3.8.4 Supervision of Foster Carers

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

This procedure applies to all approved foster carers

Introduction
Planned Supervision Visits
Frequency of Supervision
Unannounced Visits
Support Provided by the Supervising Social Worker
Tasks of Social Worker if Allegations are made Against the Carer

1. Introduction

All approved foster carers will have an allocated, suitably qualified Supervising Social Worker. The allocated social worker is responsible for supervising and supporting carers, ensuring that they have the necessary guidance, support and direction to maintain a quality service, including safe caring practices. This will include an understanding that they must work within the National Standards and the agencies policies, procedures and guidance. However, it is the social worker of the child or children in the foster placement who hold responsibility for specific advice or support in relation to the child and his or her Care Plan and Placement Information Record.

The Supervising Social Worker is to ensure carers training and development needs are identified, and that newly approved carers work towards meeting the Children's Workforce Development Standards and gaining CWDC Certificate of successful completion. They are also responsible to ensure foster carers are familiar and made aware of new policies and guidance.

2. Planned Supervision Visits

A programme of supervision visits should be set up and agreed between the foster carer and the Supervising Social Worker from the time of the foster carer’s approval, and endorsed by the social workers supervisor.

Supervision is essentially a supportive and enabling two way process to:

Ensure the foster carer understands how they contribute to the authorities services for children
Enable foster carers to contribute effectively to the plans for the children for whom they are caring
Provide appropriate monitoring and feedback on the foster carers’ work to ensure national minimum standards and CWDC standards are fully met
Support foster carers by providing advice or making this available from elsewhere as appropriate
Give foster carers an opportunity to raise any problems and make sure they are addressed appropriately
Acknowledge the challenges and demands that the fostering tasks make on Foster Families and ensure appropriate support is available, including baby-sitting services.
Recognise and address any difficulties the foster carers’ own children may be experiencing arising from fostering
Assist foster carers to work in an anti discriminatory way that respects and promotes individual differences

The agenda for each meeting should cover:

Matters arising from last supervision
Personal issues, e.g. effect of a placement on the foster carer’s own family
Child/ren in placement – and their health, cultural, educational, leisure and contact needs – and any support needs
Training/development issues for the foster carer and family
Safe caring and health and safety issues
Foster carer’s recording which is to be reviewed by the supervising social worker and sign the carers diary

The supervision visits should be recorded on a pro forma Foster Carer Supervision Record, signed by the foster carer and the social worker, and should include:

Any concerns expressed
Any support needs expressed by the carer and how they will be met
Any financial issues

A record of all meetings should be kept on the foster carer’s file and one copy given to the foster carer.

The Supervision records will inform the Foster Carer’s review – see Foster Carer Reviews Procedure.

3. Frequency of Supervision

Supervision meetings will take place at least once every six months.

Additional visits may be made for the purposes of support (to the foster carer or any member of the foster family) with telephone contact at least every four weeks.

4. Unannounced Visits

There should also be unannounced visits at least once a year - these should take place between 7a.m. and 7 p.m. and will usually be on weekdays. The main purpose of the unannounced visit will be to look at the home environment that a child is living in.

The unannounced visits will be undertaken by the foster carer’s link worker who will need to check:

Who is in the home
Who is looking after the child
If the carer is not at home, what arrangements have been made for the care of the foster child

If the carer is not at home, the link worker should leave a note for the foster carer to say that they have visited. If the foster child is being looked after by someone other than the carer, the social worker should check the identity of that person but should not continue with the visit.

Unannounced visits should be recorded.

There should not ordinarily be a regular programme of unannounced visits without particular reason – for example if a foster carer is being closely monitored. In such an event the reason for such will be explained to the foster carer.

5. Support Provided by the Supervising Social Worker

Social workers should ensure the following tasks are done:

Post Approval

The supervising social worker has the responsibility, within 6 weeks of approval, to create with new carers their individual personal development plan. To ensure that all new carers complete the induction programme, in line with meeting the Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) standards . The supervising social worker will assess the support, development and training needs of their carers, and ensure they work through the standards and achieve the CWDC certificate of completion by their first annual review, or soon after if extra support is required. NB Work is in progress to develop a standard format and Social Workers will be briefed when this is available.
Give Foster Carers’ Handbook to new carer.
Give Foster Carer Agreement to the carer: 2 copies to be signed and one returned and placed on the carer’s file
To support Carers with any specialist issues for disabled children for e.g. Support in completing the Carers Allowance, Disabled Living Allowance

Pre-Placement
Complete risk assessments surrounding bedroom sharing, mixing with other children in home, etc. Discuss and check equipment (especially in the child’s bedroom) and ensure it is appropriate to the age of the child in placement. Revise carer’s Safer Caring Policy if necessary.
Take part in discussions about potential placements.
Take part in planning meetings regarding placements.
Ensure that the child's social worker give the foster family required full information about children about to be placed, including a history of abuse or suspected abuse and the reason for the placement, the child’s educational, medical, religious, racial, linguistic and cultural needs.
Discuss issues relevant to contact with birth parents.
Assist carers in dealing with other relevant services such as health and education.
Discuss financial issues with the carer: allowances, pocket money, leisure activities, toiletries and travelling etc. and the importance of complying with the terms of the Council's insurance policy for carers
Enquire about holiday plans the carers have made, and if the child is able to join them? If not the carer must inform the child’s social worker so alternative arrangements can be made.
Exchange contact numbers with all relevant members of the family, including out of hours support.
Organise equipment as required. Be aware of the process for Occupational Therapy referrals for adaptations and items of support for disabled children, and liaise with the child’s social worker to ensure these services are acquired.
Set date of first visit after the placement.
Let the social worker for a child already in placement know when another child is placed.

During Placement
Where necessary, check and follow up on all issues raised during the placement. Discuss any areas of concern with foster carers and ensure appropriate support/advice is in place.
Take part in any Strategy Meetings and Section 47 Enquiry relating to the foster family. Be involved in interviews/support as agreed.
Ensure the supervising social worker and the foster carers receive invitations to child’s Looked After Reviews and Child Protection Conferences, and attend when appropriate.
Prepare for and attend Review Meetings (See Reviews of Foster Carers Procedure).
Ensure training programme is updated and accessed by carers and carers’ family and children.
Visit regularly.
Make unannounced visits as required.
Update Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure on members of the family every three years, including those reaching sixteen years of age, and other persons who come to live at the home, who are sixteen plus.
Update medicals on the carers every 2 years or as necessary.
Record contact with carers.
Provide reports for Panel as required under the relevant procedures.
Where appropriate contribute to Court Reports as agreed with child’s social worker.

At End of Placement
Support the family as much as possible in what can be a very difficult time.
Discuss fully, with the carer and their family, all the issues that have led to any unplanned end of a placement and identify any learning/training opportunities.
Assist the foster carer to complete their end of placement report when the child has remained in the care for a minimum period of 4 weeks
Attend Disruption Meetings as required.

6. Tasks of Social Worker if Allegations are made Against the Carer

For the detailed procedure, see Allegations and Complaints against Foster Carers Procedure

Where allegations regarding childcare or child protection are made, the Social Worker should:

Support the family.
Discuss fully, with the carer and their family, all the issues that have led to the allegation, as agreed at the Strategy Meeting.
Make the carers aware of the process and of their rights during any investigation.
Make the carer’s aware of the Social Workers possible conflict of interests and inform them of where they can seek alternative support and advice, for example from the Fostering Network or other independent sources.

End