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Termination of Approval
The Department will ensure the delivery of a high quality service to children and young people in its care by removing from the register of foster carers any carers who are not able to provide an acceptable quality of care.
Every foster carer should be reviewed 12 months after their initial registration and then every year with no more than 12 months between each review.All first reviews and any subsequent reviews with a recommendation of:
- significant incidents
- allegations
- significant changes of circumstances
- deregistration
- are considered by the appropriate panel which makes recommendations to the agency decision maker.
- The fostering and adoption team manager considers all other reviews of carers approval.
Process
- If there are concerns that may lead to termination of approval being considered (except where it is the result of a child protection) help or support will be offered to try to improve standards. investigation
- Support is always provided to foster carers facing allegations, serious complaints or termination of approval.
- Termination should always take place via the review process and the report brought to the appropriate panel.
- Should the panel recommend termination, the carer must be given notice in writing of this recommendation and be given 28 days (from date of notice) to appeal. A copy of the appeals policy and procedure should be enclosed with this notice.
- If no appeal is received within the 28 days then the review papers, along with panel minutes, are sent to the agency decision maker.
- If termination is due to concerns about the suitability of the carers to look after children, and if these concerns are of a child protection nature, then the child protection procedures will have been followed.
Actions
| Task | Responsible officer | Record | Timescale |
| Foster carer is made aware of concerns about the standard or their care and a support plan is drawn up if appropriate in consultation with fostering and adoption team manager. Decisions made with regards to any children in placement. | Fostering and adoption team child's social worker and managers. | Carer file | As soon as possible |
| If concerns are of a child protection nature then follow the child protection procedures. | Fostering and adoption team manager, child's social worker | Carer file | As appropriate |
| If standards do not improve and decision made to seek termination of approval, review report is completed and shared with carers. | Fostering and adoption team | Review reports | As per panel procedures |
| Panel meeting held, following panel procedures | Panel chair | Minutes | As per panel procedure |
| Carers are informed in writing of panel recommendation and given 28 days (from date of letter) to appeal | Fostering and adoption team/admin | Carer file and letter | Within 3 working days. |
| If no appeal received, papers are passed to agency decision maker for final decision | Admin | N/A | 28 days after notice given |
| Carers name is removed from the foster carer register | Fostering and adoption team | N/A | Same day as decision made |