The Supervising Social Workers report for the review in these circumstances should reflect the issues addressed in Section 3, Foster Carer Review/need for re-assessment. Initially, a carer review should also be convened within 28 days and the Supervising Social Worker will need to undertake a reassessment of the couple’s relationship, looking specifically at the stability of it, for submission to the review. The allowance is out of the fostering allowance and foster carers are usually required to keep a separate account of how the DVLA is used. At the time of the separation the placing social workers should be notified by the supervising social worker, and their views sought. Detail should also be provided about the additional support that has been put in place and how the carer is continuing to meet the requirements of the fostering task. Consideration must be given as to whether a child’s placement is to continue. The assessment will need to look at the factors leading to the separation, how these arose and how they have been resolved, and what has changed to ensure stability of the relationship in future, Details of the couple – names and addresses, dates of birth, A brief summary outlining the split of the relationship and how the couple are managing, A brief summary of the arrangements that have been put in place for the children and foster carers, ensuring that the children’s wellbeing is given paramount importance. Once a child's placement has ended, foster carers must ensure that any information relating to … You can break the 2 weeks (14 days) up as you see fit, for example you can take 1 weeks respite away from fostering plus 4 days additional holiday pay plus 3 separate days out additional pay. The review put together evidence from 58 separate studies (22 from the UK) in order to define a comprehensive set of vulnerability and protective factors for foster … It should be acknowledged that the Foster Carers will themselves probably be unclear and uncertain about the future and the need for the fostering service to be sensitive to the needs of all members of the household is essential. Background Matching and sufficiency The majority (72%) of children in care are looked after by foster carers.2 The more The decision as to whether a full reassessment is considered necessary in respect of the remaining single carer should be clearly recorded and agreed by the Fostering Team Service Manager, following his/her consideration of the review documents, prior to submission to the Fostering Panel. Foster carers are required to follow specific tax guidelines and are entitled to unique tax allowances that help reduce their overall tax bills. If they wish to continue then the same arrangements as above should apply along with H and S checks for the new home. It is anticipated that the single Foster Carer will attend the Fostering Panel meeting in these circumstances. In many cases, sibling groups are large and Foster Carers do not have the space, time, and ability to offer a home to all of them. The remuneration was payable irrespective of whether they were fostering a child at the time and was paid in addition to a separate allowance payable when they had a child in their care. Supervising social workers must regularly discuss carers' training needs on their visits to carers and a separate section of the foster carers annual review documentation addresses carers’ training and development needs. Focus groups (n=23) Four focus groups were held in four English counties in urban and rural areas. It will be a time of uncertainty and change. For younger children who are moving on to other foster situations, going to live with potential adopters or returning to their original care setting, maintaining contact will be at the discretion of the new carers and on the advice of the care team. Foster carers and their families make an enormous commitment to the children and young people they care for. It is not necessarily anticipated that a full reassessment of the remaining carer as a single carer needs to be undertaken. The purpose of this Review should be to approve the primary carer as a single carer, so all checks and references should be up to date and sufficient information should be included in the annual review to enable the Panel to make a recommendation in respect of a change of approval. When foster carers separate it needs to be considered a "significant event". The arrangement of the meeting will be undertaken by the Social Worker for the child / young person. The status of being an “approved foster carer” has a slightly different impact on means tested benefits, in comparison to being employed. When foster carers separate it needs to be considered under a 'significant change' and as a consequence of this the foster carer's approval and circumstances need to return to the Fostering Panel. Foster carers should feel supported and guided by fostering regulations. As long as you have enough income so that you are not "dependent" on the monthly stipend. It would generally be anticipated that any children in placement would be found alternative placements and the carer’s status placed on hold until such time as their relationship issues are finally resolved. In a situation where a couple re-unite following a separation, a further update should be provided for the Fostering Panel. This will inform the development of future foster carer training plans. Five or six foster carers attended each group. Details of the couple - name address and dates of birth; The length of service previously offered; The quality of care they have previously provided; Consideration as to how they have coped since the breakdown of their previous relationship. The guide will be of particular use to those who … This works for each child in care, meaning a separate allowance is paid per person. For family and friends carers, the supervising social worker (where there is a separate social worker for the carer) and child’s social worker should be consulted by the carers. If they do wish to continue then it would generally be anticipated that a full re-assessment of their changed circumstances and new home will be undertaken. It must be stressed that foster carers have to keep separate records for individual children. The foster carers received remuneration and not just an allowance designed to cover the foster carer’s costs. A child should not share a foster carer's bed in any circumstances. Retainer allowance. If foster carers have a spare double bedroom, bunk beds or two single beds can be set up for siblings to share. A review should be convened within three months of the couple’s separation. It may be useful to hold a professionals meeting or placement stability meeting to look at the support to the placement and children during this time. The social worker for each child in placement (or their Manager) should be in attendance. It is expected that weekly contact is maintained with the remaining carer during this interim period, prior to the review being arranged. There were two elements: an online survey of foster carers followed by focus groups. This chapter was added to the manual in March 2014. The dividers are so that separate recordings can be made about individual children. You’ll find information about the Children Act 1989 and the National Minimum Standards. As a Lorimer carer you are entitled to 2 weeks respite/holiday allowance and/or days out allowance. Foster carers who felt empowered and confident in their role as part of a wider ... For further information about our methodology, please see the separate Appendix. This is a period of uncertainty and change within the household and requires careful consideration. Foster care can be a truly rewarding career with many benefits; it is also a huge commitment and one that is not without problems. The Challenges Facing Sibling Groups in Foster Care . Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers Procedure, Foster Carer Review/need for re-assessment, Circumstances where both Carers remain in the home, Section 3, Foster Carer Review/need for re-assessment. The payment takes into account the fact that foster care for children cost more than caring for birth children. This is a period of uncertainty and change within the household and requires careful consideration. Foster carers, like other childcare workers, can find themselves facing allegations about the quality of their care. There are reasons why keeping sibling groups together is difficult. This review, alongside a more detailed report giving a brief chronology of the relationship break up, arrangements for the children and how the couple are managing the break up, should be presented to the Fostering Panel at the earliest opportunity following the Annual Review. A respite foster carer will know in advance when their fostering services are required and can schedule their work accordingly. It should also be recorded at this meeting as to whether any children need to be moved to an alternative placement, assuming this decision has not already been made. So I decided 2.5 years post-divorce to … Fostering Services National Minimum Standards 2011. When foster carers separate it needs to be considered as a “significant event.” As a consequence, the Foster Carers approved status and changed circumstances need to be referred to the Fostering Panel. The contract care schemes are not included in this scheme and have separate arrangements. Careful consideration should also be given as to whether either, or both, of the Foster Carers should be invited to attend this meeting. Jane Wright, chair, Foster Care Workers Branch of the IWGB says: “During a time of crisis, those caring for the most vulnerable must be treated with respect. It will be a time of uncertainty and change. So if there is more than one carer in your household you will share the fixed amount. Couples themselves … When foster carers separate it must be considered a ‘significant change’ and as a consequence of this, a report on the foster carers’ approval and circumstances needs to be presented to the Fostering Panel. There may be circumstances where a couple determine that they are to separate, although they are both to remain living within the family/foster home. Their attendance should not be considered essential, although clearly their views and future plans must be taken in to account to ensure the best interests of any child in placement are maintained. The foster carers were entitled to paid annual leave, which could be taken with or without any children who happened to be in their care at the time. In a situation where the couple re-unite following a period of separation which has been notified to the Panel, an Annual Review will need to take place. When foster carers separate it needs to be considered as a “significant event.” As a consequence, the Foster Carers approved status and changed circumstances need to be referred to the Fostering Panel. The report should also address the issue of the remaining carers approved status, with a clear recommendation with regard to any change of their approved status that might be appropriate. There can … How foster care separates siblings Fostered children are being separated from their brothers or sisters because of a shortage of suitable homes. However, an analysis of the situation should be provided for the review by the Supervising Social Worker and include consideration of the following matters, alongside those detailed above: However, in the event that a new partner is to join the fostering household, a full reassessment of the new arrangements must be undertaken. Foster carers are also required to participate in the educational plan for all Looked After Children. Allegations against foster carers. The report should contain the following information: (It is not expected that this report will be more than a side of A4). Couples themselves may be unclear about their future and what might happen. Some agencies pay their foster carers a retainer which is a weekly allowance before a planned placement is made. It is therefore essential that a professional’s meeting is convened, chaired by the Team Manager from the Fostering Service, to consider the need to provide additional support to the household and children in placement. The Supervising Social Workers report should also provide detailed information which outlines the chronology of events which led to the couple’s separation. Lucy and her partner became a registered foster carer on 1 January 2019. When foster carers separate it must be considered a ‘significant change’ and as a consequence of this, a report on the foster carers’ approval and circumstances needs to be presented to the Fostering Panel. The initial report to the fostering Panel should include the following information: The brief summary should outline the circumstances surrounding their separation and detail how the couple are proposing to manage on going contact with the looked after children - and their birth children where applicable. About Foster Care • Foster carers are child care experts working alongside a team of professionals providing children with the highest standard of foster care. My ex-husband never wanted to have more kids or foster (we have one between us). Monthly supervision should also be undertaken by the Supervising Social Worker. Guidance for Supervising Social Workers when Foster Carers Separate When approved foster carers who are a couple and registered as such separate it must be considered a ‘significant change’ and as a consequence of this, a report on the foster carers’ approval and circumstances needs to be presented to the Fostering Panel. foster carers in England. 3.5: Arrangements that involve sharing a bedroom in holiday circumstances should be subject to a separate risk assessment. It should also address how arrangements for the children were addressed by the couple since their separation and comment in general terms about how each of the carers has responded to the breakdown of their relationship. Means Tested Benefits. The fixed amount Lucy is entitled to is reduced to £5,000 for the full tax year (£10,000 split equally between her … As a Fostering Service it is important that, alongside offering support to the carers, there is a continued focus on the carers’ ability to continue fostering, to meet fostering standards and the children’s needs. In addition to the fostering allowance other payments may be made to foster carers, depending on their experience and qualifications. Consideration needs to be given to whether the placement/s is/are able to continue. this government website is a good place to start. The focus of this will include reference to the work done over the interim period since the last review but should also make reference to how the foster carer will meet the needs and expectations of the children in placement, and comply with fostering standards as a single carer. They share their lives and their homes with children who may have undergone difficult or traumatic experiences. The remuneration was payable irrespective of whether they were fostering a child at the time and was paid in addition to a separate allowance payable when they had a child in their care. It is not sufficient to keep collective records when fostering 2 or more children. In October 2017 a foster carer began a legal claim arguing for worker’s rights for foster carers. All those undertaking foster carer reviews. This is a period of uncertainty and change within the household and requires careful consideration. This review should then be presented to the Fostering Panel at the earliest opportunity in order that a recommendation can be made for the Agency Decision Maker. As soon as it is apparent that carers are planning to separate and one partner is going to leave the family home, then the social worker for every child in placement must be advised immediately and their views sought by the carers Supervising Social Worker. The tax year ends on 5 April 2019. Foster carers who are available but without a placement, will be paid a retention payment when a placement ends at 50% of the fostering skills allowance payment for a period of 12 weeks or until they have another child placed with them. These payments maybe between £50 and £200 per week. Within 6 months from the date of the separation, an Annual Review on the foster carer must have been completed. Similarly, the sharing of bedrooms, upon friends/family visiting the foster household, should be subject to a separate risk assessment. Whether you are a new carer, a seasoned carer or are thinking about fostering and how your earnings will affect you, this guide will help you get to grips with foster … I always wanted more kids, then got too old, then wanted to foster. It can be a time of uncertainty and change. Who is this book for? https://leedschildcare.proceduresonline.com/chapters/p_ass_app_fost.html Foster Carers are also advised to obtain a receipt for the information returned; the date it was returned and who accepted it on behalf of Doncaster Children’s Services Trust (usually the Supervising Social Worker). In this type of situation, you could work at a full-time job separate from your foster care responsibilities. If you want to read about them in more depth, (and some people like to!) The say the guidelines could separate children from carers and leave some facing poverty unless they are given help. As a consequence, the Foster Carers approved status and changed circumstances need to be referred to the Fostering Panel. The carer who has moved out of the home should be encouraged to offer their resignation unless they wish to be assessed as a foster carer in their own right. However, as a fostering service, it is particularly important that alongside the support we offer carers, there remains a clear focus on their ability to continue with the fostering task. A representative from the child or young person’s school will also be present. ... Foster care is seen as a separate process to adoption. The minutes of this meeting should be counter signed by the Fostering Team Service Manager. This should be sent to the Fostering Panel Adviser who will notify the next Fostering Panel under AOB. Local authorities insist that each child has his or her own space but when it comes to siblings, they accept that siblings up to the age of 10, or thereabouts, may share a bedroom. The Foster Carer who left the family home should be encouraged to offer their resignation unless they wish to be assessed as a Foster Carer in their own right. Payments and allowances should be separate and clearly identified so that foster carers know which portion of their fostering income should be spent on caring for the child in their care, and which is for the job that they do. In the event of reconciliation in these circumstances, a carer review should be convened and submitted to the Fostering Panel for further consideration and recommendation for the Agency Decision Maker. Separate chapters look at good practice principles when reviewing foster carers’ health, and achieving the Training, Support and Development Standards. The assessment would also need to look at factors leading to their separation, how these have now been resolved and what has changed to ensure the stability of their relationship in future. This means that when you say goodbye to a foster … The focus of the review needs to address the work that has been undertaken by the remaining foster carer in order to meet the needs of the child (ren) who stayed in placement. This specifically refers to their ability to meet fostering standards and the needs of the children following their separation. Usually fee-paid carers receive payment only when they have a child in placement. Sarah Anderson had been a foster carer for 10 years and argued that whilst working for Hampshire County Council she is often “…on call 24 hours a day – evenings, weekends, Christmas, bank holidays – and all we are afforded is two weeks respite a year.” Alongside the Annual Review the supervising social worker will need to undertake an assessment of the couples’ relationship, looking specifically at the stability and safety of the relationship. In this event it is not considered to be in the best interests of children to remain living in an environment for any significant period of time where there is potential for considerable conflict. When couples separate and one partner moves out of the home, the supervising social worker should immediately complete a brief interim report on the carers’ circumstances. Information should also be included about any children who have subsequently been moved to alternative placements since the separation of the carers. The Supervising Social Workers report for the review should make particular reference to how the Foster Carer will continue to meet the needs of the child(ren) in placement and meet fostering standards and expectations as a single carer. Adoption is where a new, permanent family is provided for children who can no longer live with their own family.