Supervision and Support of Foster Carers

Foster carers benefit from professional and supportive relationships with the Agency, which help them to provide high-quality care.

Foster carers are part of the team around the child, which is mutually supportive. They are actively involved in planning for the child, and their views are valued by the Agency to positively influence children's progress. They work very effectively together with children's social workers to ensure that placements are appropriate, planned and meet the needs of children. The support provided to foster carers by the Agency is also designed to help them to cope with the additional demands of fostering on their family life.

All approved foster carers will have an allocated, suitably qualified supervising social worker. The allocated supervising 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 Minimum Standards for Fostering and the Agency's policies, procedures and guidance. The supervising social worker should provide effective support and challenge through the supervision and review processes to ensure that carers are providing high-quality care.

The supervising social worker must also ensure that the foster carers' training and development needs are identified, and that newly approved carers complete the 12 week induction program, complete mandatory training withing 12 months of approval and work towards completing the Training, Support and Development Standards for Foster Carers Workbook. They also have the responsibility to ensure foster carers are familiar and made aware of new policies and guidance.

The foster carer(s) should be fully aware of the Notification of Significant Events and can record this in the foster child’s file on CHARMS, the need to immediately report to their supervising social worker or Fostering Agency the following:

• The Death of a Child;
• A Serious illness or serious accident of a child placed with them;
• The outbreak at the foster home of any infectious disease (which in the opinion of a general practitioner attending the home is sufficiently serious to be notified);
• An allegation that a child placed with foster parents has committed a serious offence;
• A child placed with them they have concerns about of being sexually exploited;
• The Police calling to the foster carer's home as a result of a serious incident relating to a child placed there;
• A child placed with the foster carer(s) who has gone missing;
• Any serious concerns about the emotional or mental health of a child, such that a mental health assessment would be requested under the Mental Health Act 1983.

See also: Notifications of Significant Events Procedure.

The child's allocated social worker should be contacted for specific advice or support in relation to the child and their Care Plan and Placement Plan.

Embrace Fostering will provide “Embrace Each other group supervision and support groups each month, with the therapist, SWW and foster carers. Furthermore the Embrace Each other model offers mentor and buddying between foster carers, short break if possible and allows foster carers to get involved in delivering training.  NB please refer to the Model of Care in Local Resources.

Supervision is conducted and recorded on 5.4 Carer/s Supervision Form and situated on the foster carers file on CHARMS, this is shared with foster carers, and a digital signature is required, additionally any comments can be made, it is important that a foster carer can bring any other topics to supervision they feel should be shared/discussed/queried.

Carers will receive regular and effective supervision that is focused on children's experiences, needs, plans, feedback and PACE/boundary seesaw. Supervision will recorded by the supervising social worker.

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 supervising social worker's line manager. A minimum of 4-6 weekly supervision occurs and at times this may be more frequent.

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

• Ensure the foster carers understand how they contribute to the local authority's services for children;
• Enable foster carers to contribute effectively to the plans for the children for whom they are caring ensure that plans for children remain in children's best interests;
• Provide appropriate monitoring and feedback on the foster carers' work to ensure the Training, Support and Development Standards for Foster Carers are fully met;
• Complete 8.3(4) personal development plans for each carer, which are linked to their training and their annual review;
• 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;
• Recognise and address any difficulties the foster carers' own children may be experiencing arising from fostering; and
• Assist foster carers to work in an anti discriminatory way that respects and promotes individual differences.

The agenda for each meeting should cover:

1. Matters arising from the last supervision;
2. Personal issues, e.g. effect of a placement on the foster carer's own family, changes in the carer's situation and circumstances etc.
3. Child/ren in placement:
   1. Their health, cultural, educational, leisure and contact needs - and any support needs;
   2. Progress and work with respect towards each child's Care Plan;
   3. Any accidents, injuries and illnesses experienced by each child;
   4. Any complaints in relation to children placed with them and their outcomes;
   5. Any concerns around behaviour management in relation to children they are caring for;
   6. Any other significant events (see Section 1, Introduction);
   7. Any medication, medical treatment or first aid administered.
4. Training/development issues for the foster carers and their family;
5. Safe caring and health and safety issues;
6. Foster carer's logs which is to be reviewed by the supervising social worker who should sign the logs off on CHARMS, and provide any feedback.

The supervision visits should be recorded on a pro forma 5.4 Foster Carer Supervision, digitally signed by the foster carer

• Any concerns expressed;
• Any support needs expressed by the foster carers and how they will be met;
• Any financial issues.

A record of all meetings should be kept on the foster carers' file andshared with the foster carer/s if applicable.

The supervision records will inform the foster carer's review – see Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers Procedure.

Frequency of supervision meetings will be agreed between the foster carer and the supervising social worker and should take place as appears necessary in the interest of the children placed with them. This is 4 – 6 weekly however can be more frequent if required.

The frequency of meetings for short break foster carers should be proportionate to the amount of care provided.

There should also be unannounced visits at least twice a year. 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 supervising social worker who will need to check:

1. Who is in the home;
2. Who is looking after the child;
3. If the carer is not at home, what arrangements have been made for the care of the child.

If the foster carers are not at home, the supervising social worker should leave a note/message for the foster carers to say that they have visited. The visit will need to be rescheduled.

If the foster carers are not at home but the child is present and being looked after by someone else, the social worker should check the identity of that person but should not continue with the visit.

Unannounced visits are recorded on 5.19 unannounced visit form

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.

Supervising social workers should ensure the following tasks are done: 

Post Approval

1. Ensure that all new carers complete the Foster Carer Training, Support and Development Standards by their first annual review;
2. Give Foster Carers' Handbook to new carer; situated on CHARMS;
3. Give Foster Carer Agreement to the carer: this is completed after approval and then at after each foster carers annual review, a copy is situated on the foster carer/s file on CHARMS and digital signature is required;
4. Support carers with any specialist issues for disabled children for e.g. support in completing applications for Carer's Allowance, Disability Living Allowance etc.

Pre-Placement

5. Complete 7.7 bedroom share risk assessment surrounding bedroom sharing (each child over 3 has their own bedroom or, where this is not possible, the sharing of the bedroom has been agreed by the placing authority), 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;
6. Take part in discussions about potential placements;
7. Take part in planning meetings regarding placements; this is recorded on 7.6 placement planning meeting report. On admission, SSW to set up a foster child’s file on CHARMS using 7.3 admission and charms file policy for guidance.
8. Take part in planning meetings regarding placements;
9. Ensure that the child's social worker give the foster family full information about children about to be placed, including any abuse or neglect and the reason for the placement, the child's educational, medical, religious, racial, linguistic and cultural needs;
10. Discuss issues relevant to family time with birth parents and other family members or siblings;
11. Discuss how child's health needs are promoted and how children should be encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle;
12. Assist carers in dealing with other relevant services such as health and education;
13. Discuss appropriate training to provide appropriate care when caring for children with complex health needs;
14. Assist carer with training needs for appropriate safer care practice, including skills to care for children who have been abused. For foster carers who offer placements to disabled children, this includes training specifically on issues affecting disabled children; SSW to complete 7,9 child safer care plan and 7.8 child risk assessment
15. 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  local authority contractual agreement;
16. 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;
17. Exchange contact numbers with all relevant members of the family, including out of hours support; the SSW will record all phone number on the main page of the foster child’s file on CHARMS;
18. That arrangements are made for the provision of specialist equipment for disabled children;
19. Set date of first visit after the placement; and agree frequency of visits.
20. Let the social worker for a child already in placement know when another child is placed; this needs to be done at the referral and matching point. The SSW may complete an impact Risk assessment;
21. Provide carers with training on behaviour management to meet the needs of the child, if required.

During Placement

22. 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 addressed and in place at the time rather than waiting for reviews; support the foster carer/s with PACE and therapeutic parenting strategies;
23. Provide foster carers with breaks from caring as appropriate, which must meet the needs of placed children;
24. Take part in any Strategy Meetings and Section 47 Enquiry relating to the foster family. Be involved in interviews/support as agreed;
25. 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;
26. Prepare for and attend Foster Carer Review Meetings (see Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers Procedure);
27. Ensure training programme is updated and accessed by carers and their family and children; this is recorded on the PDP and carers supervision form.
28. Visit regularly in accordance with the foster carer's needs, the child's Care Plan and as required (see also Section 3, Frequency of Supervision and Section 4, Unannounced Visits);
29. Review the Safer Caring Plan and any changes in household circumstances; during each supervision and update the safe care plan if required, share with the foster carer on the foster carers file on Charms and set for a digital signature.
30. Assess and review any health and safety issues within the fostering household including the addition of any new pets and the environment in which they are kept, update the 5.8 (18) Health and safety Assessment if required and place on the foster carers file on CHARMS;
31. Make unannounced visits as required; 
32. Update Disclosure and Barring Service checks on members of the family every 3 years, including those reaching 18 years of age, and other persons who come to live at the home, who are over 18 years; DBS are required to be completed prior to person over the age of 18 years moving in, wherever possible;
33. Whilst there is no statutory time interval, as good practice medical information should also be updated at least every 3 years by writing to the foster carer's GP. In the event of any serious concerns about the foster carers health, a review of the foster carers approval should be carried out immediately;
34. Record contact with carers; on the carers file/progress on CHARMS;
35. Provide reports for Panel as required under the relevant procedures;
36. Where appropriate contribute to Court Reports as agreed with child's social worker;
37. Discuss how the carers can support young people into adulthood.

At End of Placement

38. Support the family as much as possible in what can be a very difficult time;
39. 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;
40. Assist the foster carer to complete their end of placement report if required;
41. Attend Disruption Meetings as required.

For the detailed procedure, see Managing Allegations Against Staff and Foster Carers Procedure.

Where allegations regarding childcare or child protection are made, the supervising social worker should:

1. Support the family;
2. Discuss fully, with the carer and their family, all the issues that have led to the allegation, as agreed at the Strategy Meeting;
3. Make the carers aware of the process and of their rights during any investigation;
4. Make the carers aware of their own possible conflict of interests and inform them of where they can seek alternative support and advice from the Foster Talk.