Safer Care in Foster Homes

Expectations

1. All foster carers should be given and read 'Safer Caring' by the Fostering Network.
2. Safer caring should be covered as part of the assessment and preparation of prospective carers.
3. All foster carers must undertake safer care training.
4. In order to achieve this:

• A safer caring policy must be completed during the assessment and this should be updated whenever children are placed and at the time of the annual review.
• Carers must inform the fostering and adoption team when there are any changes that may impact on them, and their ability, as carers to carry out the fostering task as this will inevitably impact on any children in the placement. The changes will include; any persons unknown to the Department staying overnight occasionally or regularly, new regular visitors to the home, family members leaving, the death of people who have become friendly with the foster child etc.
• Carers must keep up to date recording sheets.  These should be read and signed by the fostering and adoption team on a regular basis.
• Any concerns a carer may have about their ability to provide safer care, or any situation that occurs where the carers feel at risk of an allegation, must be reported to the fostering and adoption team or the child's social worker immediately.
• A risk assessment should be drawn up by the child's social worker prior to each placement commencing or within 5 working days if an emergency placement.
• If the foster child is going to participate in any planned hazardous activities, the carer must inform the child's social worker who will seek permission for this following the leisure and holidays procedure.
• Children who are looked after should only be left with a responsible adult in whom the foster carer has full confidence. Approval should be sought from the child's social worker or manager on any occasion where the carer's nominated support is not available. The Fostering and Adoption Team should be made aware.  Regular baby-sitters will be identified during the assessment process and on an ongoing basis and will require enhanced police disclosure. For carers who do not have access to sitters the department has authorised the use of approved baby-sitting agencies.

Actions

Quick links

• Assessment
  • Children's development
  • Parenting capacity & families
  • Environmental factors, peers & community
  • Analysis
  • Risk assessment
• Child protection
  • Core Groups
  • Children in specific circumstances
  • Allegations against professionals
  • Indicators of child abuse
  • Dealing with a disclosure
• Youth Offending
  • Appropriate Adult (PPACE)
  • Bail Supervision
  • Remands
  • Voluntary Intervention Plans
  • Statutory Intervention Plans
• Children with Disabilities
  • Supporting Children with a Disability
  • Transfer of Cases
  • Short Breaks Services and Social Inclusion
  • Transition to Adulthood
  • Children's Occupational Therapy