for Children in Placement with Advanced Care Plan
1. Foster carers are to be informed where a child is in placement with an advanced care
plan, or where such a plan is made during a child’s placement.
2. The advanced care plan wil be discussed with foster carers either during the placement
meeting or at the time of drawing up the advanced care plan.
3. The foster carers wil have a copy of the advanced care plan to give to medical
personnel as necessary.
4. In case of critical il ness or death, Advanced Care Plan recommendations are to be
followed.
Carer support
1. The Supervising Social Worker or colleague wil contact the carer on the same day if
require or on the next working day at the latest, and will visit within two working days in
order to clarify support needed.
2. Appropriate times wil be arranged to collect the child’s belongings, files equipment etc
3. Support wil be offered from the fostering social worker to attend the funeral and an
ongoing support plan wil be agreed.
4. Ongoing contact with the child’s family and other implications to be discussed in the
Foster carers’ supervision.
5. Additional contact numbers
Fostering Network - Bethan Houston – 01905 622459
Email -
xxxxxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx
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SECTION EIGHT
INTENSIVE INTERVENTIONS
Working together with specialist staff from social care, mental health and the youth offending
service, our Intensive Interventions foster carers provide different types of specialist
placement for exceptionally hard-to-reach young people who often require a solo placement.
RESILIENCE FOSTERING (LEVEL 5)
Resilience Fostering (Level 5) is a family finding project delivered jointly by the Staffordshire
Fostering service and the North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust and is
located within the Intensive Interventions arm of the fostering service. The approach in this
model is centred upon
resilience theory.
Young people entering these solo foster placements are usually aged 10-13 and do so from
the residential sector where, following a period of preparation, consultation with their birth
family and with the consent of the young person they are provided a solo foster placement
within a long term family unit.
Applicants for Resilience Fostering are usually professionals with a knowledge of the social
care system (residential workers, police officers, foster carers, nurses, teachers and so forth)
who commit to the usual Form F assessment but also an additional psychological screening
(the Attachment Style Interview) to ensure their suitability for this chal enging work. Carers
are paid a high professional fee in addition to the fostering allowance and receive 36 days
paid respite annually.
Close support to these placements is guaranteed via a network which includes a clinical
psychologist, social workers, learning mentors, respite foster carers and education tutors.
This team meets with the foster carer weekly to ensure the plan for the young person is on
track and working well for everyone. The Resilience Fostering social workers also offer out
of hours support 24/7.
The rationale
Evidence from research tells us that children are best able to overcome adversities if they
have a strong support network, positive school experiences, a belief that their own efforts
can make a difference, opportunities that promote competence/emotional maturity and
exposure to chal enges that develop problem solving and emotional coping skil s.
The single most important factor in promoting resilience in children is a secure and
supportive family. Securing and supporting the resilience of their foster carers is just as
important to the success of a placement.
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REMAND FOSTERING
New legislation introduced in May 2012 (the Legal Aid, Immigration and Sentencing of
Offenders Act) wil mean some young people age 10-17 involved in court proceedings who
were formerly remanded to secure custody may now instead be offered the support of a
foster family whilst they await their court appearance. In only some cases might these be
solo placements; many other young people may benefit from joining a larger family, including
where other foster children may be present. The placement match is risk assessed and
undertaken in full consultation with the providing family and their supervising fostering social
worker. Remand foster carers (irrespective of their payment for skil s level) receive a fixed
high professional fee in addition to the usual fostering allowance for the duration of the
placement.
This is a welcome development as sending young people to custody to await court has
proved highly detrimental for many young people, the majority of whom research shows will
abandon their offending behaviour post-adolescence.
Time spent in a foster family and away from negative peers can be used constructively to
counsel them, educate them, model pro-social behaviours and introduce new positive
choices for young people.
A typical period of remand is 12 weeks, during which time the foster carer ensures the young
person attends any legal meetings or court appearances, the remand social workers
undertake a timetable of direct sessions with the young person and the education worker
ensures the young person’s education or training obligations are fulfil ed.
A suite of materials are available to inform the public and enquiring professionals
about Resilience Fostering (Level 5), Intensive Fostering and Remand Fostering.
Information
can
be
sought
via
www.care4child.org/fostering-in-
staffordshire/fosteringlevel5.php
Or for further information and a discussion on any of the above contact:
Brian Johnson,
Programme Manager,
Intensive Interventions
Tel: 01785 277368
Mob: 07969 242584
xxxxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
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SECTION NINE
FAMILY & FRIENDS
Family & Friends Team
When parents have difficulties at home and their child is suffering as a result, s/he may need
to be looked after by someone else, for example a relative, friend or other person who is
connected with the child. These arrangements can be made directly between parents and
their relatives or friends or a social worker may be involved because they are concerned that
the child is suffering significant harm and do not believe it is safe for the child to remain in
the parents’ home.
When a social worker is involved the child becomes a ‘looked after child.’
Staffordshire
County Council is committed to placing children with a relative, friend or connected person to
the child, before considering placing them with unrelated foster carers, unless that is not in
the child’s best interests. This can be a short term arrangement or may be on a permanent
basis; it can also be done in an emergency.
If you are a family member, friend or other connected person and the child is placed with
you, when they are ‘looked after’, you will be assessed by the Family and Friends Team.
Family & Friends Foster Care:
Children who reside in Family and Friends foster care are under 18 and are either subject of
a care order, or who are accommodated voluntarily. These placements are made following
an assessment by the Local Authority who having made the decision that the child should be
‘looked after’ have a legal responsibility to provide accommodation in an approved
placement, which may be a placement with a Family & Friends Foster Carer.
The assessment involves a social worker from the Family and Friends Team talking with and
gaining information from the prospective carer and child/ren, to establish if the placement is
in the child’s best interests. The Family and Friends social worker wil also undertake
relevant checks, including CRB checks, health checks and undertake visits to referees.
Fol owing this, all the information is gathered and a report is presented to the Fostering
Panel, who make a recommendation on whether to approve the carers as foster carers (see
information on Fostering Panel on page 61).
To be approved as a Family and Friends foster carer, there are a number of regulations and
standards that have to be met, to ensure the child/ren wil receive all the support they need
to be happy and safe.
Support to Family and Friends Foster Carers:
Fol owing approval as foster carers, Family and Friends Team will continue to provide
support, information, advice and guidance to carers and children to ensure that they are able
to make informed decisions about the options available to them.
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Support Groups: There are also a number of Family and Friends foster carer support groups which are held
County wide on a monthly basis. The support groups provide carers with an opportunity to
meet people in similar situations, share good practice, support one another over a cup of tea
and listen to guest speakers.
Additional Support: Al Family & Friends foster carers are provided with the same level of support as other foster
carers approved by Staffordshire Families First, Looked after Children - Fostering Services,
which includes membership to the Fostering Network access to the ful range of training
opportunities afforded to other approved foster carers.
Family & Friends foster carers are required to complete the
CWDC ‘Training, Support and
Development’ - Standards for Foster Care within 18 months of the approval.
Family & Friends foster carers have an allocated social worker from the Fostering Service
who wil visit on a regular basis, making scheduled and unannounced visits. They wil also
review the approval of the foster carers, at least on an annual basis.
Financial Implications: Accountability for the placement of Looked after Children resides with the Local Authority.
Al Family &
Friends foster carers are paid a level of allowance in line with Families First
Fostering Service’s Finance Policy.
Duties/Services undertaken by the Family and Friends Team:
The Team has a broad remit which can be summarised within the following areas:
Undertaking Viability Assessments (these are the initial assessments to establish
whether the placement appears to be in the child’s best interests)
Undertaking Ful Assessments (including those following placements made under
Regulation 24 CPPR 2010)
Regulating and supporting approved family and friends foster carers
Undertaking Special Guardianship Reports
Supporting Special Guardians
Undertaking Private Fostering Assessments and statutory undertakings
Regulating and supporting Private Fostering Arrangements
Providing a county wide daily duty service to colleagues
Promoting good care planning and advice in respect of regulatory requirements.
Providing social workers in court with urgent access to advice/ information re process
and timescales
Guiding Principles and Values of the Family and Friends Team:
The welfare of the child is of paramount importance, and wherever possible children
and young people should be brought up by their wider families and friends, if they
cannot remain with their parents.
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In order to promote a child’s welfare, support wil be based on the needs of child,
rather than their legal status.
Family and friends carers will be provided with support to ensure that children do not
become, or remain in care longer than is needed.
Where children live in family and friends care, the Family and Friends Team will
provide support, information, advice and guidance to carers and children to ensure
that they are able to make informed decisions about the options available to them.
Parents will be supported to retain their responsibilities and to remain closely
involved with their child(ren), even if their child(ren) cannot live at home with them.
The Family and Friends Team will consult with children about their care, involve them
in all decisions made about them, and take their wishes and feelings into account in a
way which is appropriate to their age and understanding.
Staffordshire Families First Specialist Services wil ensure it meets its legal duties in
relation to family and friends placements.
For further information please contact:
Tracey Hussain
Team Manager
Family and Friends Team
Staffordshire Place 1
Stafford
ST16 2LP
Tel: 01785 895363
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SECTION TEN
LEGAL TERMINOLOGY
BEING LOOKED AFTER; CHILDREN IN THE CARE OF THE LOCAL AUTHORITY
Children who are ‘looked after’ (children in care) by a local authority may be
‘accommodated’, subject of a court order or remanded/detained
CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE ACCOMMODATED
This means that a child under 16 may only be accommodated with the consent of the
parent(s) or those with parental responsibility. It is entirely voluntary. There is no court order.
It means that social services provide somewhere for a child to live if:
there is no one who has parental responsibility for the child, or
the child has been lost or abandoned or has been thrown out of home, or
the person caring for the child cannot provide accommodation or care either temporarily
or permanently, or
the child might suffer il -treatment from another person, or
the police or the court has asked Social Services to provide accommodation for the child.
EMERGENCY PROTECTION ORDER (
EPO) (Section 44 Children Act 1989)
This is an order from the court that allows Social Services to remove a child from home and
grant Social Service parental responsibility. The court wil only make this order if it believes
the child is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm if not removed into local authority
accommodation or does not stay in the place they are currently being cared for example a
foster placement. The order cannot be stopped or chal enged within the first 72 hours. After
that it may be chal enged in court providing the parent or carer was not present at the initial
hearing. It can last up to eight days and then be extended for a further seven days.
INTERIM CARE ORDER (Section 38 Children Act 1989)
This order will often follow an EPO
and gives the court time to collect more information. An
interim care order is made initially for not more than eight weeks. Further
interim care orders
are renewable at regular intervals until the directions/final hearing. An Interim care order
awards parental responsibility to the local authority. Parents and legal guardians retain their
parental responsibility.
Fol owing the application to Court there is usually a series of Interim Care Orders while
further investigations and assessments of the situation are carried out before any final orders
are made by the court.
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CARE ORDER (Section 31 Children Act 1989) This order gives Social Services parental responsibility jointly with the parents or guardian.
A care order gives the local authority the power to determine the extent to which a parent or
guardian of the child may meet his parental responsibility. For example the local authority
can make decisions for the child about where they live and with whom they live and who
they have contact with (however they have a responsibility to make any decisions after
appropriately consulting with the child, their parent or any significant person to the child).
A Care Order is made if the court thinks the child might be suffering significant harm or is
likely to suffer significant harm and
A) The harm is attributable to the care given to the child and is not what it would be
reasonable to expect a parent to give or
B) The child is beyond the parent(s) control
It lasts until one of the following happens:
the young person reaches the age of 18
the child is adopted
a supervision order, a residence order or a special guardianship order is made
the court stops the order
the child, their parent(s), Social Services or the person with parental responsibility asks
the court to stop the order and the court agrees
There are some things that the local authority cannot agree to such as, agreeing for the child
to be adopted, causing the child to be brought up in any religious persuasion other than that
which they would have been brought up in if they had remained with their parents/guardian
and allowing the child to live outside the UK for more than 28days without the consent of
everyone with parental responsibility for the child or a court order.
CONTACT The local authority has a duty to promote a reasonable level of contact between a child who
is cared for and their parent, guardian and family. What is reasonable can sometime be an
area of dispute and the court can be asked to make specific directions about how and when
contact should occur.
If the local authority wants to suspend or stop contact for a period longer than 7 days they
need to obtain a court order to do so.
SUPERVISION ORDER (Section 31 Children Act 1989)
These orders are made on the same basis as a care order i.e. a child is suffering or is likely
to suffer significant harm. These orders do not give parental responsibility to the local
authority but where an order is in force the local authority has a duty to advise, assist and
befriend the child and take steps that are reasonably necessary to give effect to the order.
Directions may be specified by the court such as directing where a child should live, directing
the child to meet with a social worker or to participate with certain activities. An order lasts
one year but can be extended by the court for a maximum of three years.
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SPECIAL GUARDIANSHIP ORDER (Adoption and Children Act 2002)
This is an order made by the court that places a child or young person to live with someone
permanently and gives legal status to non parents who wish to care for that child or young
person in a long term secure relationship. The Adoption and Children Act 2002 introduced
this order with the intention of creating a permanent home for a child who does not live with
his or her parents. If adoption is not suitable or not in the child’s best interest then a special
guardianship order should be made
It is a court order similar to a residence order and gives a child a permanent, legally-secure
family. It means that:
the child must live with whoever is specified in the order and that person wil be given
parental responsibility that can be exercised to the exclusion of everyone else, which a
residence order does not
it does not remove parental responsibility from the child’s parents but does prevent them
from using it whilst the special guardianship is in place
Foster Carers are able to apply if they have cared for the child for 12 consecutive months
or have the consent of the local authority
RESIDENCE ORDER This is a court order stating with whom the child must live and it means that:
the child must live with whoever is specified in the order and that person wil be given
parental responsibility if they haven’t got it already
the child cannot leave the country for more than a month (nor can the child change his or
her surname) without the written permission from whoever has parental responsibility or
the court
any interested party can apply to have it stopped at any time
It lasts usually until the child is sixteen but occasionally until the young person is eighteen
The following people can apply for a Residence Order: A parent, a guardian, a step parent,
any other person who has the consent of all those with parental responsibility, any person
who, if the child is in care, has the consent of the local authority, people with the permission
of those who already have a residence order for the child, anyone who has lived with the
child for at least 3 years, a local authority foster carer if the child has lived with them for at
least 1 year immediately proceeding the application, people who have leave of the court to
apply.
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PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
The following people have or can acquire parental responsibility:
A married couple who have children together both automatically have parental responsibility.
Parental responsibility continues after divorce.
Mothers automatical y have parental responsibility.
Where parents are not married, the unmarried father has parental responsibility if:
His name is registered on the birth certificate – this is the case for births registered
after 1 December 2003. Fathers can re-register if their names have not been placed
on the birth certificate before this date.
He later marries the mother.
Both parents have signed an authorised parental responsibility agreement.
He obtains a parental responsibility order from the court.
He obtains a residence order from the court.
He becomes the child’s guardian.
The Local Authority acquires PR if the court makes a care order. The parent(s) stil retain PR
so the parents and local authority both have it jointly. If there is a dispute then the local
authority’s PR overrides the parent(s)’ PR. Foster Carers do not have PR but may have
some day to day responsibility delegated to them by the parent(s) and/or local authority.
CHILDREN’S GUARDIAN
The Children’s Guardian
is appointed by the court and does not work for the Local Authority.
A Guardian is a person who looks after a child’s interests if someone has applied for a court
order. Guardians do the following:
Listen to what a child wants now and in the future
Talks to the child, parents, grandparents and anyone else who is important to the child
Talks to Teachers, Social Workers, Health Visitors and anyone else who can give advice
or help
Reads reports about the child and family
Works out what’s best for the child
The Guardian will choose a suitable solicitor who wil be able to explain what is best for the
child to the court
POLICE PROTECTION POWERS (Children Act 1989)
In some circumstances where children are considered to be in need of protection the police
have emergency powers to remove them to a safe place. This lasts for up to 72 hours and
these powers are only used in exceptional circumstances where there is not enough time to
seek an emergency protection order or for reasons relating to the immediate safety of the
child.
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APPENDIX A
FOSTER CARER AGREEMENT
SW620 (Version.2018)
SW & Office: NAME & OFFICE
Foster Care Agreement
Issued in accordance with Regulation 27(5)(b) of The Fostering Services (England)
Regulations 2011
Name:
Name:
Address:
1. Approval
You were first approved as Foster Carers/a Foster Carer by Staffordshire County
Council with effect from:
2. Date first approved: DATE
The approval specified below is with effect from:
3. Date of signing: DATE ADM SIGNS (Date of Panel: )
The terms of your current approval are:
APPROVAL DETAILS
Both the terms of Approval and this Agreement will be subject to Review within a
maximum of 12 months. This will usually take the form of a Review meeting held
at the foster home. The recommendations of the Review, and any changes to the
terms of approval that result, will be considered by the Fostering Panel.
Foster carers are required to achieve the TSD Standards Certificate of
Successful Completion within 12 months of approval. With the exception of
Family and Friends carers who have 18 months to achieve their Certificate of
Successful Completion
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The primary aim of Staffordshire’s Families First Service is to ensure that the
needs of children, young people and families across Staffordshire are identified
early, the right help is put in place. Families First believes that children are best
cared for by their own family. Where this is not possible or not in the best
interests of the child, we believe that children should be able to experience family
life in a suitable family, on a temporary or permanent basis, wherever possible.
4. The Fostering Service
Staffordshire County Councils Fostering agency will provide supervision, support
and development opportunities to all foster carers.
We will do this through providing:
An allocated fostering social worker whose role is to undertake the supervision
and support of foster carers, enabling them to provide safe care of a high quality
for children who are looked after, taking into account the needs of every member
of the household.
An allocated children’s social worker who has primary responsibility for each child
in placement. The child’s social worker will wish to see the child alone.
An independent advice and mediation worker employed by the Fostering Network
to support carers as required.
Financial support paid promptly and reviewed regularly.
Essential items of equipment.
An initial clothing allowance to meet the needs of the child upon first becoming
looked after. Ongoing maintenance of clothing is provided through the weekly
allowance for the child paid to foster carers.
Essential items of equipment to meet the needs arising from any disability the
child may have.
Insurance
The Department carries insurance cover for exceptional use by foster carers.
It is expected that all foster carers purchase household insurance that will provide
appropriate cover for them for their fostering tasks and fully comprehensive car
insurance with business use for fostering.
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Details of the Department’s insurance policy and procedures will be provided
during the foster carer’s induction and is included in the
Foster Carer Handbook
in the Finance Section.
5. Requirements of Foster Carers when caring for children
Foster carers are required to:
Support all children by:
Being responsible for the care of children placed by the authority
Working with the agency and all those involved in helping children fulfil their
potential.
Taking part in implementing the child’s care plan, and supporting the child to
achieve good outcomes specifically linked to Health, emotional health, behaviour
and development, identity, self-care skills, social presentation, education, family
and social relationships, hobbies and activities.
Promoting contact with birth family members and other people important to the
child.
Ensuring that children are looked after as if they were a member of the family and
their sense of belonging is promoted.
Ensuring children have a positive understanding of their heritage and meet the
needs of the child placed arising from his/her culture, race, religion and language.
In the case where the child’s background differs from that of the foster carer, to
promote specified actions necessary to meet a child’s needs.
Being aspirational for the children in their care.
Ensuring that children are kept safe from harm and abuse.
Taking children to family events and on family holidays unless there are
exceptional circumstances
Not taking children out of school during term time.
Wherever possible carers should transport children to school
Carers should transport children who attend school in the local community
Comply with policy and procedures by:
Not administering any form of physical sanction or corporal punishment, including
smacking, pushing or shaking.
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Complying with the terms of the care plan, placement agreement, delegated
authority and safe care plan in respect of each child placed.
Notifying the County Council immediately of any serious illness or other serious
occurrence concerning the child, including incidents where a child is subject to
physical intervention for their own safety or that of others, is being bullied or goes
missing.
Complying with Families First policies including the protection of children from
abuse or neglect, acceptable measures of behaviour management, discipline and
control and unauthorised absences / missing of a child from a foster carer’s home
Allowing the child to be removed from the foster carers’ home in a manner
consistent with the welfare of the child and the carers by the responsible placing
local authority or Staffordshire County Council.
Allowing the supervising fostering social worker and child’s social worker access
to their home at any reasonable time.
Comply and co-operate with inspections undertaken by Ofsted who are an
independent inspectorate for standards in education and children’s services.
Comply with the Fostering Services policies and guidance in respect of social
media, e-safety and data protection.
Participate in training and development by:
Attending identified training courses and completing learning and development
activities relevant to placements and their own personal development.
Following the terms of the Payment for Skills policy.
Participate in Supervision:
It is expected that all approved foster carers participate in supervision sessions
with the fostering social worker on a three monthly basis supervision meetings
are distinct from general support meetings.
The supervision meetings are recorded and copies held by the department and
carers.
Supervision will involve all members of the household, including children and
young people as appropriate. All improved carers within the household should
participate in supervision.
Supervision will form part of the information gathered for the annual review
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For further information please refer to the
foster carer handbook and
supervision template
Recording:
Foster carers are required to:
Complete daily recordings that should be submitted electronically on a weekly
basis to their fostering social worker and the child’s social worker for safe
storage.
All records that carers make in relation to a child placed with them remains the
property of Staffordshire County Council.
All records held in relation to a child must be returned promptly when not required
and/or at the end of each placement.
Foster carers must comply with the Data Recording policy, procedures and
guidance.
6. Unplanned endings
Foster carers are expected to work with children’s social workers and fostering
social workers to ensure that children are supported to remain in their placement
Foster carers are expected to notify their social worker immediately of any
challenges to the placement and fully participate in stability meetings and any
follow up meetings.
In the unlikely event of an unplanned ending the foster carer will be expected to
participate in a meeting to consider all aspects of why the placement ended and to
comply with any actions identified at the meeting.
7. Foster Carers Training and Development.
All foster carers will have a Personal Development Plan (PDP) which will be
reviewed as part of the foster carers review process.
All foster carers are expected to achieve the targets within the timescales set out
within their PDP.
All foster carers will be expected to undertake all foundation training as agreed
within their PDP within 18 months of approval.
All foster carers are expected to undertake a minimum number of hours in training
and development activities which will be specified in the PDP and should be no
less than 21 hours annually. Such activities include attending support groups,
foster carer forums, briefings, events, training, E learning, guided learning, reading
and professional discussion.
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All approved foster carers are expected to achieve the Training Development and
Support Standards for Foster Care, Certificate of Successful Completion within 12
months of approval (18 months for Family and Friends carers) and will be
expected to produce a portfolio of evidence that meets the areas of competency
required.
Subsequent to achieving the Certificate of Successful Completion all foster carers
will be expected to keep their working portfolio of evidence up to date. This will be
reviewed on an annual basis.(see TSD policy)
8. Notification
Carers are to give immediate written notification to the authority, with full
particulars of:
All referrals made to children’s services regarding their own family
members.
Any Safeguarding concerns within the household or extended family
network
Any intended change of address
Any change to the composition of the household, arrivals and departures.
Any further request by carers to foster or adopt
Any pending court cases, convictions, arrests, police interviews or
cautions of any nature relating to any member of the household or anyone
who is a visitor to the household.
Any intended childminding
Any other changes in personal circumstances and any other event
affecting the foster carer’s capacity to care for any children placed, or the
suitability of the carer’s household.eg significant illness, bereavement or
separation .
Any disciplinary action by an employer.
Any new relationship that has regular contact with the household
Any new relationship with a potential partner
Any issue that would have an adverse impact on the fostering household
e.g. bankruptcy, family conflict, priority need of family members.
9. Confidentiality
Normally Families First will not divulge information about foster carers outside of
the authority without their consent. An exception may be made if this affects the
safety of children and others.
Foster carers are to ensure that any information passed to them relating to any
children placed, or their families, is not disclosed to any person without the
consent of the responsible authority.
Foster carers are to treat as confidential the content of all meetings they may
attend in relation to the children they care for.
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Foster carers are to be familiar with the department’s policies in relation to
secure records as detailed in the Foster Carers Handbook.
Foster carers need to follow the policy in relation to the safe and secure storage
of records which includes electronic data.
10. Conflict of Interest
The Children Act 1989 Guidance & Regulations Volume 4 (5.35) allows for foster
carers or a member of their household to work for the fostering service but care
must be taken to avoid any actual or perceived conflict of interest
Any interest from employees of Staffordshire County Council will be considered
on an individual basis to determine whether there is a conflict of interest.
In general terms anyone working within the fostering service will not be
considered a foster carer. Neither will staff working in a managerial, social work
or other professional role within the Families’ First Service.
When foster carers are employed by Families First the conflict of interest will be
considered by the agency decision maker as they may be need to resign.
11. Foster Carer Review
Foster carer review meetings will be held at least annually as a minimum and
whenever there is a significant change of circumstances. It is expected that the
review is attended by all approved carers in the household.
The review will consider that all necessary regulatory checks are in date e.g.
DBS, medicals, local authority and media checks. These will be updated every 3
years.
Each review meeting will consider placements made since the last review, the
outcomes for children that have been achieved, identified learning and
development needs of carers and the extent to which these have been met.
Foster carers are required to complete their annual review questionnaire. If this
is not received this may affect their continued suitability to foster.
Any changes to the household will also be considered as well as any changes
required to the foster carers terms of approval.
The review will make a recommendation regarding carers continued suitability to
foster as well as the terms of their approval.
All reviews are presented to the Fostering Panel and the Agency Decision Maker
who will decide on the ongoing suitability of the carers to foster as well as the
terms of their fostering approval.
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Following the panel recommendations being agreed by the Agency Decision
Maker a new foster care agreement is provided which you are required to sign
and return.
You will be allowed 28 calendar days from receipt of the letter to either make
further representation to the Fostering Panel or the Independent Review
Mechanism.
The names and addresses of all foster carers approved by Staffordshire County
Councils fostering agency or for whom Staffordshire is the responsible authority,
will be entered on the Staffordshire foster carer register.
12. Delegated authority and Placement agreement
Delegated authority for all placements will be clearly detailed in the placement
agreement for each child in placement and reviewed at their looked after child
review.
Foster carers should abide by the delegated authority policy guidance.
13. Placement of children
When children are placed, foster carers will receive:
A placement plan
Risk and match documentation
Child specific fostering support and safer caring plan.
The placement plan will be completed at the point of placement and will detail
those decisions that will be delegated to the foster carer and detail any extra
support available to meet the child’s needs.
When the placement plan highlights any significant risk to the child a risk
assessment will be completed.
The fostering social worker will complete the child’s fostering support and safer
care plan at the point of placement.
At the time of placement the vulnerability and associated risks of a child going
missing or absconding must be considered. Children who are known to behave
in this way must have a risk assessment completed.
This risk assessment will consider the need to involve the police or any other
person in the search when children go missing.
If a child does go missing, Foster carers will be required to provide full details
about the child including;
Full description of the child including clothing
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When the child was last seen
Family and friends addresses
Previous history of going missing
Legal status
Any circumstances which increase the risk to the child.
If the appropriate documents and information have not been given by the time of
placement the foster carer should notify the fostering social worker immediately.
14. Allegations, Concerns and Complaints
Information regarding allegations and concerns can be found in the foster carers
handbook and the
allegations, complaints and cause for concern about foster
carers and prospective adopters policy
Any allegations that a foster carer has caused significant harm to a child in
their care will be dealt with according to Families First procedures. In the event
that foster carers are not permitted to accept further placements pending
investigation, the carers will receive written notification from the relevant Team
Manager.
The Fostering Service will ensure that foster carers are provided with
information and support in respect of any such allegations, including the
assistance of the independent Fostering Network Mediation and Advice Service.
15. Complaints comments and concerns
Foster carers with general queries, concerns or suggestions concerning the
operation of the fostering service are advised to speak to their supervising
Fostering Social Worker or Team Manager, in the first instance.
Carers with comments or concerns in relation to the Care Plan for any child
placed should contact the child’s social worker or Team Manager in the first
instance.
Foster carers who wish to make specific representations or complaints about
Families First its staff or services will be directed to the Departmental Complaints
Procedure as detailed in the
Foster Carers Handbook
16. Resignation
A foster carer may, at any point, give written notice that they wish to resign from
the role.
The foster carer’s approval is automatically
terminated 28 days after receipt of
the notice by the Fostering Service Reg 28(13).
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I / We acknowledge our willingness to be bound by the terms of this Foster Care
Agreement.
Signed Date:
(Foster Carer)
Signed Date:
(Foster Carer)
Signed on behalf of the Fostering Service
County Manager, Fostering Services
Date:
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APPENDIX B
DATA PROCESSOR AGREEMENT
This data processor agreement (“agreement”) is between
Staffordshire County Council (“the data controller”)
and
Foster Carers (“the data processor”)
Whereas:
(A) This agreement is provided in addition to any other separate agreement entered into
between the parties and introduces further contractual requirements to ensure the protection
and security of data passed from Staffordshire County Council (“the data controller”) to the
foster carer (“the data processor”) for processing.
(B) Where personal data is to be processed by a data processor on behalf of a data
controller paragraph 12 of Schedule 1 part II of the Data Protection Act 1998 requires that
processing is carried out under a contract and requires data processors to comply with
obligations equivalent to those imposed on a data controller by the seventh principle. For the
purposes of Schedule 1 part II, this agreement constitutes a contract.
(C) The conditions laid out in this agreement apply to short term2 access to data controlled
by Staffordshire County Council by foster carers
Definitions:
1. “Data” covered by this agreement may be manual or electronic, stored on media of any
kind and processed in any way. Data includes but is not limited to “personal data”3 as
defined in the Data Protection Act 1998 (“DPA”).
2. “Systems” covered by this agreement may be any system which holds, processes,
displays, transfers or otherwise makes data available.
3. “Processing” covered by this agreement may be any operation which is performed on
personal data, (whether manual or electronic) including collection, recording, storage, use,
disclosure, erasure or destruction.
4. The conditions in this agreement wil apply at all times to both raw data and any data
produced by further processing by the Council, the foster carer, the “data subject”4 (as
defined in the DPA) or any other party.
Application:
1. This agreement shal apply to al data processed as part of the foster care agreement for
the period of time that the placement requires.
2. The foster carer wil be required to undertake appropriate training which wil be made
available through the Adoption and Fostering Recruitment and Training Team.
2 Short term refers to the length of time the foster child is in the care of the foster carer
3 Personal data is any information which relates to an identifiable living individual
4 Individual to which the personal data relates
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3. The foster carer wil be required to sign the confidentiality agreement which can be found
in Schedule A of this agreement.
Purpose of processing:
1. Data controlled by the Council may only be accessed by, and released to, “authorised
persons”5 and may only be processed for the business purposes of the Council as outlined
in the Foster Care Agreement or where permitted by law and authorised by the Council.
Security and confidentiality of data
1. Foster carers must comply with any procedures, standards or confidentiality requirements
specific to the work area. If the foster carer believes that these requirements may conflict
with something else that they have been advised to do, they should refer the matter to the
Fostering County Manager who wil discuss the issue with the Head of Information
Governance.
2. Al use of Council data must be compliant with relevant legislation including, but not
limited to, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) the Data Protection Act 1998, the
Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the
Environmental Information Regulations 2004. There may be occasions when the Council
requires assistance from foster carers in order to ensure compliance with this legislation.
3. The foster carer shal treat all information belonging to the Council as confidential and
shal safeguard it accordingly. Confidential information should be afforded the highest
sensitivity and security.
4. Al confidential written communication between the parties should be sent securely by
secure file transfer (that wil be provided by the Council), delivered by hand or sent via
special delivery.
5. Any credentials that are provided to a foster carer or authorised person to facilitate
access, i.e. usernames, passwords or physical means of authentication, must be kept
secure and must not be disclosed or provided to unauthorised persons. Passwords should
not be shared with any other person. If physical means of authentication have been
provided, these must be returned once they are no longer required.
6. Where the foster carer or authorised person may select their own password they should
refer to the Council’s guidance on password management which can be found in the IT
security section of the Foster Care Handbook.
7. No copy of the data may be made except for any copies required to carry out the foster
care role. No data may be retained by the foster carer once the placement has ended or
used in any way which is not required for the foster care role without the written consent of
the Council.
8. The foster carer must not, under any circumstances, attempt to bypass security systems
or controls.
9. Any advice provided by the Council must be followed to ensure that electronic data
processed on behalf of the Council does not become compromised, i.e. infected with
malicious code or viruses.
5 An authorised person is any person deemed by the Council to be authorised
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10. The Council reserve the right to inspect any equipment used to carry out this work.
11. The foster carer should return all data relating to the foster child (whether manual or
electronic) to the Council upon completion of the foster care placement. Foster carers should
check that information has not accidentally been saved to the PC, and if any information is
found, it should be wiped. Advice on how to do this securely can be found in the IT security
section of the Foster Care Handbook. Continuing to hold this information after the placement
is complete may be a breach of data protection legislation.
12. The foster carer must comply with licensing restrictions on software and data to which
they are given access.
13. The foster carer shal safeguard the data from unauthorised or unlawful processing or
accidental loss, destruction or damage. Al personal data wil be kept with adequate security;
electronic data should be stored on an encrypted memory stick issued by the Council which
should be stored in a locked receptacle when not in use. Manual data wil be stored in a
locked receptacle when not being actively processed.
14. Where data must be transferred, moved or copied to another location this must be by
suitably secure means and only to authorised locations and persons.
15. As data may only be made available to foster carers and authorised persons, care must
be taken not to allow any unauthorised person to see it on a screen, as a hard copy or hear
its content discussed in a conversation.
16. The requirements of this agreement apply to any security backup copies of Council data.
17. Any potential or actual security incidents that occur must be reported to the Adoption and
Fostering Recruitment and Training Team as soon as it has been realised.
18. The foster carer must provide the necessary assistance to the Council when dealing with
requests for information, complaints and investigations in to alleged security incidents to
ensure compliance with corporate and statutory timeframes.
Liability
1. Al rights are reserved by the Council and no rights or obligations other than those
expressly stated in this agreement are granted or to be implied from it.
2. The Council provides no warranty in respect of the data or systems that the foster carer is
allowed access to.
3. If a foster carer is in breach of any of the terms contained in this agreement, they may be
in breach of the Data Protection Act 1998, and in some cases, committing an offence.
Termination:
1. Any changes to this agreement must be approved in writing by the Fostering County
Manager and the Head of Information Governance.
2. Either party may terminate this agreement through retirement, resignation or de-
registration upon giving the appropriate notice as outlined in the Foster Care Handbook.
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Jurisdiction:
1. This agreement shal be governed by and interpreted in accordance with English law and
the parties submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of England.
Schedule A CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT
Information relating to Children in Care which is controlled by Staffordshire County Council
wil contain sensitive personal data and may be restricted and/or confidential.
No unauthorised person is permitted to access the information and anyone deliberately or
recklessly accessing or attempting to access the information may be committing a criminal
offence. No information is to be used in a manner that is incompatible with this agreement or
not approved explicitly by Staffordshire County Council.
Declaration:
I have read, understood and agree to the above.
Signed (foster carer):
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Print name (foster carer):
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Declaration (to be completed by the Allocated Fostering Social Worker)
Ful name First
Middle
Surname
of
foster name
Initial
carer
Address
Telephone
number
Email
address
I understand that I am acting on behalf of Staffordshire County Council in ensuring that the
foster carer named above understands this agreement and that the foster carer’s
compliance with it wil be monitored. I will ensure that the foster carer has access to any
policy, procedure or standard that is relevant and that any Council assets, i.e. memory
stick, information, equipment, etc that are provided to the foster carer are recorded. I will
review implementation during supervising visits and wil report any security incident that
arises as a result of this agreement to the Information Governance Unit.
Ful
name
of
Al ocated
Al ocated Fostering
Fostering Social
Social Worker
Worker
signature
Location
Date
Telephone number
Declaration (to be completed by the foster carer)
I have read the information in this agreement and agree to comply with this and all policies
and standards that Staffordshire County Council makes me aware of. I realise that the
Council may record, for management use, information about my use of information and
information systems and keep a record of any network activity including the transmission or
receipt of any kind of file or message. I know that violation of this agreement could amount to
a breach of the Data Protection Act 1998, and in some cases, an offence.
Foster carer signature:
Signed: ……………………………………… Date: ………………………………………
If you require any further information about this agreement or do not fully understand the
terms, please contact the Adoption and Fostering Recruitment and Training Team who wil
advise accordingly.
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APPENDIX C
FOSTER CARERS GUIDE TO THE DATA PROCESSOR AGREEMENT
Background of the agreement
Al organisations that handle personal data are required to comply with data protection
legislation. When an individual or organisation is carrying out a function for that
organisation, i.e. providing care for a foster child, that organisation may need to pass some
of that personal data to the individual or organisation to allow them to carry out the role.
When this happens the Data Protection Act requires that the organisation that is providing
the information puts in to place an agreement between themselves and the other party
(whether that is an individual or organisation).
The agreement acts like a contract but relates specifically to information and how it wil be
handled in a secure manner.
As the agreement is produced in line with legislation it is difficult to avoid using technical
legal language which can sometimes be difficult to understand and interpret. Therefore
foster carers should be assured that there is nothing contained within the agreement that is
designed to trip them up and the Adoption and Fostering Recruitment and Training Team are
putting mechanisms in to place to aid foster carers compliance with the agreement.
This document is a designed to act as a guide to the data processor agreement for foster
carers in terms of what they should and shouldn’t be doing with information relating to
Children in Care.
DO:
1. Attend the training relating to data protection, information security, confidentiality and
privacy.
2. Ensure that you understand and sign the data processor agreement and confidentiality
agreement (which is documented in Schedule A) of the agreement.
3. Comply with any procedures and/or standards that the Adoption and Fostering
Recruitment and Training Team have made you aware of.
4. Send confidential documents securely either by hand delivering them, sending them via
special delivery or by using the Secure File Transfer facility.
5. Select a strong password. Advice on how to do this can be found in the IT security section
of the Foster Care Handbook.
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6. Return all data relating to the foster child to the Council once a foster care placement has
come to an end.
7. Check that no information has accidentally been saved to your PC. If any information is
found, this should be securely wiped. Advice on how to do this can be found in the IT
security section of the Foster Care Handbook.
8. Comply with any licensing restrictions that are in place.
9. Keep information secure by storing electronic information on an encrypted memory stick
and manual information in a locked receptacle.
10. Report any potential or actual security incidents to the Adoption and Fostering
Recruitment and Training Team as soon as possible after they have been identified.
11. Provide the Adoption and Fostering Recruitment and Training Team with assistance if
they require information from you.
12. Contact the Adoption and Fostering Recruitment and Training Team if you are unclear
about anything.
DON’T:
1. Give access to information to any unauthorised person. If you are unsure as to who is
allowed access, contact the Adoption and Fostering Recruitment and Training Team.
2. Use the information for purposes other than those required to carry out the foster care
role.
3. Disclose usernames and/or passwords to anyone. If you think that your password has
been compromised, you should change it. Advice on choosing a strong password can be
found in the IT security section of the Foster Care Handbook.
4. Make copies of data unless it is necessary to carry out the foster care role.
5. Attempt to bypass any security systems that have been put in to place.
6. Talk about personal and/or confidential information with unauthorised persons.
7. Al ow unauthorised persons to view personal and/or confidential information on a screen
or as a hard copy.
8. Infer anything from the agreement which has not been specifically stated.
Penalties:
It is important that foster carers understand the importance of looking after information
relating to Children in Care and the potential implications of failing to do so. The Council can
be fined up to £500,000 for breaches of data protection legislation: however there are also
individual offences which can be committed by individual members of staff and foster carers.
An offence can be committed by an individual when they either deliberately or recklessly,
without the consent of the Council, obtain, disclose or sell personal data.
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APPENDIX E
ePEP ACCESS AGREEMENT
Introduction
Information Governance allows an organisation to manage its information in an efficient,
effective and secure way whilst maintaining the balance between confidentiality and
openness.
Information Governance processes allow this by ensuring:
- records are only kept for the appropriate period of time and that they are
confidential y destroyed when no longer required.
- access to records is suitably managed and maintained so that requests for
information can be dealt with in a timely manner.
- the appropriate privacy and security is applied to information and/or systems whilst in
transit and storage.
Any organisation handling data, especially personal data, has a responsibility to ensure that
it complies with Information Governance requirements.
This document intends to set out the responsibilities of all parties to ensure that everyone
understands what is expected of them when handling data.
Section 1: Data Controller
Staffordshire County Council wil be the sole data controller and data owner for all
information uploaded to the e-PEP system.
Al data processed wil be used solely for the purpose of delivering Personal Education
Planning and Pupil Premium Plus to Staffordshire County Council Looked After Children.
Staffordshire County Council wil be responsible for the technical and organisational security
of the e-PEP system, including:
Management, provision and removal of access rights
Ensuring the individual does not have the ability to access any other systems and
information other than that required.
SCC will then be solely responsible for any subsequent decisions in relation to processing
the transferred data, including retention and secure destruction.
Al decisions relating to requests for access to information, including Freedom of Information,
Data Subject Access Rights and third party personal data requests, wil be dealt with by the
SCC e-PEP administration team.
Section 2: Foster Carers
As these may require access to data owned by the County Council they wil be required to
sign an agreement (Appendix A) to confirm that:
- They have received appropriate training regarding handling data and their
responsibilities relating to Data Protection, Confidentiality and Information
Security.
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- They have read, understood and signed the County Council’s Acceptable Use
Policy.
-
- They have been made aware of, and work in line with this e-PEP access
agreement.
- They understand that the County Council reserves the right to restrict or remove
access to data and/or systems where non-compliance is evident or where a
threat, or potential threat, is identified. Where il egal or criminal behaviour is
suspected or identified SCC wil refer the matter to the Police.
Users wil be responsible for the ensuring that all data uploaded is accurate and up to date,
as far as reasonably possible.
Users wil not be provided SCC accounts nor provided with access to any other SCC
systems as part of this process, therefore Third Party Access Agreements are not required.
Users wil need to ensure that SCC data is only accessed when required and that it is
accessed only by those who are authorised to access it. Users must not share the data with
any other party unless agreed by the e-PEP administration team.
Any user that believes that a security incident has occurred relating to data belonging to
SCC, within 2 working days of the security incident being discovered. The e-PEP
administration team must pass this on to the Information Governance Unit using the SCC
information security incident reporting process.
Users must inform the e-PEP team immediately they are no longer responsible for the care
of a child.
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Staffordshire County Council – ePEP Access Agreement
Confidentiality Statement
By being provided access to the e-PEP system as a Service Provider/Foster Carer, I agree
to the following statements:
1. I have received appropriate training regarding handling of information and am aware
of my obligations and responsibilities relating to, but not limited to, Data Protection,
Confidentiality and Information Security
2. I have been made aware of, and understand that I must work in line with, the e-PEP
Information Governance Reference Document.
3. I understand that I must inform the e-PEP administration team immediately I cease to
provide care for a child and my access to that child’s record wil be removed from the
system.
4. I understand that Staffordshire County Council reserve the right to restrict or remove
access to data and/or systems where failure to comply with the above is established
or where any threat or potential threat is identified.
Name:
Organisation (if applicable)
Signature
Date
Email Address
Name of Looked After
Children (if applicable)
Once completed please return to
xxx.xxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx The Virtual School
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APPENDIX E
ENCRYPTING MEMORY STICKS
Your Social Worker or Support Worker will bring your USB memory stick with them which wil
need to be set up with a password of your choice. They wil run through a series of screens
with you as follows:
When the memory stick is inserted in the laptop the following screen will appear:
To encrypt the device select “Yes” and the following screen wil appear:
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There are a number of fields to be completed.
The “Volume label” enables you to give the device a name when it is displayed in My
Computer, it is not necessary to do this.
The “Authentication” password fields do need completing, this is where you need to enter
and confirm a password to access your memory stick when it is encrypted.
Do not click on the “Authentication certificate” button.
Passwords need to conform to the following structure:
• At least seven characters long
• Contain at least three of the following; uppercase letter, lowercase letter, numerals,
special character e.g. *$!£&*%* Once you have completed this it is strongly recommended that you check the box marked
“Recovery questions” otherwise if you forget your password you will not be able to retrieve
your data.
Once selected the screen below will appear:
It is important that you choose questions you know the answers to without having to write
them down and which would be difficult for other people to know or guess the answer to.
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You should also note that the answers are case sensitive. Therefore if you use capital letters
at this stage you must use them when you recover the contents in the event of you forgetting
your password.
If you do not choose this option you wil be prompted with the message below asking you to
choose the recovery option.
Once you have completed all the fields select “Initialize” and the screen below wil appear.
You wil not be able to select initialize until you have entered a password. In addition if you
have chosen to have recovery questions you wil not be able to select initialize unless all five
questions and answers are completed.
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Once this is complete the following message wil appear and your device wil now be
encrypted:
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APPENDIX F
USING AN ENCRYPTED MEMORY STICK
This guidance was produced using Microsoft Office 2010 and Windows 7, if the software or
operating system that you use is different to this; please follow the manufacturer’s guidance
for using your device.
Once you have plugged the memory stick into your PC and followed the encryption login
process, you will have an icon that looks similar to this:
For the purposes of this guidance the memory stick that is being used here is called ‘TEST
1’ and it has been assigned the drive letter F: by the computers operating system. Your
memory stick may be allocated a different letter, but it will not affect the way that it works.
1. Moving existing files to your memory stick
If you have existing files saved on your computer that you want to move onto the memory
stick, there are various ways to do this. The simplest way is to use the “Send to” function.
Go to the place on your PC where
the files are stored and right click on
the file you want to move. This wil
open the ‘Context Tab’ where you
are presented with a number of
options.
Click on ‘Send to’ and it wil open a
list of destinations where you can
move the file to.
Select your memory stick from the
list. A copy of the file wil be moved
to the memory stick.
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2. Saving files directly to your memory stick
You can also save files directly to your memory stick. Open the file or document that you
want to save, go to the “File” menu and select ‘Save As’ and you will be presented with a
screen similar to the one below:
Your memory stick wil appear in
the list of available drives to be
saved to.
Select the drive that you want to
save to by double clicking on it.
You wil be able to tell that the
drive is selected as it wil show in
the file path.
3. Retrieving a document from the memory stick
If you want to open a file/document on your memory stick to update it, you can do this in the
same way that you would for a file that is saved on your computer. You can open files on the
memory stick directly, or by browsing to the file using the software that created it, i.e. by
clicking on “File” in Microsoft Word. When you click save, it will update the file on the stick
with the changes that you have made.
4. Deleting a document from the memory stick
In order to delete a document from your memory stick, right click on the document and select
“delete” from the list of options that appears.
Do not remove the memory stick without properly disconnecting it, otherwise remove it when
the PC is switched off.
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APPENDIX G
SENDING DOCUMENTS VIA THE SECURE FILE TRANSFER FACILITY
There has been a request for you to have a Secure File Transfer account by an employee of
Staffordshire County Council. This is so that you can receive or send confidential information
or a large attachment.
The SFT application is used to store the information to be sent. It uses HTTPS protocols to
ensure files are being transmitted encrypted between sender and receiver.
It can also be used to send large files (up to 1 GB) that cannot be emailed due to the size
restriction of 20MB.
When your account has been setup you wil receive an email asking you to change your
password.
This is a brief guide to il ustrate how to use the SFT facility to send data securely to
recipients.
Click on the following link to access the applianc
e: https://filetransfer.staffordshire.gov.uk/
and you wil be presented with the screen below:
Enter the email address that you provided to the Council (i.e. hotmail, yahoo, Gmail) and the
password that was sent to you.
Do not tick the box which states “Remember me”
Once you have logged in you wil see the screen below. Fill in the fields as you would a
normal email message.
Ensure the message is protectively marked if it contains sensitive information
This security level must be included in the subject field and can be one of the
following
SCC USE
RESTRICTED
CONFIDENTIAL
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Be sure to double check that the correct email address has been entered before the
message is sent.
Click on the “Add Files” button to locate and attach the document that you would like to
send.
Only information which is attached to the email is considered secure and no
confidential information should be included in the body of the email.
Private Message Option
Ticking the “private message” box will ensure that any message you send, alongside
any attachment, will only be viewable by the recipient by clicking on a link.
Leaving this box un-checked will leave the text you type visible, but encrypt the
attachment only.
By default the document wil remain on the appliance for two weeks and the date that the
message will expire is shown on the right hand side of the screen.
If you want to alter this date, you can do so by clicking in the box containing the date and
you can alter the date here.
On this date the data wil no longer be available to download.
When all of the fields have been completed, click on the “Send” button.
A message wil appear that states the message has been successfully sent which gives a
unique message ID, subject, expiry date, and specified access restrictions.
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You can then click on the “cog” button which is situated in the top right hand corner and
select “Logout” to exit the appliance.
When the recipient downloads the document that you have sent, you (as the sender) will
receive an email to inform you of this.
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APPENDIX H
RECEIVING DOCUMENTS VIA THE SECURE FILE TRANSFER FACILITY
There has been a request for you to have a Secure File Transfer account by an employee of
Staffordshire County Council. This is so that you can receive or send confidential information
or a large attachment.
The SFT application is used to store the information to be sent. It uses HTTPS protocols to
ensure files are being transmitted encrypted between sender and receiver.
It can also be used to send large files (up to 1 GB) that cannot be emailed due to the size
restriction of 20MB.
When your account has been setup you wil receive an email asking you to change your
password.
Once you have changed your password, logged onto the application and downloaded your
attachments, the sender wil receive an email to say the data has been downloaded.
For You, The Recipient
You wil receive an email informing you that there is a secure file transfer waiting for you.
This wil contain the following information
When someone first sends you a file via SFT you wil receive an email in to the inbox of your
personal mailbox.
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When you open the email you wil see the following screen and contained within it wil be a
link which wil take you to the SFT site.
When you click on that link you wil see the following screen:
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Enter your email address in the box marked “Email” and click “Authorize” you wil
automatically see the following screen:
Enter the password that you have been provided with in the box marked “password”.
Do not tick the box which states “Remember me”
Once you have entered your password, you wil see the email message that has been sent
to you. It wil look similar to the following:
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To open the attachment you wil need to link on the link next to the “Attached files” field,
where you will be presented with the following screen:
Here, you are asked whether you want to open or save the document.
Click on the arrow next to save and choose ‘Save As’
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Make sure that you save the document to your encrypted memory stick as shown below.
You wil need to connect your memory stick before you download the document.
Do not
save the document to your home PC. Once your memory stick is inserted and you have selected the “Save” option, you will be
presented with the following screen:
Click on the memory stick and select “Save”.
Do not remove the memory stick without properly disconnecting it, otherwise remove it when
the PC is switched off.
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APPENDIX I
Foster Carers’ Smoking Policy
1.
Introduction:
1.1 The Local Authority has reviewed its existing policy in relation to smoking in light of
legislation and national guidance published by BAAF and in response to a joint brief
‘Foster Care, Adoption and Smoking’ – published in July 2014 by the Fostering
Network and ASH (Action on Smoking and Health).
1.2 The smoking ban, set out in the Health Act (2006), came into effect in July 2007 and
made it il egal to smoke in any public place, with exemptions for certain residences,
including prisons, care homes and psychiatric units.
1.3 Although foster carer’s homes are not regarded as a workplace, it is essential that the
rights of carers to smoke are balanced against the rights of looked after children to be
healthy.
1.4 The health risks from smoking and passive smoking are well known, with smoking
being the single, greatest cause of preventable illness and premature death in the UK.
(See Appendix A).
1.5 Most children wil have experimented with tobacco by the age of 16 and this is a key
age at which behaviour can be shaped and influenced. Research suggests that
smoke-free environments, promoting non-smoking as the cultural norm and providing
children with information about the dangers of smoking, does help to prevent young
people from starting to smoke. In addition, providing positive, non-smoking role models
and support to stop smoking can help young people to quit.
1.6 It light of the above, it is important that smoking is actively discouraged in all foster
placements, including family & friend’s placements.
2.
Applicants and Approved carers:
2.1 New applicants should be advised from an early stage that their smoking habits wil be
considered prior to and during the assessment and these habits wil impact on their
approval and matching. Placing social workers may be more likely to choose non-
smokers for preference.
2.2 Additionally, young people should be able to have the choice of being placed in a non-
smoking environment, if consistent with their age and understanding. Birth parents,
who request that their child be placed in a non-smoking household should, where
possible, also have their wishes adhered to. However, in some situations the wellbeing
and health needs of the child may override the wishes of the children/parents.
2.3 It is important that foster carers understand and are made aware of the detrimental
effect of smoking and passive smoking on their health and that of other people in their
household.
2.4 During the recruitment, assessment and preparation process discussions will take
place with applicants regarding the agency’s expectations and requirements. Carers
wil be provided with information as to where they can access help to give up smoking,
if they are motivated to do so.
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2.5 Where people inform us they have given up smoking and wish to foster children under
the age of 5 years, we would ideal y need to ensure that they have given up for at least
a year (where possible by being tested at their GP surgery and providing evidence of
this). If carers have a child under 5 years placed with them and are subsequently
found to be smoking, a risk assessment needs to be carried out outlining the steps the
carer wil be taking to minimise risk to the child in placement .Once that child has
moved on, the carer wil need to show they have ceased smoking for a year before
children under 5 years can be placed.
2.6 At each stage the agency wil be clear that any carer who smokes or lives in a
household where people smoke cannot be approved to take a child under the age of 5
except in exceptional circumstances, for example where relatives or friends become
carers at short notice. In these circumstances a plan to cease smoking needs to be
agreed between the carer and assessing social worker and presented to the Fostering
Panel alongside the assessment. The Fostering Panel may recommend it is in the best
interests of a child to remain there. In addition, any child or young person with known
middle ear or respiratory tract infections, or who is prone to asthma and/or bronchitis,
or has heart disease wil not be placed in a smoking household, although exceptions
may be made where it is in the child’s best interests. Additional consideration needs to
be given to long term placements as the risks of exposure to passive smoking increase
with time.
2.7 The issue will be raised regularly with all approved carers who smoke and reinforced
through the annual review, regular supervision, the Safe Care Plan and the provision
of guidance and training on health & safety issues and healthy care. Support is crucial,
particularly as smoking can be a response to stress, and consideration needs to be
given to ways of minimising the level of stress experienced.
2.8 The supervising Social Worker will agree a smoke free plan
with the carers to include
the following:
Carers and other members of the household, including visitors, wil not smoke in the
company of children of any age, in the home or in the car and wil promote non-
smoking as the norm. Carers should also not expose children to smoking when
visiting friends and relatives.
Smoking wil take place outside the home.
If carers are smoking this should be in an
area where children cannot see them.
Tobacco products, matches or lighters will not be left lying around or accessible to
children.
This will form part of the Safe Care Plan, which is reviewed and updated regularly,
and for each new placement.
3.
Children and Young People:
3.1 It is il egal for retailers to sell any tobacco products to anyone below the age of 18. In
addition, foster carers are not permitted to provide children or young people under 18
with tobacco products.
3.2 Some young people may start smoking or be smokers at the point of becoming looked
after. It is important to work with young people to actively discourage them from
smoking by giving them information about the harmful effects and helping them to
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access support to give up smoking. The role of health professionals, including the
Looked after Children Designated Nurse, is crucial in addressing this issue through the
child or young person’s Initial Health Assessment, Health Plan and Health Plan
Review. Information about where help can be found is in Appendix C.
3.3 The child/young person’s parent or person with parental responsibility wil be informed
of the local policy on smoking and will be involved in discussions about action that wil
be taken by the foster carer. Any agreed arrangements must be recorded in the
Placement Information Record (Placement Plan), and communicated in writing to the
parent or person with parental responsibility.
3.4 In situations where a young person already smokes it is reasonable to expect the
foster carer to have an agreed place to store any smoking products while the young
person is in the foster home and for the young person to hand them over to the carer.
This wil be explained to the young person and their social worker and recorded in the
Safe Care Plan. The young person will be expected to comply with the smoke free
plan for the foster home.
3.5 This arrangement will also apply to smoking products given to the young person during
contact with the parent or person with parental responsibility. The child’s social worker
wil discourage the parent or person with parental responsibility from smoking during
contact and return any smoking products given to the young person to them.
3.6 The child’s Statutory Review wil look at any arrangements that are in place in relation
to smoking.
4.
Electronic (e-cigarettes)
A new joint brief has been produced by ASH and the Fostering Network (July 2014) – ‘Foster
Care, adoption and electronic cigarettes’ and is endorsed by the Fostering Network. The
BAAF advice in regards to e-cigarettes is as follows:
E-cigarettes are not regulated as a tobacco product or as a medicine in the UK.
While research evidence suggests that the use of e-cigarettes is effective in helping
people to stop using traditional tobacco cigarettes, there is little evidence to suggest
that it is encouraging smoking.
The Fostering Network considers the current research evidence provides no
compelling reasons for restricting the use of e-cigarettes. Therefore, foster carers
should not be prevented from fostering or applying to foster because of their use of e-
cigarettes.
However, the Fostering Network also advise that it is good practice not to use e-
cigarettes in front of children and young people until more evidence is gained about
the role modelling effect of this on the smoking behaviour of children more generally.
Health professionals should not recommend the use of e-cigarettes as a smoking
cessation aid or a lower risk option than continuing to smoke due to a lack of
evidence of their safety and efficacy
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5.
Further Information
5.1 For more information about this policy, please contact the Business Improvement and
Development Team - 01785 277024/278426.
Links to both documents can be found here:
Ash.org.uk - Foster Care, Adoption and Smoking/e-cigarettes
Appendix A: Additional Information
In the UK, 42% of children live in a home where someone smokes. Despite nearly 60% of
smokers admitting they disapprove of smoking cigarettes with a child present in a room or
car, 28% continue to do so
.
What’s wrong with second-hand smoke?
Tobacco smoke contains poisonous gases, tar and thousands of toxic chemicals. These
poisons get into the bodies of children who live in smoky atmospheres. As children are more
sensitive to smoke than adults, due to their bodies stil developing, it is not safe for children
to be in a room where someone is smoking, even if the room is odourless and not visibly
smoky.
How does second-hand smoke harm children?
Babies and children who are exposed to a smoky atmosphere are:
• Twice as likely to have asthma attacks and chest infections
• More likely to need hospital care in their first year of life
• Off sick from school more often
• More likely to get coughs, colds and wheezes.
Medical research also shows they have:
• Much higher risk of cot death than the children of non-smokers
• Increased risk of meningitis
• More chance of getting ‘glue ear’, which can lead to partial deafness.
What can you do to protect babies and children?
You can help protect them by keeping their playing, sleeping and eating areas completely
smoke-free.
What can I do if my family and friends are smokers?
Let them know before they visit that you are keeping your home smoke
free for your children’s health
Ask if they would not smoke while visiting you
Explain
that
children
can
get
il
through
second-hand
smoke.
Useful tips:
• Always smoke outside, wel away from children.
• When out and about with the family, try to find non-smoking or smoke-free areas.
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The benefits of giving up smoking:
•
After 20 Minutes - Blood pressure and pulse return to normal.
Circulation improves, especially to hands and feet.
•
After 8 Hours - the oxygen level in your blood increases to a
normal level. Chances of a heart attack start to fall.
•
After 24 Hours - Carbon monoxide leaves the body. The lungs start
to clear out mucus and debris.
•
After 48 Hours - Nicotine is no longer found in the body. Senses of
taste and smell improve.
•
After 72 Hours - breathing becomes easier. Energy levels increase.
•
After 2 to 12 Weeks - Circulation improves throughout the body. Walking and
exercise become easier.
•
After 3 to 9 Months - Breathing problems, coughing, shortness of breath and
wheezing improve. Lung efficiency increases by 5-10%
•
After 4 Years – The risk of having a heart attack falls to about half that
of a smoker.
•
After 10 Years – The risk of lung cancer falls to around half that of a
Smoker; the risk of a heart attack also falls to about the same as someone who has
never smoked.
Smoking Cessation Services:
Talk to your GP or Pharmacist:
Many people don't realise that their GP can help them quit smoking. Your doctor can do a
lot, such as enrolling you in a 'stop smoking' clinic and prescribing nicotine replacement
therapy such as patches and gum, or prescribe a stop smoking medication such as
Champix.
Get a free 'Quit Kit'
This kit is packed with practical tools and advice to help you stop smoking, including a
'tangle' to keep hands busy, a wall chart to keep track of your progress, stress-busting apps,
information on medicines that can help you stop smoking and exercises to improve your
wil power.
Join an NHS Stop-Smoking Service:
The NHS has stop-smoking services staffed by trained stop smoking advisers all over the
country in a range of venues at times to suit you. You can join a group where local smokers
meet once a week or have one-to-one support if you prefer. You usually go for a few weeks
and work towards a quit date. Find your nearest NHS Stop Smoking Service from the
NHS
Smoke free website, or call 0800 022 4332.
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APPENDIX J
OUT OF HOURS PLACEMENT SCHEME
The Emergency Duty Service (EDS) provides placements for vulnerable children outside
office hours with experienced foster carers who have been approved through the foster
panel process.
Carers on the EDS rota can be extended or exempted to take EDS placements if the
placement falls outside the terms of their approval or placement availability.
Any extension or exemption wil only be for the period of the emergency placement which
wil be up to 5pm on the next working day (Longer for weekends and Bank Holiday periods).
As from 8.30am on the next working day the child’s social worker together with Placement
Referrals will be responsible for identifying a further placement.
In exceptional circumstances carers may be asked to offer a placement for a longer period,
where they have a vacancy or with the agreement of the Fostering Service Manager, on an
extension or exemption.
When a placement is required EDS wil contact available carers to check out suitability to
place, taking into account other children already living there. If a carer is named as available
on the rota they wil be expected to offer a placement when requested to do so, unless they
consider their household to be “at risk”.
EDS wil inform Placement Referrals of all placements made, including where a carer has
found it necessary to refuse a placement.
Carers wil be given all available information including appropriate Looked after Children
documents at the time of placement. Outside office hours the information may be very
limited, however EDS must ensure that carers have basic details and are clear about who to
contact on the next working day.
Availability wil be for a 7 day period Monday to Monday (or Tuesday if a Bank Holiday
Period). Carers can stay on the rota for successive weeks if carer is in agreement.
Children can only be placed on the scheme via EDS. In exceptional circumstances,
placements may be made during office hours but only by Placement Referrals, with the
agreement of the Fostering Service Manager.
Placements cannot be made by the Children’s social workers or managers and carers must
not accept placements without an approach from EDS or Placement Referrals.
It is a requirement of the scheme that one carer is at home and available to care for the child
in placement until 5pm the next working day, unless previously agreed.
PAYMENT
In addition to a pro rata rate of the fostering allowances, foster carers will receive £50 as a
one off payment. If a carer takes a sibling group they wil receive the following payment: £75
for two siblings and £100 for 3 siblings or more.
Placement Referrals is responsible for liaising with carers and their Fostering social worker
and drawing up a rota to send to EDS. The rota wil be updated weekly.
Placement Service Telephone Number: 01785 277724
Email Address:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
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APPENDIX K
INTERNET SAFETY; TEXT ABBREVIATIONS A-Z
Below are some common abbreviations:
Abbreviations A to Z
2moro
Tomorrow
2nte
Tonight
AEAP
As Early as Possible
ALAP
As Late as Possible
ASAP
As Soon as Possible
ASL
Age / Sex / Location?
B3
Blah, Blah, Blah
B4YKI
Before You Know it
BFF
Best Friends, Forever
BM&Y
Between Me and You
BRB
Be right Back
BRT
Be right There
BTAM
Be that as it May
C-P
Sleepy
CTN
Cannot talk now
CUS
See You Soon
CWOT
Complete Waste of Time
CYT
See You Tomorrow
E123
Easy as 1, 2, 3
EM?
Excuse Me?
EOD
End of Day
F2F
Face to Face
FC
Fingers Crossed
FOAF
Friend of a Friend
GR8
Great
HAK
Hugs and Kisses
IDC
I Don't Care
IDK
I Don't Know
ILU / ILY
I Love You
IMU
I Miss You
IRL
In Real Life
J/K
Just Kidding
JC
Just Checking
JTLYK
Just to Let You Know
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KFY
Kiss for You
KMN
Kill Me Now
KPC
Keeping Parents Clueless
L8R
Later
MoF
Male or Female
MTFBWY
May the Force be with You
MYOB
Mind Your Own Business
N-A-Y-L
In a While
NAZ
Name, Address, ZIP
NC
No Comment
NIMBY
Not in my Backyard
NM
Never Mind / Nothing Much
NP
No Problem
NSFW
Not Safe for Work
NTIM
Not that it Matters
NVM
Never Mind
OATUS
On a totally Unrelated Subject
OIC
Oh, I See
OMW
On My Way
OTL
Out to Lunch
OTP
On the Phone
P911
Parent Alert
PAL
Parents are Listening
PAW
Parents are Watching
PIR
Parent in Room
POS
Parent over Shoulder
Proper Respect / Proper
PROP(S)
Recognition
QT
Cutie
RN
Right Now
RU
Are You
SEP
Someone else's Problem
SITD
Still in the Dark
SLAP
Sounds like a Plan
SMIM
Send Me an Instant Message
SO
Significant Other
TMI
Too Much Information
UR
Your / You are
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W8
Wait
WB
Welcome Back
WYCM
Will You Call Me?
WYWH
Wish You Were Here
XOXOXOX
Hugs, Kisses, ...
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APPENDIX L
TREASURE BASKETS AND HEURISTIC PLAY
ABBEY MONK AND ANDREA CHEESEMAN
EARLY YEARS QUALITY SUPPORT CONSULTANTS
Brain Growth
?
At Birt h 25%
1 Year ?%
Adult 100%
Key Points:
• The below diagram emphasises the short period of time where maximum brain
development takes place
• Children want to communicate as well as to explore the world physically and
research shows that the prime areas of learning relate to the developing brain from
the earliest age, this is why the EYFS has a sharp focus on these areas.
• Skil s in these areas are time sensitive and if not securely placed by the age of 5
they wil be more difficult to acquire and their absence may hold back learning in all
areas….
So there is a very small window of opportunity to build that brain with all the necessary tools
and a huge responsibility for us as early years practitioners, particularly if you have that child
for long periods of most days.
Key words:
• Brain
• EYFS
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Treasure Baskets
The use of a treasure basket is one way that we can ensure a richness in the babies
experience when the brain is ready to receive, to make connections and so to make use of
this information
(Goldschmeid and Jackson, 2004)
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Door wedge
Bowls
Dolly pegs
Kitchen utensils; spoons, spatulas,
whisks etc.
Curtains rings
Mug tree
Kitchen roll holder
Egg cups
Wooden eggs
Lengths of dowel
Wooden bricks
Sieves and strainers
Bowls
Measuring spoons
Lemon squeezer
Pans
Tins and containers
Jar lids
Whisk
CD’s
Sparkly glitter bal
Mirrored ornament
Teaspoon
Serving spoon
Bells
Metals bracelets
Keys
Watering can
Lengths of chain
Colanders
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Bark
Pumice stone
Coconut shel
Orange/lemon
Large pebbles/stone
Fir cones
Sea shel s
Corks
Natural sponge
Rope
Loofah
Large seeds and pods
Scrubbing brushes
Pastry brush
Hair brush
Nail brush
Various sized paint brushes
Shaving brush
Toothbrush
Make up brushes
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Leather key ring
Knitted toy
Crochet squares
Bean bags
Flannel
Velvet
Ribbon
Pom poms
Lace
Fur fabric
Sponge
Velcro
Elastic
Sequin waste
Knitted gloves
Fabric puppet
Netting
Shiny fabric
Heuristic play is rooted in young children’s natural curiosity. As babies grow, they move
beyond being content to simply feel and ponder objects, to wanting to find out what can be
done with them. Toddlers have an urge to handle things: to gather, fil , dump, stack, knock
down, select and manipulate in other ways.
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