| 2.1 |
Permanence foster placements are those placements where the plan is for the child to remain outside the family of origin through its childhood and into adulthood. Permanence carers are those who have been matched and are committed to meet the needs of a child for this significant period of time. Children and young people who are likely to require this type of care are those who have significant attachments to their family of origin, which makes adoption, as a route to permanence, infeasible. |
| 2.2 |
If children are unable to return to the care of their parents or relatives on a permanent basis, consideration will always be given, through the Care Planning and Review System, for the need for permanency through adoption or fostering. The plan for the child's placement for permanency should be presented to the second statutory review of the child, i.e. within 4 months of the child being looked after. |
| 2.3 |
The Children Act 1989 requires that all efforts be made to find a suitable placement within the child's birth family or existing social networks. Research has shown that such placements have a high success rate in meeting children's needs. Such placements can be secured through Court Orders, for example Residence Order, and Special Guardianship Orders. Children's Social Care views these placements as a preferable option, provided the child's needs can be fully met. |
| 2.4 |
If Children's Social Care believes that fostering, whether temporary or permanent, is the most appropriate plan for a looked after child and the birth parents disagree, fostering placements can only be undertaken if a child is subject to a Care Order, which gives the Local Authority shared parental responsibility. Parental agreement is however not sufficient to create the security needed for permanence through fostering. It is therefore recommended that where permanence through fostering is the plan, then care proceedings should secure this plan for the child. |
| 2.5 |
During Care Proceedings, a detailed Care Plan will be developed and presented to the Court at the Final Hearing. |
| 2.6 |
Where the likelihood of the birth parents meeting the child's need is clearly very low, there is an increasing emphasis on twin track planning during Care Proceedings. That is, plans for return to the family will be pursued, depending on the assessment of family viability, at the same time as plans for permanency through permanent foster care. At the stage of producing the Care Plan for the final hearing, a decision will be made about which plan to recommend to the Court. |
| 2.7 |
When there is a request for a permanency foster placement, the child's needs will to be drawn together in a BAAF "Form E". Parents and existing carers will be encouraged to contribute to this document. It is vital that the child's wishes and feelings, where possible, are ascertained in respect of any plan for permanence fostering. This is a central principle within the Children Act, of consultation with children and young people regarding significant decisions that are made in their lives |
| 2.8 |
Once a plan for permanency through fostering is reached within the care planning process, the Form E will be presented to the Permanence Panel, which considers the plan, and makes a recommendation. At this stage a decision can be made that it is in "the best interest's of the child" to place him/her in a permanent placement. This is an agency decision and will not be acted upon until proceedings are completed, or the leave of the court is attained. |
| 2.9 |
Permanence through fostering does not allow for the child's name to be changed to that of the carer. The law states, in s37(7) of the Children Act, 1989 "that no person may cause a child who is subject to a Care Order, to be known by a new surname without either the written consent of every person with parental responsibility or leave of the court". |
| 3.1 |
Plans to recommend fostering must always be made within Children's Social Care Care Planning process at Placement Planning meetings and confirmed at the Child Looked After Review. |
| 3.2 |
The Accommodation Panel is the route to all placements in foster care. This panel is the gateway to all placements for children who need to be looked after. Emergency foster placements will be available but these must also be presented to the next available Accommodation Panel. The child's social worker will make application to the Accommodation Panel and request that a fostering placement is sought and identify the type of carer required.
See Accommodation Panel Procedure |
| 3.3 |
A Senior Manager of the Department chairs the Accommodation Panel and other agencies such as the Education Department are represented. The Panel meets weekly and considers all placement requests. The Panel will consider the short-term matching needs of children requiring foster placements, track the progress of permanence requests, monitor the emergency Regulation 11 placements and scrutinise residential placements in and out of the Borough. The analysis of the information gathered at this panel will assist and inform the planning of resources for children's services. |
| 3.4 |
When a child is placed in an emergency, the application to the Accommodation Panel will be made retrospectively. Changes to placement requirements will require a new application to the Accommodation Panel. |
| 3.5 |
For children with disability, applications for respite foster placements will be made to the Disability Panel, which meets fortnightly. The Department criteria for services will be applied to enable the appropriate use of resources. |
| 4.1 |
The matching process between a child and prospective foster carers is important for the success of the placement. This is particularly important in prospective permanency placements. Matching is crucial for the future success of the placement and the quality of the child's and carers life together. |
| 4.2 |
For the matching process in permanency, detailed information is required regarding the carers. This will be available in the assessment report (Form F.) It is necessary to know about each carer's background, their wishes and feelings, what they have to offer and what they hope to obtain through fostering. It is also important to identify any difficulties they may experience with different types of children. The social worker that assesses the applicants for approval will, wherever possible, complete the matching considerations based on their knowledge of the approved foster cares and the original assessment (Form F.) The matching considerations should be presented to the Panel in a written report. |
| 4.3 |
Similarly, detailed information is required in respect of the child. A detailed high quality assessment is needed, which should not only include an explanation of the child's need for fostering, but the challenges and pleasures they will bring to a family. The child's wishes and feelings about the type of family they want, and a description of the type of family they are likely to do best with, should also be included. The social worker for the child will complete the assessment (Form E) and the matching considerations in consultation with relevant parties e.g. the child (where appropriate) together with the parent or current carer. |
| 4.4 |
Children's Social Care will always take account of race, religion, language and culture, in matching children with carers. Such plans will be carefully monitored and appropriately time limited. If a suitable match cannot be found, carers who are appropriate in the majority of respects will be considered, rather than the child be allowed to drift in the "looked after" system. |
| 4.5 |
Matching is a critical part of fostering and permanency work. All staff within Children's Social Care will work in partnership to clarify and profile children's needs and to identify potential carers. Where carers from other agencies are considered, the partnership work will be inter-agency. Once an appropriate match has been identified this will be presented to the Adoption and Permanency Panel for consideration. |
| 4.6 |
After the Agency Decision Maker has ratified a decision to match a child to prospective carers, detailed planning for the placement will begin, involving all appropriate parties. This is a very important stage as it is the point at which the Fostering Plan becomes a reality and both the child and the prospective carers are brought together to consider a definite proposal for placement. |
| 4.7 |
The prospective carers will be given as much detailed information about the child as possible, including the assessment (Form E.) This may include access to information from agencies other than Social Services. Depending on the age and understanding, the child will receive careful counselling and detailed information about their prospective new family. It is important that information is provided, in writing, for prospective carers and for the child (in an appropriate format.) This enables detailed consideration over a period of time and does not rely on foster carers, children and young people having received the information only verbally, by the social worker. |
| 4.8 |
Detailed planning is required in relation to the process of introducing the child to the prospective family. Children's Social Care procedure for planning for permanence placements will be used to guide this planning process. (See Permanence for Children Looked After Guidance |
| 4.9 |
Planning considerations will take into account the specific needs of the child, the needs of the prospective carers together with the needs of any children in the carer's family. Introductions will be part of a clearly defined plan agreed by all parties.
Knowsley will therefore not match children with carers who smoke, (See Smoking Policy for Adopters) in order that their best interests are served and to promote their health and well being. In approving foster carers, social workers will ensure this information is available to the Fostering Panel concerning persons in the applicants' household who smoke. The Adoption and Permanence Panel can then take this into account when making decisions regarding registration. This does not mean that smoking applicants will be refused assessment however; the age range of children they will be able to care for will be influenced by this fact.
Help and support will be provided to applicants and carers who wish to stop smoking. |
