Assessment and Approvals and Review of Foster Carers
Scope of this chapter
This procedure is applicable to the assessment and approval of foster carers and short break carers. There are separate procedures for the temporary approval of connected persons carers. Please note consideration of assessments of short break carers is undertaken by the Care Services Panel.
Related guidance
All members of the public who make an initial enquiry by telephone, email or letter in relation to becoming a foster carer will be referred to the Family Placement Service duty social worker. All enquirers will be treated as a potential resource and given a prompt response. They will be contacted to provide and gather further information and for a general discussion about fostering.
The Prospective Carer Enquiry Form will be completed in relation to all new enquiries and the social worker will initiate follow up actions regarding that enquiry with the Administration Team. Preliminary basic information should be obtained – details of members of the household, the availability of a separate bedroom for foster children, working hours, childcare experience, health, and any previous convictions of the enquirers and family members so that inappropriate enquiries can be filtered out. At this early stage, it may be appropriate to advise enquirers against pursuing fostering if they clearly do not meet the basic criteria (see Section 10, Criteria for Foster Carers). The social worker taking the enquiry will enter the enquiry onto the Carer Enquiry Spreadsheet.
Enquirers will be sent an Information Pack and letter together with a Request for Initial Visit Form by the Administration Team. The Information Pack will be sent within 5 working days of the enquiry.
Should enquirers request an initial visit this will be allocated to a supervising social worker by the team manager and the visit should take place within two weeks of receipt of the request (except in circumstances where the enquirer requests a delay). More detailed information will be provided during this visit including types of fostering, roles and responsibilities, the needs of children in care, support and training available. Enquirers must be advised that they should identify anything that could preclude them from fostering including previous convictions or cautions or injunctions. Information will be given on preparation training, the assessment process and the checks and references required including the need for Enhanced DBS Checks.
The social worker undertaking the visit will complete a Prospective Carer Initial Visit Form with a recommendation as to whether the enquiry should proceed to the next stage of the process.
If information comes to light which may preclude the person from fostering or there is a concern regarding the person’s suitability to foster the enquirer should be counselled out at the earliest opportunity by the social worker. In some circumstances advice may be sought from the team manager. A second visit may be required with a colleague to explore issues further and obtain a second opinion.
A decision not to proceed will be communicated to the person concerned, with reasons given, and the decision will be recorded. Where the decision is not to proceed the enquiry will be closed.
Where the decision is to proceed, the enquirer will be invited to the next preparation training course which for foster carers is the Skills to Foster course. There is no preparation course for short break carers as bespoke training is provided by the Child Development Service. If there is no response from the enquirer within one month from information being sent, the enquirer will be sent a follow up letter by the social worker who took the enquiry to ascertain if they wish to proceed further and, if they do not, the enquiry will be closed. The social worker will update the Carer Enquiry Spreadsheet throughout the process.
The prospective foster carers will be invited to attend the Skills to Foster preparation training which will cover in detail all aspects of the fostering task, including the need for approved foster carers to notify the Service of any changes in their home circumstances, for example any new relationships they have where they wish their new partners to become a member of the household - see Section 13, Changes in the Foster Carer's Household or Circumstances for the procedure to be followed where such changes occur.
All prospective foster carers will be required to attend this training, which is an integral part of the assessment process. Prospective foster carers must attend all sessions of the Skills to Foster training course offered. In the case of couples, both parties must attend.
The objectives of the course are:
- To raise awareness and understanding of the key issues which need to be addressed by all foster carers;
- To assist applicants to consider more thoroughly the implications of fostering and to offer an introduction to therapeutic parenting strategies to support applicants to develop new skills in caring for children who may require extra help;
- To assist applicants to determine the type of resource they can offer to the children needing foster placements.
Following the course, should the prospective carer wish to proceed to an application to foster, those facilitating the course will provide written feedback on issues relating to the applicants for the assessing social worker which must be used in their assessment. This will be recorded on the CoramBAAF Form F Preparation Training Record. Any issues of concern should be referred to the manager. A supervising social worker will visit the applicants to support the completion of the application and will be responsible for monitoring the progress of the checks and references.
Where issues emerge during the training as a result of which the manager decides that it is not appropriate to proceed to an application, the applicants should be visited by a social worker and notified in writing of the decision, with reasons. Advice should be given of any steps they may take to meet the criteria or of how they might pursue their interest elsewhere, if appropriate.
Stage 1 of the assessment process, the application, is intended to provide the Service with basic information about the applicant to enable clearly unsuitable applicants to be sifted out without unnecessary bureaucracy or expenditure of time and resource by the Service or the applicant. If the application proceeds to full assessment more detailed information is collected. See Section 6, Assessment - Stage Two.
Where a person applies to become a foster carer and it is decided to assess their suitability to become a foster carer, the Administration Team will send an Application Form and Consent Form for checks and references to applicants to complete and return and the following information must be obtained as soon as reasonably practicable relating to the applicant and other members of their household and family:
- Full name, address and date of birth;
- Details of health (supported by a medical report);
- Particulars of any other adult members of the household;
- Particulars of the children in the family, whether or not members of the household, and any other children in the household;
- Details of any children or adults who the applicant may have parented as part of a current or previous relationship;
- Particulars of their accommodation;
- Details of current employment, including any current or previous employment or voluntary involvement that includes contact with children or vulnerable adults;
- Details of schools or colleges attended by any children within the household;
- The outcome of any request or application made by them or any other member of their household to foster or adopt children, or for registration as an early years provider or later years provider, including particulars of any previous approval or refusal of approval relating to them or to any other member of the household;
- If the applicant has, in the preceding 12 months, been a foster carer approved by another fostering service provider, the name and address of that fostering service provider;
- For each applicant the names and addresses of two persons who will provide personal references and one family member referee;
- An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check in relation to the applicant and any other member of the applicant's household who is aged 18 or over;
- Details of current, and any previous marriage, civil partnership or similar relationship;
- The views of the local authority in whose area the applicant lives, if different;
- Where the applicant has previously been, or is currently, approved as a foster carer by another fostering service provider, or as a prospective adopter by an adoption agency, and consents, access may be requested to the relevant records compiled by that other fostering service provider/ adoption agency in relation to the applicant. That service/agency must provide access within 15 working days of a request being received.
Records compiled by another fostering service, or an adoption agency, can be used to inform the new assessment of the applicant’s suitability to foster. For instance, if previous partners have been interviewed in the past to verify facts, and the current assessing social worker is satisfied with the records in respect of these interviews, it should not be necessary to repeat the interviews if no further information is required. The assessing social worker should, however, satisfy themselves as to the quality and continuing relevance of the information before using it to inform the current assessment.
Where, having regard to any information obtained, it is decided (by the team manager) that the applicant is not suitable to become a foster carer, the applicant must be notified in writing with reasons. This notification may be given whether or not all of this information has been obtained. The applicant has no right to make representations about the decision or to have their case reviewed. However, the applicant must be informed that they can complain via the Service’s complaints process if they are unhappy with the way in which their case has been handled. The complaints process should address whether or not the applicant’s case has been handled in a reasonable way, rather than the question of the applicant’s suitability to foster.
Where all the specified information has been obtained in Stage 1 and a decision is made that the applicant is suitable to proceed to Stage 2 the application will proceed to Section 6, Assessment - Stage Two.
Note that in certain agreed circumstances Stages 1 and 2 of the assessment process can be carried out concurrently, but the Stage 1 information must be sought as soon as possible, and the decision about whether an applicant has successfully completed Stage 1 must be made as soon as possible following receipt of all the information sought in Stage 1.
On receipt of the completed application form, consent to medical checks and authorisations for the statutory checks/references, the administrative staff will input the application and consent and details of the household members on the electronic records.
The Fostering Panel must make its recommendation on the application within eight months of the applicant first applying to be assessed although all efforts will be made to complete the assessment process sooner. If this timeframe is different the reasons why should be noted.
Sharing information about a person that is held in their existing foster carer or adopter records is permitted for the purposes of informing a new assessment of a person’s suitability to foster or adopt. For instance, if previous partners have been interviewed in the past to verify facts, and the current assessing social worker is satisfied with the records in respect of these interviews, it should not be necessary to repeat the interviews if no further information is required. The assessing social worker should, however, satisfy themselves as to the quality and continuing relevance of the information before using it to inform the current assessment.
Information that should be shared, upon request, in order to inform a new assessment of a person’s suitability to foster or adopt includes:
- The report of the original assessment of the person’s suitability to foster or adopt (if it is considered by the body requesting the information to be recent enough to be relevant);
- A copy of the report of the last review of the individual’s continuing suitability to foster or adopt and any other review report considered useful to understanding the person’s current suitability to foster or adopt;
- Details of any concerns about standards of practice and what if anything is being done/has been done to address them;
- Details of allegations made against the foster carer/adopter or their household members; and
- Any other information considered to be relevant to the assessment of the person’s suitability to foster/adopt.
Information should only be shared with the informed, explicit consent of all parties referred to in the information, including young people where they have sufficient understanding to consent to the sharing of their information (if they do not have sufficient understanding, the consent of a person with Parental Responsibility would need to be obtained). This means that the person giving consent needs to understand why their information is to be shared, what will be shared, who will see their information, the purpose to which it will be put and the implications of sharing that information.
If consent is refused, the current fostering service or adoption agency should consider whether there is any information in the records that is a cause for concern. Any information about an applicant’s conduct or suitability to foster/adopt that has caused concern should be shared even if the individual has refused consent. If there are no such concerns, and the individual has refused consent, information should not be shared. This may require documents to be redacted to remove information relating to individuals who have refused consent.
Requests for access to information should be accompanied by the written consent of the applicant to the sharing of their information.
The receiving service should acknowledged the request within two working days, seek consent from all others referred to in the information within five working days and the information, redacted where necessary, should be provided within 15 working days.
The administrative staff will arrange for the following checks to be made on all members of the household aged 18 and over: Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service ( these are not transferable therefore copies of checks carried out for other purposes cannot be accepted), Probation, Health, Education, Children and Family Community Services including the Early Years’ Service where an applicant may have previously or currently been a registered childminder , and whether the applicant has a right to live and work in Guernsey.
Social Media checks will be undertaken.
Where the applicant lives or has lived outside of Guernsey in the UK checks must be made with the local authority and health trust where the applicant lives/has lived. These checks should be recorded including the date when the checks were made.
Where an applicant is or has been a member of the Armed Forces, enquiries should be made from SSAFA organisation.
Where the applicant or any member of the household has been known to Children's Services, information should be obtained from the relevant social worker and the records should be viewed.
Where an applicant has lived outside of the UK overseas (within the last 10 years), checks may also be made through the relevant Consulate or agency on all members of the household aged 18 and over. The application process for criminal records checks or 'Certificates of Good Character' for someone from overseas varies from country to country. For further information, see GOV.UK - Criminal records checks for overseas applicants. If the applicant is unable to gain clear evidence from the relevant country that they are 'not known' to the authorities then they must be willing to provide an additional character reference to vouch for their conduct while abroad, preferably from someone who was with them or visited them.
On receipt of the statutory checks, the administrative staff will update the electronic records on the Carer Checks and References Form on Mosaic.
In the absence of equivalent legislation Guernsey follows practice in England regarding offences it considers will prohibit people from fostering children. Where the checks reveal that the applicant or a member of the household is a Disqualified Person (Foster Carer), see Persons Disqualified from Fostering Procedure.
Where the information relates to an offence, which does not automatically disqualify the applicant, for example because the applicant is seeking approval in relation to a specific child known to them only, the manager must consider whether the application should still proceed. Such convictions will not necessarily preclude an application, but this will depend on the seriousness of the offence and how long ago it was committed. In a case where the conviction would usually disqualify an applicant, the case should be referred to the Fostering Panel and the Agency Decision Maker for a preliminary decision - see Persons Disqualified from Fostering Procedure. In any other case where there is doubt, an early referral should be made to the Fostering Panel and/or Agency Decision Maker.
Where the criminal record checks disclose previous convictions or cautions for non-specified offences, the Service may consider that the applicant is not suitable to foster. In such circumstances, the Service must exercise its discretion and decide whether to continue with Stage One. If it decides not to proceed, it must notify the applicant in writing, with reasons, without delay. Information relevant to the application that has been obtained from the Disclosure and Barring Service may only be retained on the applicant's file for a limited period and should be destroyed when a decision is made on the application. The Disclosure and Barring Service information should then be destroyed and a note recorded on the file that the information led to a particular view, without citing the information itself.
The Service should seek to identify, as part of the approval process for a potential carer, any individuals who may play a significant role in providing support for those carers. These may be back-up carers, regular baby-sitters, or family. There is no requirement to assess or approve these people as foster carers. Enhanced DBS checks may be carried out but there is no requirement to do so and professional judgement should be used in order for a disclosure check to be requested. The Family Placement Service would need to be aware of such arrangements, and so the individual’s involvement would need to be agreed by the Service.
Where the applicant has been a foster carer within the preceding 12 months and was approved as such by another fostering service provider, a reference must be requested from that other fostering service provider. If the previous fostering service, for whatever reason, does not provide a reference, interviews with two personal referees must be conducted
Otherwise, each applicant will be asked to provide the names of two personal referees, who are adults, have known the applicant for at least five years and are not related to the applicant, and one other referee who is a family member. All referees should be people who know the applicants well in a personal capacity and it is desirable that the referees have direct experience of caring for children, either in a personal or professional capacity.
Where there is a joint application, referees should know both applicants, or additional referees will be required.
A written reference must be obtained from each applicant's current employer regardless of the applicant's occupation. In addition, where the applicant has frequently changed jobs, written references should also be obtained from past employers. Self-employed applicants can provide a reference from co-workers / co-owners or a regular client.
Where the applicant has previously worked (either in an employed or voluntary capacity) with children or vulnerable adults, written references will be sought.
Where the applicant has children, the relevant school(s), college, nursery, preschool or Health Visitor will be contacted.
A reference from previous partners must be sought. The focus of this is to obtain information regarding the relationship and if relevant, where children were born of that relationship, previous parenting and to ensure there are no child protection concerns. Adult children of such relationships must also be contacted. If the applicant cannot provide information regarding the whereabouts of the previous partner or has a valid reason for this referee not being contacted (for example, where there may have been domestic abuse) this should be recorded and a reference sought from a person who knew the applicant well when in that relationship.
Where the applicant has made a previous application to foster or adopt, the relevant agency must be asked to confirm in writing the outcome of the application and provide a written reference.
The administrative staff will send requests for written references to each referee.
On receipt of the references, the administrative staff will update the electronic records on the Carer Checks and References Form on Mosaic.
The applicant will be provided with the relevant medical form to fill in with their details prior to attending a medical assessment appointment with their GP. The Family Placement Service will cover the cost of this medical (typically a double appointment). The GP is asked to return the completed medical form directly to the Administration Team. On receipt the Administration Team will pass the information to the Medical Adviser for comment. The administrative staff will update the electronic record on the Carer Medical Checks Form on Mosaic.
Where the medical information suggests that the applicant may not be suitable for health reasons, this should be discussed in detail with the applicant and withdrawal may be advisable at this stage. Additional advice may be sought from the Medical Adviser or the Medical Adviser may raise questions with the GP where this is appropriate. It may be necessary for reports from other health professionals also to be obtained and presented to the Medical Adviser and the Fostering Panel.
Following registration repeat medical reports are obtained every 3 years. This does not require attendance at an appointment. Carers will only need to undergo a full medical examination if the medical adviser wishes to keep a particular health issue under review, or where new information concerning a carer's health indicates that the medical adviser may need to express an opinion on their suitability to care.
Where the checks and references information has been obtained through Assessment – Stage One, and a decision has been made to accept the application the assessment will be allocated to a social worker by the team manager.
Where, having regard to the information obtained during Stage 2, it is decided that the applicant is unlikely to be considered suitable to become a foster carer, notwithstanding that not all the Stage 2 information has yet been obtained, and the applicant does not wish to withdraw from the assessment process, a Brief Report may be prepared and submitted to the Fostering Panel in the same way as for a full assessment report. (There is no prescribed length or format for a Brief Report.)
The purpose of the assessment is to demonstrate that the applicant has the necessary skills and personal qualities to enable them to provide safe, nurturing care for a child unable to live within their own family. CoramBAAF assessment frameworks are used for the purpose of assessments of all carers.
Where an assessment is to proceed the assessing social worker will:
- Review the information in the application form;
- Contact the applicant and arrange a visit;
- Draw up a written agreement setting out the dates for the assessment visits and the date for the presentation to the Fostering Panel;
- Interview couples individually and together and ensure the children of the applicant or other significant members of the family/household are seen alone;
- Interview referees;
- Contact ex partners (see below);
- Inform the applicant of any revised timescales if there are delays.
The assessing social worker will record all appropriate factual information and obtain the following information relating to the applicant and other members of the household, together with any other relevant information:
- Details of personality;
- Religious persuasion, and capacity to care for a child from any particular religious persuasion;
- Racial origin, cultural and linguistic background and capacity to care for a child from any particular racial origin or cultural or linguistic background;
- Past and present employment or occupation, standard of living, leisure activities and interests;
- Previous experience (if any) of caring for their own and other children;
- Skills, competence and potential relevant to their capacity to care effectively for a child placed with them;
- Child rearing;
- Caring for children born to someone else;
- Contact between children and their families;
- Helping children to make sense of their past;
- Sexual boundaries and attitudes;
- Awareness of sexual and other forms of abuse;
- Health and health promotion;
- Promotion of education;
- Approaches to discipline;
- Awareness of how to promote secure attachments between children and appropriate adults;
- Standards of living and lifestyles;
- Experiences of disability and attitudes to disability;
- Awareness of equal opportunities;
Understanding and dealing with young people's behaviour including encouraging children to take responsibility for their behaviour and helping them to learn how to resolve conflict.
The list is not exhaustive - other issues relevant to the individual applicant and their family may need to be addressed. The skills and personal qualities that need to be evidenced will be different according to the type of fostering the applicants want to provide, e.g. babies and toddlers, short term or long term or respite fostering.
The assessing social worker may contact the previous partners of the applicant (taking care not to disclose confidential personal information about the applicant). Where there were any children of the relationship or where children were cared for jointly, the social worker will arrange to interview them face-to-face wherever practicable. All adult children of the applicant living away from home will also be contacted.
The assessing social worker will visit and interview a minimum of three referees and provide a written record of the interview. Referees and any other family members spoken to during the preparation of the report should be informed in writing about the position in relation to confidentiality. A written reference will not be shown to an applicant unless the applicant requests disclosure and the referee consents to disclosure. The same applies to information and opinions shared in the course of conversation. The source will not be disclosed to an applicant without permission. However, referees and others should be made aware that it will often be necessary to discuss with the applicant information and opinions expressed, particularly those which may relate to concerns, although where this happens, the particular source of the information or opinion will not be disclosed. Referees should be sent a written record of the discussion held with the assessing social worker and be asked to sign their agreement to it being a true record. Applicants will be encouraged to be actively involved in contributing towards the assessment and supported to provide their own written report/portfolio for Panel to evidence their capabilities and to support their application.
The suitability of the accommodation will also be thoroughly checked and a Health and Safety Checklist will be completed by the assessing social worker to ensure it provides appropriate and safe accommodation for the child, as well as safe transport. Each child over 3 has their own bedroom or, where this is not possible, the sharing of the bedroom has been agreed by the Service
An assessment of the risks posed by any pets in the household must be undertaken by the assessing social worker together with assessment of any dogs in the household. Where necessary the assessing social worker will ask the Guernsey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA) to undertake further assessment of dogs within the household. For applicants with boats where a child may be taken out on the vessel a Boat Questionnaire will be completed. Any issues that arise through these checks will be recorded on the Form F.
As part of the approval process all prospective carers are expected to prepare a Family Welcome Book and a Family Safe Care Plan which will be presented to the Panel with the Form F assessment. The book should contain visual and written information to introduce any child placed in that foster home to members of the foster family, to the home itself, and to the local facilities and environment. The information should also include names of pets, information about how the foster family has fun and spends its leisure time, together with anything else that will convey what it would be like for a child entering that household. This information will be used to assess the suitability of the placement to meet the needs of specific children. It may also be sent to referring social workers when the foster carers have been identified as a potential match and may be shared with the children in need of a placement.
The assessing social worker will prepare a written report which will take account of the information obtained through the assessment including the checks carried out and the references obtained. The assessing social worker will consider whether the applicant is suitable to be a foster carer and whether the applicant’s household is suitable for any child and will make a recommendation regarding this including the proposed terms of approval for the foster carers. The completed assessment will be quality assured by the Agency Advisor to Panel and submitted to the team manager or deputy team manager.
The assessment report will be supplemented by the assessment summary of the applicant in the Skills to Foster training course, chronologies of accommodation, education and employment and significant events, a Family Safe Care Plan, Genogram, Eco-Map, Social Media Check, Health and Safety Checklist, Pet and Dog Assessments and where applicable, addendum reports on categories of Parent and Child or Permanency according to the recommended terms of approval.
The applicant must be given a copy of the completed report (excluding any specified confidential 3rd party information) and invited to send in any observations within 10 working days. The report (signed by the applicant and the assessing social worker), the applicant’s observations on the report, and any other relevant information obtained must be provided to the members of the Fostering Panel prior to the Panel Meeting in accordance with Panel procedure.
Applicants should be provided with a leaflet about Fostering Panel before being invited to attend the meeting at which their application will be considered. The date, time and venue of the Fostering Panel meeting will be communicated to the applicants as soon as possible, together with written information about the Panel process, who will attend and their respective roles. If the applicants know a particular Panel member, the applicants may request that the Panel member stand down. (Panel members are in any event expected to declare an interest in these circumstances.)
The assessing social worker will attend the Panel meeting, together with the applicants if they so wish. Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend but the decision to attend rests with the applicants and a wish not to attend will not prejudice consideration of their application.
Applicants who decide they wish to attend should be fully prepared as to the procedure prior to their attendance.
The Panel will consider the reports together with all the supporting documentation and make a recommendation to the Agency Decision Maker regarding the suitability of the applicant for fostering.
Where a Brief Report is submitted for the consideration of the Panel, the Panel can recommend that the applicant is not suitable to foster, or they can request that a full report is completed. Equally, where an assessment report does not contain all the required information, the Panel is able to defer their recommendation and recommend a further report which includes all the required information.
The recommendation, with reasons, will be recorded in writing and, where approval is recommended, the category of fostering, any limitations of the approval to named children (for example in the case of a connected persons carer) or conditions as to the age range or number of children to be placed in the foster home will also be specified.
The applicant will be informed verbally of the Panel recommendation and a summary of the reasons by the Chair of Panel immediately following the recommendation. Where the applicant does not attend the Panel meeting, the social worker undertaking the assessment will advise the applicant of the Panel recommendation within 24 hours of the Panel meeting. This will be verbally, by telephone or, where appropriate, a home visit.
The Agency Decision Maker will make a decision as to the suitability of the applicant, based on the reports presented to the Fostering Panel and the minutes detailing the Panel's recommendation. Where the decision is to approve the applicants as foster carers, the Agency Decision Maker will specify the terms of the approval i.e. the number and age range of children to be fostered, the type of placement and any specific inclusions/exclusions. Applicants can be approved for more than one placement category.
Where a Brief Report has been submitted to the Fostering Panel, the Agency Decision Maker will, taking into account the Fostering Panel’s recommendation, make a determination about whether to terminate the assessment or whether the full assessment should be completed.
The decision must be made within 10 working days of the Panel meeting and must be recorded, together with reasons. Applicants should be advised in writing of the appeals and representations process in respect of contentious issues
The assessing social worker will arrange for the applicants to be given verbal notification of the decision within 24 hours and written notice of the decision, with reasons, signed by the Agency Decision Maker, will be sent by the Administration team within 5 working days of the decision.
If the decision is to refuse approval, the assessing social worker and manager will assess the need for further counselling and arrange any necessary follow-up action.
If, at Stage Two of the assessment process, a decision is made not to proceed with the assessment / not to recommend approval of the applicants as foster carers, the applicant will be advised that if he or she wishes to challenge the decision, they have a right to submit representations within 28 days of the date of the decision to the Agency Decision Maker. Or, as an alternative, they may exercise the right to apply to the Government of Jersey to request a review of the decision by an Independent Review Panel. Any such application must be made in writing within 28 days of the decision and supported by reasons.
The applicants will not have the right to request a review by an Independent Review Panel if he or she is regarded as disqualified as a result of a conviction or caution for a specified offence – see Persons Disqualified from Fostering Procedure.
Where it is decided at Stage One of the assessment process that the applicant is not suitable to become a foster carer, there is no right to have the case reviewed by the Independent Review Panel.
If no written representations or notification of a request for a review are received within this period, the Agency Decision Maker will decide whether or not to approve the applicant as a foster carer (following a full assessment) or continue the assessment (following a Brief Report).
If written representations are received within the period, the Panel Adviser will arrange for the reports and other documentation to be reconsidered by the Fostering Panel, taking into account the written representations, and make a new recommendation to the Agency Decision Maker.
The Panel Administrator will advise the applicant within 7 days of the date of the Panel meeting when they can attend and their written representations will be considered.
In these circumstances, applicants who wish to attend the meeting of the Fostering Panel can arrange for a friend or supporter to accompany them.
After considering the representations, the Panel will make a recommendation, which the Agency Decision Maker will consider before a final decision is made.
If the decision remains not to approve the application, the Panel Advisor will arrange for the applicants to be informed verbally within 2 working days. Written notice of the final decision, together with reasons, must be sent to the applicant by the Panel Adviser within 10 working days of the Panel meeting. Information about the Complaints Procedure must also be sent. A copy of the report to the Panel, the Panel's recommendation and the decision, with reasons, must be retained on the applicant's case file.
If the applicant decides to refer the matter to an Independent Review, the relevant Panel reports, any new information obtained since the Panel meeting, a record of the decision made and reasons, a copy of the written notification of the decision and a copy of the Panel minutes, if different, will be sent to the Independent Review within 10 working days of their written request.
The applicant and two representatives of the fostering agency will be invited to attend the Independent Review, remotely. If the applicant wishes to attend the Independent Review in Jersey, in person, this cost must be met by the applicant.
After considering the representations, the Independent Review may make a recommendation, which their Agency Decision Maker will consider before a final decision is made.
Written notice of the final decision, together with reasons, must be sent to the applicant within 10 working days of the receipt of the Independent Review recommendation.
Where the decision is to approve the application, the procedure set out in Section 11, After the Approval will be followed.
Applications will be considered from married couples, civil partners, unmarried couples or single people.
Applications will be considered from people of any or no religious persuasion.
Applications will be considered from people of any race or culture.
The minimum age for foster carers is generally 21 years. In exceptional circumstances, e.g. with some kinship or connected persons carers, the minimum age may be reduced to 18. There is no specific upper age limit.
Applications will be considered from all people of whatever their gender.
Applications will be considered from people of any sexual orientation.
Applicants may be in work or not. The impact of work commitments on an applicant’s availability to care for children and meet the requirements of the role is considered.
Physical health, emotional maturity, psychological stability, mental health and resilience are key factors in assessment of suitability. Life limiting illness or conditions will influence decisions about suitability to foster as will other caring responsibilities or psychological factors such as vulnerability to stress.
Applicants will be required to have a specified CoramBAAF AH medical and undergo any further tests/checks that may be required by the Fostering Panel's Medical Adviser. The Medical Adviser will advise on the applicants' ability, from a health point of view, to meet the needs of a child who is fostered. Any comments or advice given by the Medical Adviser must be taken seriously by the applicants and will be addressed during the assessment process.
Applicants are expected to positively promote a healthy life-style which will enable a child to reach their full potential. This would encompass attention to nutrition, exercise, routine and hygiene.
It is expected that foster carers will comply with nationally recommended alcohol consumption levels and that children's needs and safety will be met at all times.
A person who is seeking approval as a foster carer will not be considered if they or any adult member of the household is within the category of Disqualified Persons (Foster Carer) unless the application is to foster a child who is already living with the applicant and at least one of the applicants is a relative of the child, in which case the caution/conviction will not automatically preclude the application but will be taken into account when assessing the suitability of the applicant - see Persons Disqualified from Fostering Procedure.
Other convictions will not necessarily preclude an application, but this will depend on the seriousness of the offence and how long ago it was committed. see Persons Disqualified from Fostering Procedure. All such cases will be referred to the manager of the Family Placement Service who may also consult the Agency Decision Maker.
Applicants may own their own home or live in rented accommodation.
They will need living and sleeping accommodation appropriate to the number and ages of the children they are seeking to foster. They must be able to offer separate bedrooms for each foster child unless the children are siblings and the placing social worker is in agreement. Sharing bedrooms is not allowed with adult sons or daughters of the foster carer.
It is important that the home environment is child-friendly, welcoming to children, safe and meets good levels of hygiene.
It is important that the applicant who is going to be the main carer has some experience of hands-on' care of children of the age group in which the applicants are interested.
All applicants must be prepared to facilitate contact between any foster child and their parents and significant family members.
Applicants must be able to transport children to and from school, contact and to activities and commitments the children may have.
The foster carer will be allocated a supervising social worker, preferably the one who has undertaken their assessment - see Supervision and Support of Foster Carers Procedure. If the social worker does not know the new carer, they will read the CoramBAAF Form F and the supporting documentation presented to the Fostering Panel including the references prior to contacting the carers and arranging to meet them, their family and members of their support network as appropriate.
The foster carer will be sent a letter of approval containing information regarding their approval. Information will be provided regarding actions the foster carer needs to take concerning financial arrangements, consent to providing contact details to the Guernsey Foster Care and Adoption Association (GFCAA) and the need for the foster carer to obtain ID.
The supervising social worker will visit the foster carers within one week of their approval and request that the foster carers sign a Foster Care Agreement between the Service and the foster carer, which contains the information the foster carer needs to carry out their functions as a foster carer effectively, ensuring that the foster carer understands its contents. The Foster Care Agreement should be used by supervising social workers at the carer’s post approval induction visit, to explore and develop the carer’s understanding of their roles and responsibilities, foster carer tasks, and what the carer may expect from the fostering service
The foster carer will be given two copies for signature, and will retain one signed copy. The other will be kept on the foster carer's file, together with the report and supporting documents presented to the Fostering Panel, a copy of the Panel's recommendation and a copy of the approval decision.
The Foster Care Agreement will contain the following information:
- The terms of the foster carer's approval;
- The support and training to be provided to the foster carer;
- The procedure for the review of the foster carer's approval;
- The procedure for placements of children;
- The procedure for making representations and complaints;
- The requirement to inform the fostering service of any change of circumstance, address or in the household composition, or of any registration as a childminder or application to adopt or of any offence;
- The requirements in relation to confidentiality and internet usage;
- The procedures for behaviour management and unauthorised absences of children placed with the foster carer including the ban on corporal punishment;
- The procedures for informing the supervising social worker of the child's progress and any significant events relating to the child;
- The need to give 28 days' notice in writing if they wish to cease fostering;
- The need to allow access to any Regulatory Authority.
New foster carers will also be given access to the Foster Carer's Hand-Book, which contains information about fostering and covers procedures, guidance, legal information and insurance details. Information about training and development and foster carer support groups will also be provided as part of the induction process. The foster carer will also be provided with access to relevant procedures of the Service and the National Minimum Standards for fostering services. Foster carers will be provided with the Trauma Informed Handbook for Foster Carers and Adopters and access to other written resources on the Carer Login section of the Guernseyfostercare website. The foster carer must sign confirmation of receipt. The signed and dated confirmation of receipt will be placed on the foster carer file.
The foster carer must provide the Service with information about their bank account as requested in the letter of approval in order that they can be set up as a vendor to receive fostering payments. The foster carer should action requests regarding obtaining a specific tax coding.
Foster carers will be assisted by their supervising social worker to produce a Fire Plan.
The supervising social worker will continue to provide support and supervision to the foster carer up to, during and after all placements - see Supervision and Support of Foster Carers Procedure and ensure that they understand the need to undertake Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service and other checks and assessments on any new member of the household - see Section 13, Changes in the Foster Carer's Household or Circumstances - and the need to repeat Disclosure and Barring Service checks every three years - see Review and Termination of Approval and Resignation of Foster Carers Procedure.
A register of all approved foster carers will be maintained by the Service containing the following particulars:
- The name, address, date of birth, sex and ethnic origin of each foster carer;
- The date of approval and of each review of the approval;
- The category and current terms of the approval;
- The name, address, date of birth of each connected person with whom a child is placed and who has been granted temporary approval as a foster carer, together with the date and terms of the temporary approval.
Once approved, the Agency Advisor to Panel will enter the foster carers' approval details, including their first review date, on the Fostering Register database.
The supervising social worker will ensure that any newly approved foster carer is clear about their responsibility to notify the Family Placement Service before any change in the composition of their household occurs or where there is any significant change in their circumstances which affects their fostering, for example any new relationship, pregnancy or bereavement.
If the supervising social worker discovers that there has been a change in the foster carer's household without prior notice, the manager must be informed and an immediate review of the foster carer's approval must be convened - see Review and Termination of Approval and Resignation of Foster Carers Procedure. In these circumstances, a suspension of the foster carer's approval may have to be considered at the review.
Where the proposed new member of the household is a partner of the foster carer, there will be a presumption that they will have a part to play in caring for any child in the placement and therefore a full Form F assessment of their suitability for this role must be completed before the partner moves into the foster home. The same procedure for this assessment will be carried out as for any foster carer applicant and it will be presented to the Fostering Panel and the Agency Decision Maker in accordance with the preceding paragraphs of this chapter. There will be no presumption that any such assessment will be approved.
Pending the completion of the full assessment, where the foster carer wishes their partner to stay overnight before the full assessment is completed, an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check must be carried out, and a risk assessment must also be completed to determine the level of additional checks required, before agreement to overnight stays can be given. The risk assessment should take account of, amongst other things, the number and ages of the children in the placement, their views about the foster carer's partner, the significance and stability of the relationship (including how long they have known each other) and the foster carer's history of fostering. Any agreement to overnight stays must be endorsed by the manager of the Family Placement Service.
Where a foster carer proposes that any person will join the household to live, notice must be given before this occurs in sufficient time to enable an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check to be carried out on the relevant person and an assessment at the appropriate level to be undertaken before the change in household composition occurs. The required detail of the assessment will depend on the extent to which the new member of the household will undertake a caring role in relation to any child placed. Where the new member of the household will play a part in caring for the child in the placement, consideration will be given to the need for a full Form F assessment as for any new partner of the foster carer. Otherwise, the assessment will be considered at a Foster Carer Review which should be convened to consider the change in the foster carer's circumstances - see Review and Termination of Approval and Resignation of Foster Carers Procedure. This will determine whether any change to the foster carer's terms of approval is required and if so, a report to the Fostering Panel will be prepared.
For exemptions to the usual limit of three children and alterations or other extensions to approval, see Exemptions and Extensions/Variations to Foster Care Approval Procedure.
Last Updated: October 20, 2022
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