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Safer Care in Foster Homes
The primary aim of any placement should be to ensure that the children and carers remain safe in the foster home.
Expectations
- All foster carers should be given and read 'Safer Caring' by the Fostering Network.
- Safer caring should be covered as part of the assessment and preparation of prospective carers.
- All foster carers must undertake safer care training.
- 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
Task | Responsible officer | Record | Timescale |
Safer caring policy should be completed as part of a prospective foster carers assessment | Assessing Social Worker | Safer Caring policy | By end of assessment |
All registered foster carers should be given a copy of "Safer Caring" | Fostering and adoption team | Carers file | Within 2 weeks of approval |
Safer Caring policy should be reviewed annually and on each new placement to reflect changing circumstances | Fostering and adoption team | Safer Caring policy | Upon placement of child and at annual review |
Recording sheets should be kept up to date | Foster carer | Carers file | As specified |
Recording sheets should be read and signed regularly and should include information on accidents, injuries, significant incidents, etc. | Fostering and adoption team / child's social worker | Carers file | At each visit |
Risk assessments should be completed on placement | Child's social worker | Risk Assessment Form | Prior to placement of child or within five working days if emergency placement |