3.8.1 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.

This chapter was revised in May 2009 to take account of the Independent Review Mechanism (Fostering) (IRM) which was introduced for prospective foster carers and existing foster carers. This procedure will be developed further as the impact of the IRM becomes apparent. See Section 14, Independent Review Mechanism.

Also see Fostering Panel Procedure.

AMENDMENTS

This chapter was amended in March 2012 in regard to new sections on Changes in the Foster Carer’s Household or Circumstances and Assessing a New Partner of an Existing Single Foster Carer.

Responding to Enquiries
Initial Visit/Information Session
Checks
Health
Personal References
Preparation Course
Home Study/Assessment
Presentation to the Fostering Panel
After the Fostering Panel’s Recommendation
Representations Procedure
After the Approval
Register of Foster Carers
Alterations to Categories of Approval
Changes in the Foster Carer’s Household or Circumstances
Assessing a New Partner of an Existing Single Foster Carer
Independent Review Mechanism

1. Responding to Enquiries

Enquiries by telephone, letter or an office visit will be received by the duty social worker in the Adoption and Fostering Service. The duty social worker will have a preliminary discussion with all prospective applicants who contact the Service. An allocated social worker (recruitment social worker) will ring those who apply by letter for a preliminary discussion. A blue referral form (Form Number to follow) (for fostering enquiries) or pink (Form Number to follow) (for adoption enquiries) will be completed by the duty social worker. The adoption enquiry is passed onto the Senior Practitioner in the adoption team. The blue referral form (fostering enquiry) is passed onto the administration staff for this to be logged onto Protocol*, which includes the date and time the referral was received. At this point the prospective applicants will be allocated to the recruitment social worker. *NB Phase 1b of ICS will require information to be included on Protocol

If the enquirer is known, the referral form is passed onto the recruitment social worker who will make further checks (If the recruitment social worker is not available the duty officer should make the necessary checks). If the enquiry is deemed not appropriate due to information obtained for example because there are known child protection concerns in relation to the family, the applicant will be informed in writing of this decision, with reasons. The referral on ICS is closed. If the checks are not of concern, or will need further investigation during the assessment, (for e.g. a member of the family has suffered from a mental health condition) this information will be put into the prospective applicants’ case file. The blue referral is then returned to the administration officer. *NB Phase 1b of ICS will require information to be included on Protocol

The administration officer will send out a standard letter and a Fostering Information Pack containing the (summary) Statement of Purpose of the Fostering Service, the complaints procedure and full details about the assessment process, the checks required about any applicant and members of the household. They will be invited to the next an open meeting and an acknowledgement form to say they will be attending. Open meetings take place regularly, during the evening to enable workers to attend also. If the prospective applicant does not return the form, or attend the meeting, they will be invited to the next open meeting. However if they do not attend a second open meeting, the recruitment social worker (or duty officer if requested) will make contact with the enquirer to ascertain if they wish to proceed. If they do not, the recruitment social worker will close the case on ICS, and send the enquirer a standard letter. If they wish to continue they will be invited to the next open meeting. When any enquiry is closed the recruitment social worker will send the prospective applicant a standard letter informing them of this decision. *NB Phase 1b of ICS will require information to be included on Protocol

2. Initial Visit/Information Session

The purpose of the open meeting is to give further information and answer questions about the fostering task. Two experienced foster carers will attend the open evening to provide information to applicants about the rewards and challenges facing the fostering family. This enables applicants to consider whether fostering is right for them. Information includes the recruitment process, and the need to take up references and carry out checks and the fact that no convictions are regarded as spent for this purpose. This provides those who have convictions for relevant offences the opportunity to withdraw from the process.

It also gives the social workers running the open meeting the chance to explore on a preliminary basis the suitability of the potential applicant to become a foster carer and whether they are likely to fulfil the eligibility criteria. This will be done more fully on the initial visit.

Applicants are encouraged to pursue their interest and are informed of the needs of the children likely to be placed with foster carers. They are also informed of the preparation course that they will have to attend: “Skills To Foster”. At the end of the open meeting the applicants are given to be given a form to complete which states their wish to continue with their application, and are asked to tick the date of the course they would like to attend (day time or evening). They can complete this at the end of the open meeting or take it away for further consideration.

When the form is completed the applicant will be allocated a social worker to complete an initial assessment (however they will remain allocated to the recruitment social worker at this stage). Throughout the process, information and progress relating to the application must be maintained on the carer's file and on ICS. If a form is not returned within 6 weeks following attendance at the open meeting the recruitment social worker will contact the enquirer to ascertain their wishes to continue or not.

The allocated social worker will contact the prospective applicants to arrange an initial visit. They will send out the forms that need to be completed for the statutory checks to be made on all members of the household aged 16 and over. In relation to those aged 16 and 17 the consent of the parent will also be required. Forms will include: Curbs, Ah medical forms (for carers) medical forms (over 16’s living in the home), consent forms for statutory checks to be made, and a health and safety check.

The Purpose of the Initial Visit

The social worker will visit the home and answer any queries and discuss any issues that may have come out of the open meeting for the applicants. The social worker will complete an Initial Visit Form, which will provide further information including: the age group of the children that the applicants wish to foster; health issues; employment issues; information about the carers own family, and training issues. The health and safety form will also be completed. This information will help determine any priority given to the application. They will be advised not to pursue their 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.

Where it is clear for other reasons that the potential applicants would not be suitable, the social worker should discuss this with the Team Manager and advise potential applicants in an honest, sensitive and open way. Other reasons may relate to:

Their age;
Medical issues which would impact on their ability to care for a child;
Employment issues – where employment could impact on the potential carer’s ability to offer suitable care, for example because of the hours of work and proposed child care arrangements.

The statutory check forms will be completed with all family members 16 and over, and this information should be obtained during face-to-face contact. It is important to ensure that the applicants are aware that for the purposes of the assessment of foster carers no convictions are deemed spent and unreported. Failure to inform the Directorate of any convictions will be viewed negatively. (In the event that this situation arises the social worker will have to revisit the applicant, possibly jointly with a senior, depending on the nature of the conviction, to inform them that their application will not be processed).

If any areas of concern arise from the health and safety check of the home, this will be discussed with the applicants and an agreed plan of action established.

The completed forms will be placed into the file of the applicants; these will be sent off by their assessing social worker after they have completed preparation training. However if any concerns were raised regarding health or convictions, the checks will be sent immediately. No applicant can attend the preparation training prior to an initial visit having taken place.

3. Checks

Criminal Records Bureau checks on the applicant(s), all members of the household and frequent visitors aged 16 and over will be carried out after the initial visit.

The social worker will also carry out additional checks on the applicant(s), members of the household and frequent visitors aged 16 and over by writing to the NSPCC, Probation Service, Health Trust, GP, Education Authority, Schools (in relation to the applicant’s own children) and Children’s Services Authority for the area where the applicants live.

Where the applicant has lived overseas, the Criminal Records Bureau has a help line for dealing with queries. Information about this is available on Criminal Records Bureau website. Because of the restricted information often available in these circumstances, previous employers from abroad (where the applicant has worked with children or in a caring capacity) should be asked if they received a satisfactory Police check.

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.

The administrative staff will record the dates when the checks were sent and the dates when replies were received. The replies to the checks should be retained for placing in the confidential section of the foster carer’s file.

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 the application is for approval as a Named Carer of a specific child requiring a placement and, on the basis of a completed risk assessment, it is appropriate for the assessment to proceed having considered all relevant facts surrounding the circumstances of the disqualification.

In all other cases, the applicant must be informed that the application cannot proceed.

See Persons Disqualified from Fostering Procedure.

In addition, where information from the checks reveals the applicant has attempted to cover up information about offences, he or she must be advised that the application cannot proceed and given information about the complaints procedure.

Rejections should be handled sensitively and honestly. Applicants should be reminded of the complaints/appeals process. They should be thanked for their interest and if appropriate redirected to another agency or service.

Otherwise, subject also to the outcome of the health checks in Section 4, Health below, the social worker should confirm the willingness of the Family Placement Service to continue with the assessment using a standard letter. The applicant will be asked to formally confirm his or her intention to proceed with the application.

4. Health

All applicants must agree to a written report being obtained from their GP on their health and any other relevant health issues. Written advice from the Medical Adviser to the Fostering Panel should be obtained and referred to in the report on the application to the 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 Panel at an early stage and the implications fully discussed with the applicant and in the report.

5. Personal References

The names of three personal referees must be obtained for each applicant covering a range of people who have known the applicants for a significant time (at least 5 years) in various periods of their life. This will be on Part Two of the application form which applicants will be asked to provide at the start of the home study (see Section 7, Home Study/Assessment). All referees must be over 18.

Requests for written references from three referees will be sent. The first and second referees must not be partners of each other and should not be related to the applicants. The third may be a family member.

The social worker will arrange to send requests for written references to the referees, enclosing a pro forma for the referees to complete, sign and date.

Any reference supplied will be treated in confidence. However, the referees must be informed that the reference may be disclosed to the applicant if he or she makes a subject access request under the Data Protection Act 1998 and that if such a request is made, the referee will be informed.

The assessing social worker will also interview the two non-family referees (who must not be partners) as part of the home study (see Section 7, Home Study/Assessment).

Where the applicant is or has been employed, a reference will also be sought from the current or most recent employer.

6. Preparation Course

Applicants who have confirmed their wish to proceed with their application (see Section 3, Checks) will be sent a written invitation to attend a Preparation Course. If a home visit has not been made by this stage, this should take place prior to any Preparation Course.

The “Skills To Foster” course may be provided in-house or externally commissioned.

The attendance of applicants at the Preparation Course will form part of the assessment of their suitability as foster carers. In the case of couples, both must attend.

The course should provide an opportunity for the Family Placement Service to find out more about the 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 sessions are also aimed at self-assessment in that they enable applicants to find out more about fostering and help them discover whether fostering is right for them and their family. Prospective foster carers are provided with a workbook 'The Skills to Foster'.

The courses are run over 2 parts

Part one covers:

What Foster Carers and Adopter do;
Who are the children and young people?
Working Together.

Part two covers:

Safer Caring;
Understanding Behaviour;
Moving on.

Throughout the course issues of race, gender, disability and all forms of inequality and discrimination are covered and highlighted in the case studies. Issues of confidentiality and the law are also covered.

Applicants will be made aware of the need to support children's educational achievement including the importance of not taking them on holiday during school terms.

Contributions to the preparation course are noted and exercises from the course and the work completed in the workbook should be used in the home study. Upon completion of the training the assessing social worker will be allocated and will contact the prospective foster carer within two weeks of allocation.

Applicants are expected to attend all the training sessions offered before being considered for further assessment as prospective foster carers.

If the prospective applicant does not attend one or more of the training sessions, they will receive a courtesy call from the allocated social worker and they will be offered the next course dates.

If they indicate that they do not wish to pursue their interest, the case will be closed on ICS. A standard letter will be sent to the applicant explaining that the case is closed but that they make a further enquiry in the future if they wish to.

If an application is not deemed appropriate, for example because of information emerging from the training sessions which lead to child protection concerns in relation to the family or the family’s values, the applicant will be informed in writing of this decision, with reasons.

7. Home Study/Assessment

The allocated social worker will carry out a home study/assessment of the applicant.

As a start to this, the applicant will be asked to complete the pen picture information within Part Two of the application form. Part Two also contains information about personal references (see Section 5, Personal References above).

The assessing social worker will carry out a series of interviews with the applicant(s). Where there is a joint application, applicants should be seen separately at least once. The social worker should allow adequate time to get to know the applicant(s) in their own home.

Information about one applicant should not be given to the other without consent. In addition to visits to and interviews of the applicants, the assessing social worker will interview the three family referees (see Section 5, Personal References) and the applicants’ children (including those who live away from the family home if applicable) and other members of the household. The assessing social worker will also contact (and have a face-to-face meeting where considered appropriate) ex-partners of the applicant(s).

The suitability of the accommodation must also be assessed and a health and safety checklist completed including an assessment of risk posed by any pets in the household. Each child over the age of 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 health and safety check should be recorded on the Form F1/F2 with an agreed plan of action established.

Consideration of the availability of specialist services in the locality should be given where the applicants may care for a child with special needs.

It is important for the social worker to consider how the family will be matched with a child in terms of age/type of child, level of contact they can cope with and their views on birth parents’ lifestyle. This should include reasons why they may/may not be good at dealing with a particular child.

The time taken to complete the assessment from the end of their preparation training will generally be no more than six months unless the need for additional work with the prospective foster carers is identified.

Unless the prospective foster carer is a relative or friend of a child already in placement where the placement is not long term, the assessment will follow the format of the BAAF Form F1.

Where the prospective foster carer is a relative or friend, the assessment should be on BAAF Form F2. The child's social worker will complete a viability report within one week. Within one week of the receipt of the referral, the assessing social worker should obtain the following information about the prospective carers:

Religious and cultural information about the family;
GP details;
Check whether the carers are registered as child minders;
Check the funding arrangements;
Ask the carers to complete a Carer’s Profile.

In relation to such assessments, the assessing asocial workers should liaise with the child’s social worker to ascertain whether the placement is for a short term or long-term/permanent arrangement. The relevant issues can be explored with the carers during the assessment. See Placement with Connected Persons Procedure for more details about the timescales for Panel approval.

In relation to all assessments, the BAAF Form F1/F2 should be completed using full names.

Applicants may withdraw from the assessment process before it is completed.

Applicants may also be counselled out of pursuing their application for a variety of reasons at any time during the course of the assessment process - where it is considered that the application would be inappropriate. In these circumstances, the reason for the termination of the assessment must be recorded by the assessing social worker prior to closure of the file.

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 Team Manager, this can and should be referred at an early stage to the Fostering Panel.

When the Form F1/Form 2 has been completed, a visit will be made to the applicants by an experienced practitioner or a Children's Social Care Manager, who will provide a separate report.

The completed Form F, which should contain the outcome of the assessment and recommendations of the assessing social worker and the report of the “independent” visit should be shared with the applicant (excluding confidential references). One copy will be sent to the Children's Social Care Manager and one copy will remain on the carer’s file. The recommendation should include the category of fostering for which the applicant is seeking approval.

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 28 days in which to make any written observations and comments on the contents of the reports, unless they send their written observations sooner and expressly agree to waive their right to the full period.

The social worker will contact the Panel Administrator to arrange a date when the assessment will be presented to the Fostering Panel, and invite the applicant(s).

8. Presentation to the Fostering Panel

9. After the Fostering Panel’s Recommendation

For timescales relating to this section, see Fostering Panel Procedure.

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 (Fostering) 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 category and any terms of the approval must be also specified in writing.

The applicant will be informed verbally of the decision within one working day.

Written notice of the decision and the terms of the approval will be sent to the foster carer, signed by the Agency Decision Maker (Fostering).

The decision should be recorded on Protocol.

10. Representations Procedure

If a decision is made to refuse an application for approval, 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. Applicants will be advised that if they wish 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.

If no written notification is received within this period, the decision to refuse the application can be confirmed.

If written representations are made within the period, the matter must be referred back to the Fostering 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 (Fostering) (The Children's Service Manager) 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.

The outcome should be recorded on ICS.

11. After the Approval

Where an application is approved, the foster carer will be allocated Supervising Social Worker - see Support and Supervision of Foster Carers Procedure.

The allocated worker will request the foster carer to sign a Foster Care Agreement between the local authority 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 file, 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 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 child minder or application to adopt or of any offence;
The requirements in relation to confidentiality and internet usage;
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 they wish to cease fostering;
The need to allow access to the Regulatory Authority.

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. A summary Statement of Purpose will also be provided. Click here to view the full Statement of Purpose.

The allocated link worker will continue to provide support and supervision to the foster carer up to, during and after all placements - see Support and Supervision of Foster Carers. CRB checks are to be completed every three years - see Review of Foster Carers Procedure.

12. Register of Foster Carers

Once approved, foster carers should have their names placed on the foster carer register.

The manager of the Fostering and Adoption 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 person with whom a child is placed who is a relative or friend (but not an approved Named Carer) and who has entered an agreement to provide care for the child placed, together with the date and terms of the agreement.

13. Alterations to Category of Approval

Requests and recommendations about changes to the terms of approval of foster carers should be presented to the foster carer’s review. And the outcome and recommendation of this will be considered by a senior manager(s) within the fostering agency. If the senior manager(s) considering the recommendation believe that the matter is contentious or that it requires further consideration, it will be brought to the attention of the fostering panel.

Foster Carers will be informed of the outcome in writing.

For Exemptions to the usual limit of three children, see Limit on Number of Children in Foster Homes Procedure.

14. Changes in the Foster Carer’s Household or Circumstances

The supervising social worker will ensure that any newly approved foster carer is clear about his or her responsibility to notify the supervising social worker before any change in the composition of their household occurs or where there is any significant change in their circumstances which affects their fostering, for example an new relationship, pregnancy or bereavement.

It the supervising social worker discovers that there has been a change in the foster carer’s household without prior notice, the Fostering Supervision Team Manager must be informed and an immediate review of the foster carer’s approval must be convened – see Annual Review of Foster Carers. In these circumstances, a suspension of the foster carer’s approval may have to be considered at the Review.

14.1 Foster Carer’s Partners

Also see Section 15, Assessing a New Partner for an Existing Single Foster Carer.

Where the proposed new member of the household is a partner of the foster carer, there will be a presumption that he or she will have a part to play in caring for any child in the placement. Therefore a full Form F assessment of his or her suitability for this role must be completed before the partner moves into the foster home. Part of the assessment will focus on the new relationship, the change in circumstances for the carer and the fostering household. The same procedure for this assessment will be carried out as for any foster carer applicant and it will be presented to the Fostering Panel and the Agency Decision Maker in accordance with Section 15, Assessing a New Partner for an Existing Single Foster Carer. In situations where the new partner will be a significant visitor and wishes to stay overnight but will not be moving in to the household, we will make the recommendation to panel on this basis. However, there will be no presumption that any such assessment will be approved.

The Fostering Service has a duty to safeguard the children in their care, therefore, a Criminal Records Bureau check will be carried out in the first instance on the new partner, and other checks deemed necessary by the service. The new partner should not have unsupervised access to fostered children and no overnight stays will be authorised until the matter has been presented to the fostering panel and the Agency Decision Maker. The only exception to this would be carers who offer respite care only and where overnight stays will not coincide with children being in placement. The Fostering Service may also find it necessary to consider the amount of time the new partner spends in the fostering placement. This will be determined by a risk assessment undertaken jointly by the fostering team and the social worker for the child(ren) in placement. Following the completion of the risk assessment any decision taken will be conveyed in writing to the foster carer by the fostering team manager. In the event that the foster carer does not agree to the decisions made, a foster carer review must be held (please see Annual Review of Foster Carers Procedure) and the issues considered at the review. If they cannot be resolved at this stage, the matter must be presented to the Fostering Panel. In circumstances where the foster carer is found to have not worked in accordance with any agreement or decisions set out by the fostering team manager, a suspension of the foster carer’s approval will be considered. Where concerns about the arrangements are not found to be suitable then the Fostering Service Provider will outline their position with the foster carer.

Pending the completion of the full assessment, where the foster carer wishes his/her partner to stay overnight before the full assessment is completed, a risk assessment must be completed to determine the level of additional precautions required, before agreement to overnight stays can be given. As a minimum a Criminal Records Bureau enhanced check must be carried out, personal references taken up, and social services and NSPCC checks completed. It may be that a GP health check is also requested and interviews with a previous partner and children carried out. However, this should be discussed with the partner and their comments taken into account, The new partner should not have unsupervised access to fostered children until these checks have been carried out and this then should be reflected in a safe caring agreement. The only exception to this would be carers who offer respite only and where overnight stays will not coincide with children being in placement. The risk assessment should also take account of, amongst other things, the number and ages of the children in the placement, their views about the foster carer's partner, the significance and stability of the relationship (including how long they have known each other) and the foster carer's history of fostering. Any agreement to overnight stays must be endorsed by either Fostering Team Manager or in her/his absence the Service Manager, who will have signed off the risk assessment.

14.2 Other Members of the Household

Where a foster carer proposes that any person will join the household, notice must be given before this occurs in sufficient time to enable a Criminal Records Bureau enhanced check to be carried out on the relevant person and an assessment at the appropriate level to be undertaken before the change in household composition occurs. The required detail of the assessment will depend on the extent to which the new member of the household will undertake a caring role in relation to any child placed. Where the new member of the household will play a part in caring for the child in the placement, consideration will be given to the need for a full Form F assessment as for any new partner of the foster carer. Otherwise, the assessment will be considered at a Foster Carer Review, which should be convened to consider the change in the foster carer's circumstances - see Annual Review of Foster Carers Procedure. This will determine whether any change to the foster carer's terms of approval is required and if so, a report to the Fostering Panel will be prepared.

In circumstances of adult placements being considered clear consultation must take place between adult services and the fostering service prior to any adult placement being made. A report must be provided to both panels outlining the terms of approval including future placements.

15. Assessing a New Partner of an Existing Single Foster Carer

Single foster carers will on occasion form new partnerships and significant relationships. For the purpose of this procedure a partner means a significant person with whom the foster carer is having/intending/expected to develop a relationship, which is committed and serious.

This is not intended to cover occasional dating situations, which occur outside of the foster home.

It is fairly obvious for safe care reasons that an ‘assessment’ of the new partner is required and a discussion/decision is needed around the following issues:

When to start an assessment;
What to include in an assessment.

When to Begin an Assessment

If carers are single at the point of application their initial approval should explore what would happen should they form a new partnership or a significant relationship. For carers who experience separation or divorce whilst fostering, new relationships should be covered as part of their reassessment as a single carer.

There is an expectation that foster cares conduct their relationships in the manner to be discussed below:

The carer would be expected to carry on any relationship within the context of a safe caring policy;
The fostering social worker should be informed that the foster carer is in a new relationship;
The carer should be aware that an assessment would be needed at some time.

Clearly, the timing of such an assessment is important although it must be recognised, that the department may be asking the foster carer to decide upon the ‘status’ of their relationship before the ‘natural course of events’ has occurred.

This is a difficult position for the foster carer to be placed in, but the nature of fostering and the safe care issues involved suggest this is something the foster carer must accept. As long as it is clearly explained during the initial assessment the carer may find this acceptable. The new partner also has to accept this position.

Clearly there are different stages of a relationship and different levels of assessment should occur at different stages. For the purpose of this situation the relationship has been defined in 4 different stages. However, it is clearly accepted that the progress of the relationship between the stages, will vary in each individual situation.

The 4 Different Stages Merit Different Assessments

Stage1: Initial Stages of the Relationship (i.e.) No Contact with Foster Child/Home

Foster carer to let the fostering social worker know that they are beginning a relationship;
Social worker to reiterate that an assessment will be needed as/when/if the relationship progresses;
Social worker recommends that the foster carer informs the new partner of their fostering status as soon as possible and lets them know that this may lead to an assessment.

Stage 2: New Partner is a Visitor to the Foster Home and has Contact with Foster Children

The foster carer must supervise contact between new partner and foster child, not leaving the foster child alone.

Within one month of the new partner visiting the foster home, the following should be completed:

The fostering social worker should meet the new partner to explain the position re: a possible assessment;
A CRB check should be carried out;
The child’s social worker should talk to the foster child/ren about the new partner to gain their understanding and views.

Stage 3: New Partner Visits and Stays Over at the Foster Home when the Foster Children are in Placement. It is Assumed Unsupervised Contact may Occur during this Stage

CRB check must be completed for this to occur;
A Local Authority database check has to be undertaken;
References should be requested and taken up as the relationship continues. For example telephone/written references should be considered initially. Discussion with the new partners ex-partner, and children should be considered if applicable. Partners who work with children should be aware of the allegations procedure. A reference should be obtained from their employer;
A Confidentiality Statement should be signed by the new partner;
Information should be given on the allegations procedure;
The fostering social worker should have a discussion with partner re safe care issues;
The Safe Care Plan should be updated which includes a Risk Assessment to inform partner of potential risks;
The fostering social worker outlines and agrees the expectations on how involved the new partner will/can be in relation to the child care responsibilities.

Stage 4: New Partner Moves into Foster Home

Assessment must begin with a view to panel approval as a foster carer.

Part One of Form F to be completed.

Medical checks completed (and any other statutory checks not already undertaken).

Part Two brief report to be written for Panel to look at:

Childhood background of new partner;
Previous relationships with significant adults;
Relationships with own and the carers children, if practicable;
Relationships with the foster carer;
Relationships with foster child;
Commitment to fostering, including willingness to abide by policies and procedures;
Competencies including parenting ability.

The partner should attend Skills to Foster training.

The Estate Agents details should be updated.

16. Independent Review Mechanism

A new procedure to review cases where foster carers have either not been approved or have had their approval removed was launched on the 1st April 2009 by the DCSF.

A new procedure to review cases where foster carers have their approval to foster removed was launched February 2009 by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).

The independent review mechanism will be run by the British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) on behalf of the DCSF. It offers foster carers in England who have had their approval removed, and prospective foster carers who are not granted approval to foster, the opportunity to have these decisions reviewed and a fresh recommendation made to their fostering service. Currently when fostering service providers remove or refuse approval the only option foster carers have is to ask that provider to review the decision.

When this happens the fostering agency make a Qualifying Determination (Fostering). The foster care must be informed of this in writing.

The IRM offers foster carers in England who have had their approval removed, and prospective foster carers who are not granted approval to foster, the opportunity to have these decisions reviewed and a fresh recommendation made to their fostering service. Before April 2009 when fostering service providers remove or refuse approval the only option foster carers have is to ask that provider to review the decision.

The IRM is not an appeals process and the reviewing panel has no powers to overturn decisions. The function of the panel is to review all the documents and information relating to a Qualifying Determination (Fostering) and make a recommendation to the fostering service provider about whether or not a person is suitable to act as a “local authority foster parent” (which includes foster carers approved by independent fostering providers) and/or a recommendation about the terms of approval, as the case may be. The final decision about the individual’s approval/terms of approval will continue to rest with the fostering service provider.

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