Placements in Foster Care

At the point that it is determined that a foster home may be required, and throughout the subsequent process of identification, planning and moving in, the Social Worker must consult and take account of the views of the following people:

1. The child;
2. The child's parents;
3. Anyone who is not a parent but has been caring for or looking after the child;
4. Other members of the child's family who are significant to the child or who have a Contact Order in their favour in relation to the child;
5. The child's school or the education service;
6. The Youth Offending Service, if the child is known to them;
7. Any other relevant person who is part of the network, e.g. nursery, health care professional, Children's Guardian.

The views of these people should be given by them, in writing, or should be recorded by the Social Worker. If the child's wishes are not acted upon, the reason should be given.

Where a decision has been made that a child requires a foster home the child's Social Worker should request a search take place by completing a home finding referral form and profile of the child and sending this to the Home Finding Team.

In making this request, the Social Worker will be asked to provide information about the child, the type of home sought, the Care Plan, the date by which the home is required, the likely length of time for which the home is required and the expected level of contact between the child and parents. The Social Worker should also outline any risks associated with the home.

The Home Finding Team will check whether an in-house home is available that appears to be appropriate to meet the child's needs. If such a home is available or if there is a possibility of a home by the required date, the Social Worker will be advised accordingly.

If no appropriate in-house homes are available and the child requires a home without delay, the Home Finding Team will advise the child's social worker who will need to request agreement from their line management structure for an external search with independent fostering agencies to identify a suitable placement. 

The final decision to agree a child can be placed in a placement with an independent fostering agency needs to be made by the Assistant Director.

Where there is a child already in the proposed foster home, the Home Finding Team will advise the child's social worker that a new child is being considered for the home, they will seek and gather their views. Where the child is from a different local authority, the views of that child's local authority should be sought by the Home Finding Team.

Careful matching contributes to the stability of homes and the retention of foster carers. The matching process should consider the child's needs especially regarding the following key areas:

• The child's education;
• The expectations around contact with relatives and friends;
• The child's identity/race/culture;
• The child's history;
• The child's behaviour;
• The child's health;
• The focus of the placement.

The matching process should also consider the carer's availability and:

• Their experience (including recent training);
• Their strengths;
• The family composition;
• The distance from the foster home to the child's school;
• Other children in the placement;
• The foster carer's children.

The child's Social Worker will liaise with the foster carer's Supervising Social Worker (who may be from an independent fostering agency) to agree arrangements for the child moving in. They may also/instead liaise directly with the Foster carer. 

At this stage, the Social Worker will also discuss the child with the prospective foster carer and, in particular, share/clarify any risks associated with the home with the foster carers and the Supervising Social Worker. Wherever possible, the child's Social Worker should visit potential carers and as required consult with other professionals, prior to a decision about the appropriateness of a placement being made.

In relation to the sharing of bedrooms, each child over 3 should have their own bedroom, or where this is not possible, the placing authority must agree to the sharing of the bedroom and this must therefore be addressed during the matching process.

Where the proposed home is an in-house home, it will then be presented to the Social Worker's manager for approval.

If the home is outside the foster carer's terms of approval or an exemption is required, see Exemptions and Extensions/Variations to Foster Carer Approval Procedure.

If the proposed home is with an independent fostering agency, the Assistant Director must approve the placement and an Individual home Agreement completed with the fostering agency setting out the precise terms and conditions between the local authority and the agency in relation to the home. The Home Finding Team will complete the start of finance form to inform the Finance Team of the need to commence payments. Where the placement is with independent foster carers who live outside the local authority area, see also Out of Area Placements Procedure.

NB In addition to the above approvals, in order to avoid placements that disrupt a child's education, the child's Social Worker must liaise with the Headteacher for the Virtual School Team. Any change of home affecting a child in Key Stage 4 except in an emergency/ where the home is terminated because of an immediate risk of serious harm to the child or to protect others from serious injury, must consider the education arrangements - see Supporting the Education and Promoting the Achievement of Children with a Social Worker, Cared for and Previously Cared for Children Procedure.

If the relevant manager approves the foster home, the home planning process can start - see Section 4, Home Planning.

The Social Worker may then arrange an introductory visit to the proposed placement, with the child (if old enough) and parents (if appropriate).

Children who are new in their homes are welcomed sensitively and with careful and considered planning. Before the child comes to live in the home, the fostering social Worker will arrange a Home Planning Meeting.

Participants will include:

• The parent (if appropriate to come to the home);
• The child (if appropriate);
• The foster carer;
• The Supervising Social Worker;
• Any other relevant professionals, e.g. a representative from the child's school;
• Anyone else considered appropriate or who will have a role in the home.

The purpose of the first Home Planning Meeting is to gather and share important information about the child's needs in order to support them in their new home and to inform their foster carers of all the relevant and important information about the child. From the information gathered the social worker can finalise the Placement Plan (which will be recorded on the Placement Information Record). 

The Fostering Social Worker Chairs the meeting and records the information on a Home Agreement Plan. 

The meeting will involve a discussion of the child's needs and plan to ensure careful matching, including the child's personal history, religious persuasion, cultural and linguistic background and racial origin, as well as the child's health and education needs and how these are to be met. It will also include the arrangements for registering the child with local health professionals (GP, dentist and optician).

If the planning meeting is completed in advance, the meeting will consider the type of introduction process required, for example whether arrangements should be made for the child, parents and the Social Worker to visit the foster home and/or whether it may be appropriate to have an introductory overnight stay. Children should be able to visit the foster home and talk in private with the carer. If this is not possible, arrangements may be made for the carers to visit the child and parents; or for information about the foster carers to be sent to the child and/or the parents, for example about routines in the foster home, bedtimes, meals, visitors, pocket money, school, privacy and the overall expectations in relation to the child's behaviour within the home.

Foster carers should share the my family booklet for children.

For children coming to live in a home in foster care, the Home Plan should cover the following issues in addition to those for all homes set out in the Decision to Look After and Care Planning Procedure:

1. The type of accommodation to be provided and the address;
2. Where the authority has, or is notified of, Child Protection concerns relating to the child, or the child has gone missing from the placement or from any previous placement, the day to day arrangements put in place by the appropriate person (placement provider) to keep the child safe;
3. The child's personal history, religious persuasion, cultural and linguistic background and racial origin;
4. Where the child is Accommodated:
   • The respective responsibilities of the Local Authority and parents/anyone with Parental Responsibility;
   • Any delegation of responsibility by parents/anyone with Parental Responsibility to the Local Authority and /or the foster carer(s) in relation to the following matters ( and identifying any of these matters on which the local authority/parents/persons with Parental Responsibility consider that the child may make a decision):
   • This is a delegated authority form completed at the home planning meeting.
     • Medical and dental treatment;
     • Education;
     • Leisure and home life;
     • Faith and religious observance;
     • Use of social media;
     • Any other matters upon which the local authority/parents/others with parental responsibility consider appropriate.
   • The expected duration of the arrangements and the steps to bring the arrangements to an end, including arrangements for the child to return to live with parents/anyone with Parental Responsibility;
   • Where the child is aged 16 or over and agrees to being provided with accommodation under Section 20 Children Act 1989, that fact.
5. The circumstances in which it is necessary to obtain in advance the Local Authority's approval for the child to take part in school trips or overnight stays (see Documents Library, Appendices);
6. The Local Authority's arrangements for the financial support of the child during the placement;
7. The obligation on the carers to comply with the terms of the foster care agreement.

The meeting also provides an opportunity to ensure that the foster carers have a copy of any relevant court order, and medical consents and that full information is shared with them about the child's needs and any behaviour management issues. It is expected that the foster carer will have a signed delegated authority form following the meeting, a copy of which will be kept on the foster carers file.

Except in emergency placements, the Home Planning Meeting should be held before the child moves in. Where this is not possible, it should be held at the latest within 3 working days of the child moving in.

The child's Social Worker will complete and arrange for the circulation of the Care Plan and Placement Plan to the child, parents and foster carers before or at the latest, within 5 working days of the placement.

At the time of the child moving in, the foster carers should also be given any additional information about details of the child's day-to-day needs which are not covered by the Home Plan/Placement Information Record but are important to ensure that the carers are in the best possible position to help the child settle in the new placement, for example any particular fears at night-time or the child's favourite toys.

The child's Social Worker must provide the child and the parent with written information about coming into care, including information on using the Complaints Procedure.

In addition, as indicated above, the Social Worker should ensure that any other information about the home that is available for the child is obtained and given to him/her (including the carer's My Family booklet). Children must understand house expectations before they move in.

In all cases, the child should be accompanied to their new home by the Social Worker and helped to settle in. Suitable luggage should be used and a child's belongings should never be transported in bin-bags or other inappropriate containers (see NYAS, My Things Matter Report).

The child's Social Worker will update the child's electronic records with the details of the new home within 24 hours. The Home Finding Team will ensure that a notification is sent to the finance section to trigger payments to the foster carer.

The notifications should be before the start of the placement, wherever possible, or within 5 working days.

Notification of the home will also be sent by the child's Social Worker to the Designated Nurse for CLA, the education service, the relevant local Children's Services (if the home is in the area of a different local authority and the child's GP.

The child's Social Worker will notify all family members consulted and involved in the decision-making process of the placement.

The child's Social Worker must also notify the allocated Independent Reviewing Officer or, if it is the first home, the Independent Children's Safeguarding Unit of the new home. This notification will trigger the appointment of an Independent Reviewing Officer if it is the first home, and the setting up of arrangements for a Children Looked After Review.

These notifications must be made in writing, advising of the placement decision and the name and address of the person with whom the child is to be placed.

The child's Social Worker should also notify - preferably in writing but it may be verbally - all those involved in the day to day arrangements for the child, including nursery/school and any health professional or YOS worker actively involved with the child.

It will be necessary for the foster carer or the child's Social Worker to ensure the child is registered with a GP, Dentist and Optician, either retaining practices known to him or her (which is preferable) or in the area where they are placed.

In relation to a first Looked After placement it will also be necessary for the Social Worker to liaise with the Designated Nurse for CLA to arrange an Initial Health Care Assessment - see Health Care Assessments and Plans Procedure for further details. The Social Worker must also contact the relevant school or, where the child does not have a school place, the relevant education office and the Virtual School Team to arrange completion of a Personal Education Plan - see Supporting the Education and Promoting the Achievement of Children with a Social Worker, Cared for and Previously Cared for Children Procedure.

For any new homes, every effort should be made to enable the child to remain at the same school unless there are reasons which would be detrimental to his or her well being.

The child's Social Worker must visit the child in the home within one week of the child moving in and then, at a minimum, every six weeks during the first year, thereafter every six weeks (three months if the home is intended to last until the child is 18 and agreed as their permanent home). For children in long-term permanent foster homes visits after the first year should not be less frequent than six monthly - see Social Worker Visits to Looked After Children Procedure. The frequency of visits will be within these statutory minimum timescales, but must take into account the specific needs of the individual child at that point in time.

The foster carer will also receive support and supervision from their Supervising Social Worker (for in-house placements) - see Supervision and Support of Foster Carers Procedure - and from the independent fostering agency (for external placements).

Where there are concerns in relation to the progress of the placement, consideration should be given to seeking additional resources to assist the carers.

Where there are any changes to the type of placement or to the child's legal status during the placement, the child's Social Worker must update the child's electronic records.

The records should be monitored for quality, adequacy and retention.

A Children Looked After Review should be convened where:

• The child is, or has been, persistently absent from their home;
• The placement provider, parents or area authority are concerned that the child is at risk of harm; or
• The child so requests, unless the Independent Reviewing Officer considers that the review is not justified.

See also Children Cared For Reviews Procedure.

When the child moves on and their home ends, the child's Social Worker must update the child's electronic records within 24 hours. The Fostering social worker must notify the finance section so that payments to the carer/provider will cease. 

The Social Worker will also send copies to those notified when the child moved in. 

In appropriate cases, the foster carer should be asked to complete an end of home report.

The child's Social Worker must complete and end of home report to inform the review of the carers skills and approval.

Children must, when they leave the home, be helped to understand the reasons and be supported with the transition - including return home and independence.

Foster carers must be supported to maintain links with children who leave their care, where appropriate. Great consideration should be given to this, even if the ending is difficult to ensure that the child is supported to understand. The Fostering Social Workers views should be sought around maintaining links and documented on the child's file. 

Where the home ends in an unplanned way, consideration should be given to holding a Disruption Meeting/ unplanned endings meeting.

Where a former carer's records are requested by a new agency, these must be made available within one month of the request.

A person who is approved as a prospective adopter may be given temporary approval as a local authority foster carer for a named cared for child, where the local authority consider that this is in the child's best interests.

Before giving such approval, the responsible authority must:

• Assess the suitability of that person to care for the child as a foster care; and
• Consider whether, in all the circumstances and taking into account the services to be provided by the responsible authority, the proposed arrangements will safeguard and promote the child's welfare and meet the child's needs as set out in the Care Plan.

The temporary approval period expires when:

• The home is terminated by the local authority;
• The approval as a prospective adopter is terminated;
• The prospective adopter is approved as a foster carer;
• The prospective adopter gives 28 days' written notice that they no longer wish to be temporarily approved as a foster parent in relation to the child; or
• The child is placed for adoption with the prospective adopter.

Where it is the case that the most appropriate route to permanence is long-term foster care, the regulations set out the arrangements for making such a placement, including:

• That foster care is the plan for permanence and is recorded in the child's care plan; (Reg 5(a))
• That the foster carer has agreed to act as the child's foster carer until the child ceases to be looked after;
• That the responsible authority has confirmed the nature of the arrangement with the foster carer(s), the birth parent and the child; and
• The child and foster carer have a clear understanding of the support services they will receive to promote the home.

The assessment and planning process for long-term foster care should address the child's current needs and likely future needs, and the capacity of the foster carer to meet these needs now and in the future. The length of time in the foster home will vary according to the child's age and the long-term plan for the child, including the transition to adulthood. These factors must all be taken into account in planning for support and services where long –term foster care has been identified as the plan for permanence for a child.

Before deciding to place a child in a long-term foster home, (whether or not this means moving to a new carer) the ability of the identified long-term foster carer to care for the child both now and in the future should be assessed. The support and services which will be needed to ensure that the home is stable, secure and meets the child's needs should be identified taking into account the carer's previous fostering or other childcare experience, family configuration (including placement of other children under fostering arrangements), existing relationship (if any) with the child, knowledge and skills and capacity to care for the child long term under a fostering arrangement.

It is imperative that the foster carer fully understands and explicitly agrees to the long term commitment they are making to the child [regulation 22B (2)(f)]. A record of the discussion of these matters including the outcome should be made as part of the assessment process.

The decision to place a child in a long-term foster home with a particular foster carer should be discussed and recorded as part of the review process. This decision should then be recorded in the home plan and agreed and signed by the foster carer [regulation 9(3)].

Where it is agreed that the child will be placed in a long-term foster home, this should be communicated clearly to the foster carer, the child's parents or any other person who is not a parent but has parental responsibility and the child. (Reg 2(1))

Where the decision has been taken that the plan for permanence is long-term foster care and the child is in an existing foster care placement, it may be that the carer and (where appropriate) the child want the existing foster placement to be the long-term foster placement. Such a proposal should be considered in a reasonable timescale taking into account the existing relationship between the child and the foster carer, the length of time in placement, the child's relationships with the foster carer's wider family and community. Consideration should also be given to the progress the child has made in the home, recorded through the case review process.

The decision regarding suitability of a home to meet a child's needs on a permanent basis in foster care will be considered by the Permanence Panel, who will make a recommendation to the Agency Decision Maker. The matters above will be addressed in the matching report presented to the Permanence Panel in order for them to reach their recommendation. There may be circumstances where it is not considered appropriate to assess the ability of the current foster carer as the long-term carer for the child. In these instances, the reasons for this decision should be clearly set out in writing to the foster carer. This decision should also be communicated to the child where it is appropriate to their age and understanding.