The Children Act 1989 Volume 2 Statutory Guidance on Care Planning, Placement and Case Review, which came into force on 1 April 2011 (England) requires local authorities to ensure that the placement plan which sets out the arrangements for the child to live with and be cared for by the Foster Carers, specifies any arrangements for the further delegation from the local authority to the Foster Carer.  The placement plan should help the Foster Carer understand what decisions they can make.  Where there are issues that a foster carer believes it would be in the child’s interests for them to decide and these are not covered in the placemenet plan, then the foster carer should discuss this with the child’s social worker during the statutory visits.

What does this mean for Foster Carers?

• The care planning process provides for authority for certain decisions concerning the child to be delegated to foster carers through the Placement Plan.
• It must involve the birth parents and/or others with parental responsibility
• Supports more effective day to day parenting and reduces disagreements about who can give permission for things such as overnight stays, school trips and holidays.
• Provides a more normal family environment for children
• Recognises the importance of foster carers and their relationship with the child.

What does this mean for Looked After Children and Young People?

• Clarity about who can give permission for school trips, sleepovers and other day to day decisions affecting the child’s life.
• Clarity that individuals do not have to be approved as Foster Carers if child stays for weekend/holiday, eg foster carers mum
• Clarity that Foster Carer can give permission for the child to join in activities such as horse riding, swimming, etc
• A more normal life!

Are there some situations where authority cannot be delegated?

There are a number of situations in which consent of those with parental responsibility for the child is essential and therefore cannot be delegated to another person.  For example, consent to removal from the jurisdiction (UK) must be given by all th epeople with parental responsibility unless the child is in the care of the lcoal authority (under a Care Order, Interim Care Order or Emergency Protection Order), in which case it can be specifically authorised by the local authority for up to one month.

This means that a Passport, for example, must still be applied for by the local authority.

Further information on Care Planning and Delegated Authority can be found at:

www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/families/childrenincare/fostercare/b0071246/infoforcarers/da

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28th January (Sat) – Getting started for newly approved Foster Carers

14th February (Tues) – Safeguarding

21st February (Tues) – Record Keeping

6th March (Tues) – Medication

24th March (Sat) – Attachment and Loss

To book places – please contact Tammy at our Head Office

The new figures show the scale of the challenge for fostering services as they struggle to provide the right foster homes for all the children who need them.

The number of children in care who need foster homes has risen for five years in a row, and is continuing to rise. There is also an ageing foster carer population and around 14 per cent of the workforce retire or leave every year. 

Without these extra families, too many children will have to settle for second best. This might mean living with a foster carer who is a long way from the child’s home, school and family, or who does not have space for their brothers and sisters, or even living in residential care when fostering has been identified as the right option.

Robert Tapsfield, chief executive of the Fostering Network, said: “These figures are alarming – we could be facing a real crisis when looking to provide the most appropriate care for children who cannot live with their own family.

“All children in care need a family they can grow up with who can love them, be ambitious for them and help them achieve their potential. For a growing number, foster care is the best option. 

“By becoming a foster carer people can help the children they welcome into their homes to have the best possible opportunity of a positive future, do well at school and be successful in later life.”

An extra 7,100 foster carers are needed in England, 1,000 in Scotland, 550 in Wales and 100 in Northern Ireland.

• Saturday 7th January, 2012
• Sunday 8th January, 2012
• Saturday 14th January, 2012

‘Skills to Foster’ is a pre-approval course for potential foster carers.  The course aims to provide you with information about the knowledge, skills and abilities you will need to begin a career in fostering.

It will help you reflect on your values and attitudes in relation to the task of caring for children and young people who are separated from their families.

The course will also provide you with opportunities to think about how fostering will impact on your families and way of life and help you to decide whether or not fostering is right for you.

The course covers six sessions over three days:

• What do foster carers do?
• Identity and life chances
• Working together
• Understanding children in foster care
• Safer caring
• Transitions