3.7.1 Assessment and Approval of Foster Carers |
SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER
This procedure applies to all those who enquire about becoming foster carers for the local authority whether they live within or outside the county. This includes carers who are applying to foster under Regulation 24 or Kinship Care. See Placement with Connected Person Procedure.
Private Foster carers are not approved under this procedure; see Private Fostering Procedure.
Also see Fostering Panel Procedure.
This chapter should be read in conjunction with References and Checks Guidance.
AMENDMENT
This chapter was slightly amended in September 2011 to take account of the changes in the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011, Associated Guidance and National Minimum Standards.
Contents
- Responding to Requests for Information
- Initial Visit to Applicants
- Preparation Groups
- Application Forms and Checks
- Health
- Personal References
- Home Study/Assessment
- Presentation to the Fostering Panel
- After the Fostering Panel's Recommendation
- Representations Procedure
- After the Approval
- Family Books
- Register of Foster Carers
- Changes in the Foster Carers Circumstances or Household
1. Responding to Requests for Information
All expressions of interest in fostering are dealt with initially by the Fostering and Adoption Customer Service Centre whether the interest is expressed by letter, telephone or e-mail.
The Customer Service Centre will process enquiries and from the initial contact retrieve basic information from the caller, customer name, Address, contact telephone number and a convenient time for further call back. Customer Service Advisors may simply provide information or redirect callers whose enquiry is vague. At the end of the enquiry the call will either be closed or the caller will be sent further written information about the fostering service.
An information pack will be sent out within 2 working days to the caller by their preferred contact method post or e. mail. The information pack contains full details about the Fostering Service, including the assessment process, types of fostering, the checks which will be undertaken about any applicant and their family and the timescale involved. The Customer Service Centre will make a follow up call within 2 weeks to ascertain if the caller wishes to complete an initial registration of interest form. If the customer no longer wishes to proceed with the enquiry then the enquiry is closed on Swift.
The Customer Service Centre will record the information on Initial Registration of Interest Form (SS2/21) and record details in the recruitment tab on the electronic system in swift. Information taken by the Customer Service Centre includes:
- Full name, date of birth, address and telephone number
- Any other addresses within the last 5 years
- Date of request
- Marital status
- Names of other household members
- Details of accommodation
- Previous experience and details of any other approvals already given
- If they know the types of fostering sought (respite, task centred, permanence, number of children)
The Customer Service Centre will advise the customer that the information will be passed to the responsible Fostering Team Manager (North or South) for allocation and that they will receive a call back from a supervising social worker within 3 weeks.
The completed Initial Registration of Interest form will be passed to the area fostering mail box and the details entered onto ICS, this will generate a task on ICS for the Fostering Team a manager to allocate.
The Team Manager will assess the information contained in the Initial Registration of Interest Form and make a decision as to whether the enquiry should be taken any further. If the Team Manager decides to proceed, a Supervising Social Worker will be allocated and they will organise an initial visit.
The Fostering Service will keep monthly statistics of the number of enquiries made and where known, reasons why enquiries have not been pursued.
2. Initial Visit to Applicants
Prior to the first visit, a check will be made to see if the prospective applicant is known to the Children's Services.
The fostering service welcomes gay, lesbian and trans gendered applicants. Supervising Social Workers should ensure they have read BAAF Practice Note 44 "Recruiting, Assessing and Supporting Lesbian and Gay Carers and Adopters before making an initial visit and beginning the assessment.
The fostering service welcomes enquiries from people whose first language is not English and the supervising social worker will make arrangements for a translator and interpreter whenever this will assist the process. (See Translation and Interpretation Service) The Interpreter may assist the enquirer to make an application.
The purpose of the visit is to give further information, answer questions, explore the potential of the enquirer to foster and confirm whether the enquirer wishes to proceed further with an application. The social worker will complete an Initial Visit Report from information obtained at the visit and also record the visit in case notes on ICS. The social worker will record the date of the visit in the recruitment module on SWIFT. The date the statutory forms were left with the applicant is recorded on SWIFT.
Prospective applicants will be advised not to pursue an application where they have recently faced significant challenges within their family, such as newly formed partnerships or reconstituted families, serious illness, pregnancy, separation or bereavement.
Prospective applicants may also be counselled out of pursuing an application for a variety of reasons at this stage or at any time during the course of the assessment process where it is considered that the application would be inappropriate, for example where there are concerns about the information obtained from checks or about the applicants' attempt to cover up information about offences. In these circumstances the reasons for not pursuing the application will be discussed with the line manager.
Where the outcome of the initial visit is positive, the supervising social worker can contact the enquirer regarding the progress of their application. In any event, if the application form and check consents are not returned within 2 weeks, contact will be made by the supervising social worker to pursue the application. The date that the statutory check forms were returned by the applicant is recorded on SWIFT
If the applicant is a child minder and wishes to continue as a child minder if they are successfully approved as a foster carer, they should be advised that they will need to continue to be registered with OFSTED in relation to their childminding role.
Once the application has been returned, it will be reviewed by the supervising social worker and they will assess whether the application should be pursued. Their assessment must be discussed and approved by their Team manager or Practice Supervisor.
The Fostering Panel must make its recommendation on the application within eight months of the receipt of the formal application.
3. Preparation Groups
Upon receipt of the completed application form, applicants will be invited to attend a preparation Group. The Supervising Social worker must inform business support of the course that the applicant wishes to attend, a written invitation will be sent out by business Support.
The attendance of applicants at Preparation Groups will form part of the assessment of their suitability as foster carers.
Preparation Groups will usually be planned to enable applicants to have at least 4 weeks' notice of their date and venue so as to encourage extensive participation.
Preparation Groups provide an opportunity for the Fostering Team social workers to find out more about the prospective applicants and have a clearer idea of their strengths, areas for further work and any concerns that need to be clarified as part of the assessment process.
The Groups are also aimed at self-assessment in that they enable prospective applicants to find out more about fostering and help them discover whether fostering is right for them and their family.
After each session, a record will be completed of observations made of the prospective applicants, which will be shared with them at the end of the course.
Prospective applicants are expected to attend all the Preparation Groups offered before being considered for further assessment as prospective foster carers. In the case of couples, both should attend each of the sessions. If a session is missed, the supervising social worker must assess whether the reason is acceptable and consider how the applicant can obtain the information from the session in another way. If they miss more than two sessions they will be expected to repeat the entire course.
Those running the Groups will arrange a time for debriefing within 2 weeks after the Groups take place and determine with their Team Manager or Practice Supervisor which of the prospective applicants should proceed to a full assessment.
A report by the facilitators of the Groups will be included in the assessment report presented to the Fostering Panel. The group facilitators will record feedback forms on ICS as a case note. The dates of attendance will be recorded in the training module in SWIFT by preparation group facilitator.
The Team Manager or Practice Supervisor will then allocate the carers to an assessing social worker to complete the home study.
4. Application Forms and Checks
Once a completed application form has been received, a new case record should be opened for the prospective foster carer. Please refer to the References and Checks Guidance.
The checks on the applicant, all members of the household over 16 will be actioned by the Business Support staff in the Fostering Service who will write:
- Probation Service
- Health Trust
- Education Authority and Schools (in relation to the applicant's own children) (SS2/185)
- Local Authority for the area where the applicants live
- The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) disclosure form will also be completed by the applicants and sent
- Employer reference
- Personal references
- NSPCC
- CAFCASS
- SSAFA
- Out of County checks if appropriate
- Check whether the applicant(s) have a right to work in the UK
These checks should be recorded including the date when the checks were made.
Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau checks will be required on other non-residents who have regular unsupervised contact with the child or overnight stays in the prospective carer's home.
Where the applicant has made a previous application to foster or adopt, the relevant agency must be asked to confirm in writing the outcome of the application.
Where the applicant has lived abroad for extended periods the supervising social worker should discuss with the team manager whether additional checks or references should be taken up.
The business support staff will record on SWIFT in the references tab, the dates when the checks were sent and the dates when replies were received. The replies to the checks should be placed in the confidential section of the case record. A renewal date for CRB and Health checks will also be recorded on SWIFT.
Where the CRB checks has shown offences, any clarification/explanation of the offences and also the rational for the counter signatory agreeing for the assessment to continue must be recorded. Details of offences and explanations should NOT be in the main body of the Form F but be appended to the Form F. Should the approving panel and agency subsequently approve the carer, the appendix should be removed from the Form F and be placed in the confidential section of the carers file. The minutes of the panel should reflect that this was discussed.
Where the checks reveal that an applicant or member of the household is disqualified under the Regulations, an application can be made to the Fostering Panel for consent to the assessment proceeding if satisfied that the person is a relative of the specific child requiring a placement and that, on the basis of a completed risk assessment, it is appropriate for the assessment of the applicant as a foster carer to proceed having considered all relevant facts surrounding the circumstances of the disqualification.
In all other cases, that applicant must be informed that the application cannot proceed.See Persons Disqualified from Fostering Procedure.
5. Health
Applicants wishing to be assessed as long term or permanent foster carers must agree to have a medical undertaken by their own GP which will be forwarded to the Medical Adviser to the Fostering Panel.
Written advice from the Medical Adviser to the Fostering Panel should be obtained and referred to in the report on the application to the Fostering Panel.
Where the applicant's GP has expressed concerns, or where clarification of the implications of any health issues is required, detailed advice must be sought from the Medical Adviser to the Fostering Panel at an early stage and the implications fully discussed with the applicant and in the report.
Carers who smoke will not be considered for approval to care for children under 5 years old. Please refer to the BAAF Guidance on Smoking.
6. Personal References
Three personal references must be obtained for each applicant from adults. One referee must have known the applicant for at least five years and live within a reasonable travelling distance of the applicant, and one should be a member of the applicant's wider family. For joint applications, two of the referees should know the applicants as a couple rather than just having knowledge of one partner. Please refer to the Guidance on Applicants References and Checks.
The business support staff in the Fostering Team will send requests for references enclosing standard forms for completion by the referees.
The assessing social worker assisting with the application will also interview referees personally and record the interview on form SS2/180. Assessors should ensure that the information in "Format for References" guidance is covered. Care should be taken to explore referees responses further and clarify any concerns raised. The referee can be asked for examples to support their view which assists in evidencing the information received. If it becomes clear that the referee has insufficient knowledge of the applicant, or has no sound basis for the views expressed, then the interview should be terminated and an alternative referee sought.
Where concerns are raised during the interview of a referee, the assessor will need to take a view on the seriousness of the issues raised and discuss with their manager whether the application should proceed. If a decision is made to proceed with the assessment, analysis of the concerns and the reason for the decision to continue should be recorded in the "comments" section of the referee form.
A further reference must also be obtained from the applicant's employer and an Employer's Reference Form will be sent for completion.
Interviews should be conducted with adult children of the applicants to discuss their experience of being parented, their attitude to the application, and their view of the potential impact that fostering may have on the applicants and other family members.
Former Partners
Former Partners should be interviewed particularly if there has been joint parenting experience with the applicant unless the there are exceptional reasons for not doing so.
The applicant should be informed why such an approach needs to be made, how the information will be sought and how it is carefully considered, forming one element of a multi-faceted assessment.
Where former partners have not jointly parented or cared for a child with the prospective adopter, they should generally not be approached unless there is a specific reason for doing so.
Consideration should be given to any expressed concerns from the applicant about approaches to a former partner, and the concerns recorded. In some cases, there may be a legitimate concern that an approach could provoke a hostile or even violent reaction from a former partner.
The risk of harm to the applicant and their family should be assessed and consideration should be given to the welfare of any children, the welfare of the applicant, the circumstances of the case, and how the welfare and privacy of the applicant and their family can be safeguarded.
If a decision is made not to approach a former partner who jointly parented or cared for a child with the applicant, the decision and the reasons should be recorded on the case record and noted in the Form F.
Information obtained from former partners may vary from providing reliable, essential information to that which is misleading. The information and its context should be weighed carefully. As far as possible, this information should be verified and checked against other sources such as referees. Where questions about suitability to foster arise as a result of information provided, these should be explored further.
Support Persons
Support persons who may offer substantial and unsupervised care for children placed should be subject to a CRB check. This will normally be people who have a close and continuing supportive relationship with the carers. The supervising social worker will need to meet with these people and enter into an agreement with them about their role and the need for a disclosure. Additional checks required will be recorded in the review tab on Swift, with a renewal date.
7. Home Study/Assessment
Where a decision is made to proceed to a full assessment, an assessment social worker will be allocated to carry out a home study/assessment of the applicant.
Whilst there are no time limits for the assessment, the UK National Standards suggest that assessment should be completed and presented to the Fostering Panel within 8 months of the date of receipt of a completed application form. Where an assessment exceeds this timescale, the reasons for the delay should be recorded.
The assessing social worker should consider contacting the Panel Administrator at the earliest opportunity to book a slot at the Fostering Panel. If the assessing social worker needs to delay the application while a piece of work with the applicants is undertaken, they will need the approval of their Team manager.
Applicants may withdraw from the assessment process before it is completed.
In addition, where an issue arises during the course of an assessment which requires a decision as to the future direction of the assessment and this cannot be resolved by discussion between the assessing social worker and the applicant or by reference to the manager of the Fostering Service, this can and should be referred at an early stage to the Fostering Panel, for example where an applicant is Disqualified, see Persons Disqualified from Fostering Procedure.
All assessments of potential foster carers will follow the format of the BAAF Form F assessments. Direct statements from the applicant can be recorded. Evidence of how the applicant will meet a child's needs should be recorded to qualify any statement of ability. The report should give detail of the applicants Parenting Capacity and their understanding of post placement factors as detailed in the form F. Each section should contain analysis of the information given and how it evidences the carer's ability to meet the needs of children requiring foster placement. All carers should meet the competence required of foster carers and also should be able to promote the outcomes of the Every Child Matters agenda. It is useful therefore to ask applicants questions relating to theses standards and include their responses in the assessment report.
Whilst undertaking the assessment, the assessing social worker should consider the type of fostering the applicants may be suitable for. In all cases the full Form f should be completed as described above. In cases where applicants are being considered for specialist care, such as Placement Plus, Parent and Child placements, permanent foster care or The Emergency Foster Carers scheme, the form f should evidence the applicants' skills in these specific areas and their understanding of the specific nature of the proposed type of foster care.
The foster home will also be thoroughly checked to ensure it provides appropriate and safe for the child, as well as safe transport and a health and safety questionnaire (SS2/182) completed including an assessment of risk posed by any pets in the household. Each child over 3 has their own bedroom or, where this is not possible, the sharing of the bedroom has been agreed by the placing authority. Any issues that arise from the check should be recorded on the Form F with an agreed plan of action established.
Where the applicants have a dog, a specific assessment should be completed. (SS2/183). Occasionally the information gained may require further discussion with the veterinary practice of the applicants. The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 prohibits from having in their possession or custody, dogs belonging to types of breed for fighting.
The Declarations of Health or Adult AH 1 in relation to permanent fostering applications should be sent to the agency Medical Advisor and his comments sought. These should be made available to the Foster Panel.The completed Form F, which should contain the outcome of the assessment and recommendations of the assessing social worker, should be shared with and signed by the applicant. This will be supplemented by the assessing summary of the applicant in the preparation groups. This assessment summary should also be shared with the applicant prior to presentation to the Fostering Panel. This gives the applicant the opportunity to make any comments for example by expressing disagreement or support for the recommendations.
The applicant will be given 14 days in which to make any written observations and comments on the contents of the reports.
The completed report must be sent to the Team Manager or Practice Supervisor for authorisation. The date of completion of the assessment must be recorded by the assessing social worker in the recruitment tab.
8. Presentation to the Fostering Panel
All the relevant information (incorporating the BAAF Form F, the applicant's comments, references, a full report on visits to the referees, full information about all the statutory checks, the Medical Adviser's report), Family Safe Care Policy, Genogram and Eco map should be sent to the Panel Administrator four Fridays preceding the Fostering Panel meeting (these are always on Wednesdays). If an extension is required, the Team Manager or Practice Supervisor must give authorisation to the Panel Administrator.
At the Panel meeting, the information will be presented by the assessing social worker responsible for the assessment or a substitute with adequate knowledge of the applicant and the assessment.
Foster carers should be invited to attend Fostering Panel when their application is being considered, and the Panel Administrator should be informed if they intend to do so. Whether they attend or not, their views and wishes must be presented fairly and accurately within the documentation before the Panel and verbally.
The Panel will consider the written report together with all the supporting documentation and any additional information presented verbally, and makes a recommendation to the Agency Decision Maker regarding the outcome of the assessment.
The recommendation will be recorded in writing and, where approval is recommended, any limitations of the approval to named children (for example where the foster carer is a relative or family friend) or conditions as to the age range or number of children to be placed in the foster home will also be specified.
Reasons for the recommendations, and any conditions will be recorded in the Panel's minutes.
The applicant will be informed verbally of the recommendation within one working day.
9. After the Fostering Panel's Recommendation
After the Fostering Panel has considered the report and made a written recommendation, the Panel Administrator will send the minutes to the Agency Decision Maker who will make a decision as to the approval of the foster carers based on the Panel's recommendation.
Where the application is approved, the nature and any terms of the approval must be also specified in writing.
If a decision is made to approve a foster carer, written notice of the decision and the terms of the approval will be sent to the foster carer within 7 working days by the Panel Administrator, and signed by the Agency Decision Maker. A copy should also be placed on the foster carer's case record. The panel Administrator will notify the SWIFT helpdesk to record the carer's as a resource. Panel Administrator will complete the registration and recruitment tab. The date that the carer is informed of the decision will be recorded on Swift.
If panel recommend an early review of the recommendation, panel business support must add a due date to the review tab in SWIFT.
10. Representations Procedure
If a decision is made to refuse an application for approval, ("a Qualifying Determination, that the agency does not consider the applicant suitable to foster a child) written notice of the decision together with the reasons and a copy of the Fostering Panel's recommendation will be sent to the applicant within 7 days of the decision being made. The applicant will be advised that if he or she wishes to challenge the decision, they have the right to make representations to the Panel within 28 days of the date of the written notice of the decision or they can apply to the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) for a review of the agency's qualifying determination. The applicant cannot do both.
If no written notification is received within this period, the decision to refuse the application can be confirmed. The supervising social worker must inform business support by either a task or an email to close down the case on ICS and all tabs in SWIFT.
If written representations are made within the period, the matter must be referred back to the Panel for further consideration.
Where the Panel makes a different recommendation as a result of the applicant's representations, the recommendation will be sent to the Agency Decision Maker for a reconsideration of the decision.
The Panel Administrator will send written notice of the decision (signed by the Agency Decision Maker) to the applicant within 7 working days.
If the applicant wishes to apply to the IRM they must do so in writing within 28 days of the written notice of the decision. The Supervising Social Worker should give them details of the process. Up to date information can be found at the IRM website.
11. After the Approval
Where an application is approved, the foster carer will be allocated a supervising social worker. The Team Manager or Practice Supervisor must end the assessing social worker role in the recruitment tab in Swift and add a new involvement of supervising social worker and Lead Social Worker.
The supervising social worker will request the foster carer to sign a Foster Care Agreement between the Social Services Department and the foster carer, which contains the information the foster carer needs to carry out his or her functions as a foster carer effectively.
The foster carer will be given two copies for signature, and will retain one signed copy.
The other will be kept on the foster carer's case record and scanned into the electronic records, together with the report and supporting documents presented to the Fostering Panel, a copy of the Panel's recommendation and a copy of the approval decision. The date that the agreement was signed by the carers should be recorded by the supervising social worker in swift.The Foster Care Agreement will contain the following information:
- The terms of the foster carer's approval
- The support and training to be provided to the foster carer
- The procedure for the review of the foster carer's approval
- The procedure for placements of children
- The procedure for making representations and complaints
- The requirement to inform the fostering service of any change of circumstance, address or in the household composition, or of any registration as a childminder or application to adopt or of any offence
- The requirements in relation to confidentiality
- The procedures for behaviour management and unauthorised absences of children placed with the foster carer including the ban on corporal punishment
- The procedures for informing the fostering social worker of the child's progress and any significant events relating to the child
- The need to give 28 days' notice in writing of their wish to cease fostering
New foster carers will also be given their personal copy of the Foster Carer's Hand-Book, which covers policies, procedures, guidance, legal information and insurance details and in respect of which the foster carer must sign confirmation of receipt.
The allocated supervising social worker will continue to provide support, formal supervision, develop post approval training plan and undertake the annual reviews of the foster carer up to, during and after all placements. See Supervision of Foster Carers Procedure
12. Family Books
Approved foster carers should be asked by their assessing social worker to provide a Family Book, which contains visual and written information to introduce any child placed in the foster home to members of the foster family and the foster home. The information should also contain house rules, routines, names of pets, information about how the foster family has fun and any other information to convey what it would be like for a child coming into the household.
13. Register of Foster Carers
The manager of the Fostering Service will maintain a register of all approved foster carers containing the following particulars:
- The name, address, date of birth, sex and ethnic origin of each foster carer
- The date of approval and of each review of the approval
- The category and current terms of the approval
- The name, address, date of birth of each Connected Person with whom a child is placed under regulation 24 of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2011 and who has been granted temporary approval as a foster carer, together with the date and terms of the agreement.
14. Changes in the Foster Carer's Circumstances or Household
The Supervising Social Worker must ensure the foster carer is aware that it is their responsibility to notify the fostering Team of any proposed or actual changes in the household composition or circumstances that may affect their role as foster carer. Examples may include changes to relationship, new relationship, pregnancy, bereavement. The Supervising Social Worker should inform the Fostering Team Manager and a review of approval considered. See Review of Foster Carer's Procedure
New Partner
Where it is proposed that a foster carer's new partner is to join the household, a full form f assessment must be completed before the partner moves in. The assessment should follow the process as for a new approval above. (Information pertaining to the current Foster Carer gathered for the original Form F may be utilised, e.g. Background information but full assessment of the new carer, the couple's relationship and the couple's joint approach to parenting must be covered and analysed.,
A Police PNC check should be undertaken immediately, pending the results of the CRB check if it is proposed that the new partner is to have a high level of involvement with the foster child or to stay overnight.
Other Household Members
Where it is proposed that any person will join the household a CRB check must be undertaken before they move in. If the anticipated move is before the results of the CRB are returned, a local Police PNC check must be undertaken. An assessment of the proposed change should take place. If it is anticipated that the new household member is to have a role in caring for the child, then a full form f assessment must be carried out.End