Reviewing my Approval and Appeals

Contents

1. Introduction
2. Terminating Your Approval in Response to Your Resignation
3. The Annual Review Process
   • Step 1 - The Report
   • Step 2 - The Fostering Panel
   • Step 3 - The Decision Making Process
4. Appeals - What can you do if you Disagree with the Decision

1. Introduction

Once you have been approved, your Supervising Social Worker will work with you to support you in caring for children placed with you. Their role is also to monitor and help you in your development as a carer.

Your approval will be reviewed at these times:

• Annually - your first review will also go to the fostering panel;
• If there is a significant change to your family circumstances;
• Following an allegation;
• If you or the fostering service want to change the terms of your approval.

See What happens when an Allegation is made against me or my family.

2. Terminating Your Approval in Response to Your Resignation

You may at any point give notice in writing that you wish to resign from the role. The approval will be terminated automatically within 28 calendar days from when the resignation is received even if you decide to withdraw your resignation.  

3. The Annual Review Process

Your Supervising Social Worker is responsible for your approval which is reviewed at least once a year. The purpose of the review is to decide whether you continue to be a foster carer and if so, whether your terms of approval should stay the same. Following your review, you will receive a letter confirming your continued or changed terms of approval.

Step 1 - The Report

Your Supervising Social Worker will visit you and is responsible for writing the annual review report by putting together useful information and doing the following:

• Talk to you or both carers, your own children, fostered child/young person, other significant members of the household - to find out their views;
• Talk to your previous and current children's social workers about the placements you have provided/are providing since the last review;
• Look at information regarding any complaints or allegations made against you or your family;
• Look at the training you have completed, and future training needs;
• Complete a health and safety checklist;
• Review your family’s Safer Caring policy, if appropriate;
• Provide a recommendation for your suitability and what kind of placements suit you – your approval category.

Your Supervising Social Worker will share the report with you, and you can confirm your agreement or respond with any comments. You will also be required to complete a report of your own and sign it.

If you are not happy with any of the areas in the report, you must speak to your Supervising Social Worker.

Your Supervising Social Worker will also complete at least two unannounced visits each year.

A Disclosure and Barring check will also be completed for you and your family every three years.

Step 2 - The Fostering Panel

Your Supervising Social Worker will need their manager to approve their report particularly when it is your first review or following an allegation about your family.

Your Supervising Social Worker will present the report to the fostering panel and you will be encouraged to attend. The fostering panel would also need to consider a change to the terms of your approval if this was suggested in your review report.

If your review report is not going to the fostering panel, the Fostering Independent Reviewing Officer (FIRO) will make a recommendation about your continued approval.

Following your initial approval, every third year review will go to the fostering panel, and you will meet with the FIRO for the other annual reviews, unless there is a significant change that requires you to return to the fostering panel.

Step 3 - The Decision Making Process

The fostering panel or the FIRO will recommend whether or not the approval category is still appropriate for you. If the review is heard at the fostering panel, the panel recommendation will be sent to the Agency Decision Maker for a decision. The decision will be sent to you in writing.

4. Appeals - What can you do if you Disagree with the Decision

If you do not agree with the decision, you can contact the Fostering Service Lead in writing within 28 days of receipt of the decision. If it is possible to resolve the disagreement the fostering service will try to do this.

However, the Independent Review Mechanism is a review process conducted by a review panel independent of the fostering service; it is not an appeal process. If you decide to refer to the Independent Review Mechanism, they will receive all the appropriate reports within 10 working days of their written request (see also: Prepare for a review panel: adopters and foster carers).

They will be able to review recommendations made by the fostering service but the fostering service's Decision Maker will make the final decision.

The only circumstance where you cannot ask for a review by an Independent Review Panel is if you are disqualified or have been cautioned for an offence.

Written notice of the final decision and reasons must be sent to you within 7 working days of the receipt of the Independent Review Mechanism recommendation.