Foster Carers and Child Care

1. Introduction

Arrangements for other carers for children who are fostered should be made with the usual care that any good parent would have. This means careful selection of carers, ensuring a carer can care for a child properly and is aware of the child's needs and of the expectations of the carers. The carer  should be informed of any special needs or health needs. No carer can be under 16 years of age. Where a carer is under 18 years of age they should have access to a responsible adult for advice/assistance in an emergency and approval to use them from the fostering team manager. Other carers should always be made aware of and required to abide by the "rules of the house" including the no-smacking rule.

Other carers for a child should be a part of the assessing process for foster carers, thus identified and agreed within processes such as approval status and or foster carers reviews to ensure they are suitable.

Support carers should not be confused with parents of children where a Child Looked After visits.

2. Checks on Carers - Vetting

Those carers for children in foster care do not always require the usual vetting checks. Foster carers may have identified family members or friends who can offer regular additional care for Children Looked After. This may have happened at the time of assessment and approval of the carers when all adults with regular contact will be vetted, or at a later date. The Local Authority at any time may deem it appropriate to carry out police checks and or DBS checks for regular carers and/or support networks. Foster carers should use their own support networks for care.

Support carers should always be known to and trusted by the foster carer and be known to the child. Where arrangements to use non-vetted or assessed support carers are made the child's social worker or the supervising social worker should be notified within 24 hours of the arrangement. This enables accurate records to be maintained of arrangements made for children's care. Foster carers will also need to update their own written record of all support care arrangements. Parents and those with Parental Responsibility may also need to be made aware of regular arrangements. The child's social worker or the supervising social worker will advise regarding this.

Where a support carer arrangement requires the carer to stay overnight in the foster carer's home, the carer should only use vetted carers and should be satisfied that the arrangement is safe and the support carer is suitably responsible.

3. Good Practice

• It may be that the child's birth family or friendship networks can provide a support carer who would be familiar to the child. The usual requirements for vetting would apply;
• It may be that another foster carer may be able to help or even a reciprocal arrangement made;
• The support carer should always know how long the carer plans to be absent and it is the responsibility of the foster carer to provide written contact details for emergencies;
• The foster carer should choose someone to provide support care who shares their own standards and approach to looking after children;
• The support carer must agree to maintain confidentiality about the child;
• The support carer should be informed about the child's routine, any behaviour management issues and likes and dislikes;
• The proposed frequency of any support carer arrangements must take account of the child's needs. For example, some children may be adversely affected by frequent changes in routine and this must be considered when arrangements are made;
• The delegated authority should reflect any support carer  arrangements for a Child Looked After.

4. Choosing a Support Carer

When choosing a support carer consideration should be given to the following in relation to an individual child:

• How long the child has been in placement;
• How well the child knows the proposed carer;
• The age and experience of the carer;
• The complexity of the child's needs;
• How vulnerable the child is, including any factors as outlined within the child's behaviour management plan;
• How vulnerable the carer will be caring for the child;
• Any risks the child may pose, including any factors as outlined within the child's risk assessment;
• The child's own wishes and feelings;
• The views of the child's parents (if appropriate);
• Any health needs of the child.

5. Costs

Foster carers will be expected to pay for support carer arrangements.

6. Children Looked After Who Offer Care

Children and or young people should not care until they have reached the age of 16. Once they have reached the age of 16 they can offer care, subject to an assessment of suitability by the fostering social worker. The carer should visit the person who has asked the young person to provide support care, to ensure the arrangements are suitable.

If it is proposed that a young person aged over 16 cares for children within the foster home or for other children who are looked after, then he or she will be subject to the usual vetting process. The young person's social worker will further assess their suitability, in liaison with social workers for the other children and discussion with the young person and the foster carer.