Standards and Regulations
Training, Support and Development Standards for Foster Care:
You will need as much information as possible about a child/young person before they come into their home. Wherever possible planning meetings and documents are held and provided prior to a placement starting. There also should be an opportunity for the foster child to have introductory visits prior to placement starting. However, where this is not possible, there should be a planning meeting and a Placement Plan within 5 days and Care Plan within 10 days of the placement / child coming into care. No information should be withheld from you without a manager’s approval and this will only be in rare cases.
A Care Plan must be completed before the child’s first placement or within 10 working days of them coming into care.
This is a document that must be drawn up where a child/family is receiving a service from a local authority. It should provide information relating to the child and their family, and what work must be done to meet the needs of the child or young person in relation to future plans for them.
One of the main jobs of the Care Plan is to ensure that each child has a Permanence Plan by the time of the second Looked After Review.
The child’s overarching Care Plan should include:
This is a document that must be completed either on the day or within five days of a placement being made with you. This plan is drawn up by the child/young person’s social worker, with you and your Supervising Social Worker and family members. This plan details the expectations and routines of the child, as well as how their needs will be met in the foster placement.
The Placement Plan covers the following areas:
The Placement Plan must also identify any matters about which the Local Authority/person with Parental Responsibility considers that the child may make a decision about.
A Looked After Review (LAC or Statutory Review as it is sometimes known) is a meeting that covers the arrangements for making sure the plans put in place for a child in care happen.
Looked After Reviews are held at specific intervals. They are normally chaired by an Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO). They will discuss with all those involved with the child’s life including the child/young person how they are progressing and how their needs will continue to be met. The Independent Reviewing Officer has a monitoring role for the child overall so is a good source of support if needed.
Looked After Reviews happen at the following intervals:
Looked After Reviews should be brought forward by the Independent Reviewing Officer where the circumstances of an event has a significant impact upon the child’s Care Plan, as suggested in the following sorts of circumstances:
(DfE Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review).
This is not an exhaustive list and other events considered to be significant may prompt an earlier review. The decision whether to have an early review is the IRO’s.
The parents and child should also be consulted about the need for an additional review.
You should therefore:
The IRO can then review and consider whether an earlier review should be convened.
The first Looked After Review following a young person’s 16th birthday should consider whether a Staying Put arrangement (whereby the young person remains in the foster home after the age of 18) could be an option.
You should attend the reviews of the child/young person you are caring for.
Also at the meeting may be the child/young person (if appropriate), the child’s teacher, their family, the child’s social worker and any other professionals working with the family.
If you are worried about these meetings discuss it with your Supervising Social Worker.