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All foster carers have an annual review which is a bit like an appraisal. It usually happens 11 months after approval. Every 3rd year we also go to panel again (as you do when you are approved). You will be given paperwork to fill in ahead of your review and others involved will be asked to submit reports - support worker, social worker, IRO and your young person/s.
Children's social workers complete this to make it clear who is responsible for what regarding the child and what decisions foster carers can make. This can include things like getting their haircut, sleepovers, school visits etc.
If you are caring for disabled children you may be able to claim Disabled Living Allowance. This needs to be done in conjunction with social workers and you would need to be clear about what it was going to be spent on. Sometimes an additional mobility payment will be given where transportation is difficult.
As a foster carer, you will usually not be entitled to claim any additional allowances from the government for your foster child. You may still be able to claim for your own child/ren.
Foster carers with spare beds are usually contacted at the end of the week to ask them whether they would be available to be on the Emergency Duty list for the weekend in case any children come in as an emergency. You can find these numbers on our key contacts section.
These are completed around each contact - stating what the child was like before and after contact and also any comments from during - contact workers who supervise contact will usually let you know - they also keep a log. This is important to record whether contact is impacting on the child/children.
These need completing when the child you are looking after is injured or is subject to an accident or a visit to A & E. Duty and childs SW need to be informed as consent for any procedures may be needed.
Forms need to be completed to claim these and submitted monthly.
Foster carers are classed at self employed and may need to complete self assessments. You can find a useful link to HMRC E-Learning for foster carers in the useful links section.
We also have forms to complete ahead of LAC reviews, LAC health reviews and our annual reviews.
RMBC pays for membership of the Fostering Network for all carers. There is a link to their site on the Links and Downloads tab. Carers can log onto their website to gain full access to all areas of the site. They also have an advice line. They are the essential network for fostering, bringing together everyone who is involved in the lives of fostered children. They champion fostering and seek to create vital change so that foster care is the very best it can be. You can find a link to their website in our useful links section.
If you log onto the website you can view discounts that you can obtain through them and training courses that they offer.
All looked after children who are going through the court process are allocated a Guardian. The Guardian represents the LAC's interests in court.
There is zero tolerance about taking children out of school for holidays, we can only go away during school holidays. You should make sure everyone is aware of your plans for holidays and that it fits in with whatever is happening with the child. This can be difficult for short term foster carers as things can change quickly for them. If your LAC doesn’t have a passport, one can be supplied to you by the SSW. You may want to complete the process long before booking as this has been known to take time due to the complicated nature of our young people.
A form needs to be completed for any 'key event' that happens with a LAC in your care, eg an accident, medical emergency, etc.
Looked After Child is any child who is in the care of the local authority.
Local Authority Designated Officer is the person who should be notified if alleged harm has or may be brought to the young person by someone who works with children.
Team around the child meeting is essentially any services that are working with the young people such as education, therapy etc arranging a meeting to discuss the welfare and progress of the LAC.
Supervising Social Worker is the person who oversees us as Foster Carers. You should aim to have a good working relationship with them as they are the ones you can turn to when you are in need of help and support. They are usually your first point of contact with queries.
All LAC have health reviews to monitor their health. The initial assessment is usually done at a hospital with the subsequent visits being done at home. They usually have one very soon after coming into care. Birth parents, foster carers and social workers usually attend them initially with subsequent visits being just the LAC and Foster Carer/s.
Pupil Premium plus for children in care is additional funding for schools to support and help raise their educational attainment and progress. The Virtual School devolves this funding to schools, and works with designated teachers, social workers and carers to target and utilise this funding effectively.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services is an NHS service that assesses and treats young people with emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties.
Is a children’s charity offering long term support for children who have been abused, offering practical and emotional support so they can enter adulthood with the confidence and necessary skills and support they need to achieve their full potential
Department for Education is responsible for children’s services and education. It also provides statutory guidance for schools and local authorities.
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities is regarding a specific need your young person may have which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her. This can include speech and language, dyslexia, difficulty socialising and emotional or behavioural difficulties. The SENDCO (Special Education Needs and Disabilities Coordinator) is usually your point of contact in school.
Education, Health and Care Plan is a document which sets out the education, healthcare and social needs of a child or young person for whom extra support is needed in school, beyond that which the school can provide.
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire is a brief emotional and behavioural screening questionnaire for children age 3-16. There may be different ones given to different people involved such as LAC, carer, social worker etc.
Head of Service is the person in charge of overseeing children's service within their local authority.
A group of professionals involved in supporting and providing education for children in care.
It is really important that we produce life story work for the children in our care. This helps them to fill in gaps when they're older. Training will be given but it should include a profile about your family for obvious reasons. It's important that you keep this up to date for new placements. It is useful for social workers to give them to children before they move in so that they have a bit of an idea what you look like, etc. Life story work also includes details of birth family that is usually done by family support workers - often around contact. You can include details of visits, include flyers or tickets, photographs of days out/holidays, birthday parties etc. If the LAC is able, they can add additional comments to it themselves.
Foster carers are provided with cards which give us discounts at some key attractions and activities, including Eureka, Yorkshire Wildlife Park, etc. To obtain a card speak to your support worker. You may need the card and your fostering ID card when you go to the venue. Visit their website mymaxcard.co.uk for details of offers.
All new carers should be allocated a mentor/buddy - an existing foster carer. Carers going through something for the first time, eg an adoption, can also ask for a mentor to help them through the process.
If you think you may want to take the children in your care abroad, it is important that you speak to social workers about obtaining a passport as early as possible. It can be difficult to get them.
This is the weekly amount that foster carers get paid for each child in placement. The amount varies depending on the age of the child.
This is the weekly amount that foster carers get paid when they have a placement. There are various levels based on skills.
You need to keep an up to date file for each child in placement. This should include Placement Plan, Care Plan, medical information, school information, review details, contact and log sheets, delegated authority. A lockable red box can be requested from the RMBC to keep these documents secure.
The Pledge to Children was redone in 2017 and all children in care should receive this. A version of it can be found on our links page.
There are various monthly meetings where foster carers get together, usually with a support worker present. This is a good opportunity to share information and receive updates. These are held in different locations at different times of the day so most carers can hopefully make one of them. Details can be found under the regular meetings tab.
This is a website that informs young people about the dangers and effects of drugs and substance taking. It is also a site where carers and young people gain information and seek confidential advice and help.
Various training (Continual Professional Development) is provided, some of this is Safeguarding where you get to meet other people who work with children, etc. Some are completely in house. There is a learning management system in operation. Refer to our links page for a link.
Foster carers will be visited by their support worker at regular intervals - determined by need, ie whether they have a child in placement, if it's a new placement, etc. Children's social workers also visit the children at agreed timescales - these are often referred to as statutory visits. IRO's, Guardians, health visitors (for under 5s), midwives (for babies) will also visit as necessary.