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Contents

1. Responding to Requests for Information
2. Information Evening
3. Initial Visit to Applicants
4. Preparation Groups
5. Application Forms and Checks
6. Health 
7. Personal References 
8. Home Study/Assessment 
9. Presentation to the Fostering Panel
10. After the Fostering Panel’s Recommendation
11. Representations Procedure 
12. After the Approval
13. Family Books/Profiles
14. Register of Foster Carers

1. Responding to Requests for Information

On receipt of an enquiry from a potential foster carer, a Fostering Admin Officer will record the enquirer's details which must include:

• Full name, date of birth, address and telephone number
• Any other addresses within the last 5 years
• Date of request
• Marital status
• Names of other members in household
• Details of the accommodation
• Previous experience and details of any other approvals already given
• Type of fostering sought (respite, short-term, long-term, number of children etc.

Within 2 working days of any enquiry, the Fostering Team will provide the enquirer with an Information Pack containing a broad range of information about fostering, full details about the assessment process, the checks required about any applicant and members of the household, and the likely time-scale involved.  The enquirer will also be invited to attend an Information Evening.

2. Information Evening

Prior to the Information Evening the Fostering Senior Care manager will provide the staff with a briefing which will highlight the priorities for the service in terms of the skills and characteristics that are needed amongst its new carers.

The Information Evenings are planned annually and take place bi-monthly  on a Wednesday evening between 6.30 and 8.00 pm. Prospective applicants will have the opportunity to meet existing carers before being seen by a Supervising Social Worker.

The Administrative officer will ensure that there is an interpreter available for South East Asian families and that Black and Asian staff are also represented. If such staff are unavailable, this will be brought to the attention of the manager.

The Social Worker will review the basic information provided by the potential applicant and they will ensure that they are eligible to become a foster carer. (see disqualification paragraph at the end of Section 5, Application Forms and Checks) The Social Worker will also discuss any obstacles that might exist to the application. This will include the suitability of their accommodation.

The Administrative officer will ensure that there is an interpreter available for South East Asian families and that Black and Asian staff are also represented. If such staff are unavailable, this will be brought to the attention of the manager.

If the enquiry is not deemed appropriate to pursue, for example because there are known child protection concerns in relation to the family, the enquirer will be informed in writing of this decision, with reasons.

The Fostering Senior Care Manager makes the decision as to whether potential applicants will proceed to the next stage.

The Service Promotions Officer will keep monthly statistics of the number of enquiries made and, where known, reasons why enquiries have not been pursued. The ethnicity of all potential applicants should also be recorded as should the number of enquiries and potential applicants attending the Information Evening. This information should be kept on a monthly basis using Pro-forma JW.

3. Initial Visit to Applicants

The allocated Social Worker will make an arrangement to see the applicants preferably in their own home. During this meeting the Social Worker will discuss the applicant's interest in more detail and potential problems may be identified and discussed. The Social Worker will make a recommendation about the progress of the application. This visit will be recorded by the Social Worker using Pro Forma IV.

Potential applicants will be advised not to pursue their interest where they have recently faced significant challenges within their family, such as newly formed partnerships or reconstituted families, serious illness, pregnancy, separation or bereavement. 

Potential applicants may also be counselled out of pursuing an application for a variety of reasons at this stage - or at any time during the course of the assessment process - where it is considered that the application would be inappropriate, for example where there are concerns about the information obtained at the initial visit or, later in the process, where information obtained from checks or which indicate an applicants has attempted  to cover up information about offences.

During the visit the potential applicants will be advised about their right to complain at any point in the Assessment Process.

Once there is agreement from the manager to proceed with the application, the enquirer/s will be asked to complete an application form, together with the Criminal Records Bureau forms for all members of the household aged over 16 and frequent visitors aged 16 and over. Note: CRB checks are not transferable so copies of checks taken by other agencies or for other posts are not accepted (see Section 5, Application Forms and Checks). They will also be asked to participate with medical checks, agency checks and they will need to provide at least two referees. They are also required to enter into a written agreement with the agency stating that the information that they have provided is true and that they are aware that their failure to comply with this agreement will lead to the termination of their application.

The name of the applicant/s will then be placed on the list for the next Preparation Groups.

4. Preparation Groups

When it is decided to invite applicants to Preparation Groups, a written invitation will be sent. The Fostering Senior Care Manager will ensure that groups take place at least four times per year both for applicants whose first language is not English and for those that it is.

Preparation Groups will usually be planned to enable applicants to have at least 4 weeks' notice of their date and venue so as to encourage extensive participation.

The attendance of and the contribution to the preparation group will form a part of the applicant's assessment of suitability to become foster carer/s

Preparation Groups provide an opportunity for the Fostering Team Social Workers to find out more about the applicants and have a clearer idea of their strengths, areas for further work and any concerns that need to be clarified as part of the assessment process.

The Groups are also aimed at self-assessment in that they enable applicants to find out more about fostering and help them discover whether fostering is right for them and their family.

The facilitators of the Group will complete a record of observations made of the applicants, that will be shared with them as part of the assessment and this will also form part of the presentation of the report to the Fostering Panel.

Applicants are expected to attend all the Preparation Groups offered before being considered for further assessment as prospective foster carers. In the case of couples, both must attend.

Discussion will take place between the Fostering Senior Care Manager and the group facilitators about whether a Social Worker will be allocated to complete  a home study assessment.

If the application is not deemed appropriate, for example because of information emerging from the Groups which lead to child protection concerns in relation to the family or the family's values, the applicant will be informed in writing of this decision, with reasons.

For those who are continuing with their application, while they wait for the next phase of the assessment, they will be asked to produce a family profile, covering the following:

• Eco-map/support network
• Household rules
• Self completion form
• Personal Profiles including a chronology of employment and education for each applicant.
• A community map relevant to the age ranges of the children they wish to foster - for example where there are libraries, parks, health visitors
• An example of valuing diversity

5. Application Forms and Checks

Checks on the applicant, all members of the household and frequent visitors over 16 will be actioned by the Fostering Team administrative staff after the initial visit if a decision is made to proceed with the application.

The administrative staff will write to the Probation Service, NSPCC, relevant PCT, Education Authority, Schools (in relation to the applicant’s own children) and Children's Social Care Services for the area where the applicants live including whether a child is subject to a Child Protection Plan and where the applicant previously lived.

The applicants will be asked to complete the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) disclosure forms and produce the necessary identification.

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.

The administrative staff will record the dates when the checks were sent and the dates when replies were received. The replies to the checks should be placed in the confidential section of the applicant’s case record.

Staff who are employees of Bradford Department of Services to Children and Young People may not be foster carers unless they were approved before April 2002. They may not act as Shared Care, Crisis Care, Remand Care or Kinship Carers (See Placements with Relatives and Friends Procedure) This policy is devised to avoid conflicts of interest.

Where the checks reveal that an applicant or member of the household is disqualified under the Regulations, Fostering Senior Care Manager will be informed by the Social Worker and the applicants will be informed in writing of the outcome and the reasons why their application will not be pursued.

See Persons Disqualified from Fostering Procedures

6. Health

All applicants must agree to a full medical conducted by their GP on their health and any other relevant health issues. This report will be paid for by the Fostering Agency. Written advice from the Medical Adviser to the Fostering Panel should be obtained and referred to in the report on the application to the Fostering Panel. 

Where the applicant’s GP has expressed concerns or where clarification of the implications of any health issues is required, detailed advice must be sought from the Medical Adviser to the Fostering Panel at an early stage and the implications fully discussed with the applicant and in the report.

7. Personal References

At least two personal written references must be obtained for each applicant. All referees must be over 18. Two referees must have known the applicant for at least two years and live within a reasonable travelling distance of the applicant, and one should be a member of the applicant’s wider family. Couples must provide at least one reference who knows them both.

The administrative staff in the Fostering Team will send requests for references enclosing standard forms for completion by the referees. 

The fostering social worker carrying out the assessment (see section below) will also interview referees personally and make a written record of the interview .

A further reference must also be obtained from the applicant’s employer where the applicant works with children or any vulnerable adults.

8. Home Study/Assessment

Where a decision is made after the Preparation Groups to proceed to a full assessment, a Fostering Social Worker will be allocated to carry out a home study/assessment of the applicant.

The time taken to complete the assessment from the receipt of the application form will generally be no more than six months unless the need for additional work with the prospective foster carers is identified.

All assessments of potential foster carers will follow the format based on BAAF Form F assessments.

The assessing Social Worker will carry out a series of interviews with the applicant(s).

In addition to visits to the applicants, the assessing Social Worker will interview the referees (see above) and the applicants' children (including those who live away from the family home), and contact (including a face-to-face meeting where considered appropriate) ex-partners of the applicant(s).

The suitability of the accommodation must also be assessed and a health and safety checklist completed including an assessment of risk posed by any pets in the household. Any issues that arise from the check should be recorded on the  Home Study with an agreed plan of action established.

The completed  Home Study, which should contain the outcome of the assessment and recommendations of the assessing Social Worker, should be shared with and signed by the applicant. The recommendation should include the category of fostering - i.e. link fostering, long-term, Fostering Challenge, specialist or respite - for which the applicant is seeking approval.

The  Home Study will be supplemented by the assessment summary of the applicant in the Preparation Groups a chronology and evidence of required competencies. This assessment summary should also be shared with the applicant prior to presentation to the Fostering Panel.

This gives the applicant the opportunity to make any comments on the reports, for example by expressing disagreement or support for the recommendations. 

The applicant will be given 28 days in which to make any written observations and comments on the contents of the reports. Applicants may withdraw from the assessment process before it is completed. 

In addition, where an issue arises during the course of an assessment which requires a decision as to the future direction of the assessment and this cannot be resolved by discussion between the assessing social worker and the applicant or by reference to the manager of the Fostering Team, consideration should be given to the early referral to the Fostering Panel, for example where an applicant is disqualified - see disqualification paragraph at the end of Section 5, Application Forms and Checks. This should be discussed with the Service Manager Adoption and Fostering.

Applicants should be provided with a leaflet about Fostering Panel before being invited to attend when their application is being considered. 

9. Presentation to the Fostering Panel

All the relevant information, including the Home Study Assessment, the report from the Preparation Groups, the applicant's comments, references, a full written report on visits to the referees, chronology, completed Health and Safety checklist full information about all the statutory checks including the CRB Checks and the Medical Adviser's report should be sent to the Panel Administrator 10 working days before the date of the Fostering Panel meeting scheduled to consider the application. In the case of an assessment of a Family and Friends Foster Carer, the child's social worker should also present a report on the child.

The assessing social worker should also inform the Panel Administrator if the applicants intend to attend the Panel meeting and whether or not an interpreter will be required.

At the Panel meeting, the information will be presented by the  Social Worker responsible for the assessment or a substitute with adequate knowledge of the applicant and the assessment.

Foster carers attending the Panel should be invited to give their views or any comments on the application and the reports.

Whether they attend or not, their views and wishes must be presented fairly and accurately within the documentation before the Panel and verbally. If they decide not to attend, this should not be seen as prejudicial to the application.

The Panel will consider the written report together with all the supporting documentation and any additional information presented verbally, and make a recommendation to the  Agency Decision Maker regarding the outcome of the assessment, including where approval is recommended, the category of fostering recommended.

The recommendation 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 Family and Friends Foster Carer) or conditions as to the age range or number of children to be placed in the foster home will also be specified.

Reasons for the recommendations, the category and any conditions will be recorded in the Panel's minutes.

The applicant will be informed verbally by the chair of the Panel of the recommendation at the outcome of the meeting or if the carers did not attend, verbally within one working day.

10. After the Fostering Panel’s Recommendation

After the Fostering Panel has considered the report and made a written recommendation, the Panel Administrator will send the minutes to the  Agency Decision Maker to consider the recommendations for approval.

The  Agency Decision Maker will consider all the reports and recommendation and inform the applicant in writing of his/ her subsequent decision and the reasons.

Where the application is approved, the category and any terms of the approval must be also specified in writing.

If a decision is made to approve a foster carer, written notice of the decision and the terms of the approval, signed by the  Agency Decision Maker will be sent to the foster carer the Panel Administrator within 7 working days of receiving the decision who will also send them two copies of the Foster Care Agreement. Once signed, the foster carer will retain one copy and the second copy will   retained on the carer's case record. (see Section 12, After the Approval). 

11. Representations Procedure

If the Agency Decision Maker is minded to accept the Panel's recommendation to refuse an application for approval, written notice of the proposal to not to approve them together with his/her reasons and a copy of the Fostering Panel's recommendation will be sent to the applicant within 10 working days of the of the receipt of the Panel minutes .The applicant will be advised that if he or she wishes to challenge the decision, he/she has the right to make written representations within 28 days of the date of the written notice of the decision.

In addition, as an alternative, they may exercise the right to apply to the Secretary of State to request a review of the decision by  the Independent Review  Mechanism (IRM), which is an Independent Panel. Any such application must be made in writing within 28 days of the decision and supported by reasons.

The only circumstances where the foster carer will not have the right to request a review by  the Independent Review  Mechanism is 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.

If no written notification of a request of a review is received within this period, the  Agency Decision Maker can proceed to make his/ her decision to refuse the Application.

If written representations are made within the period, the matter must be referred back to the Panel for further consideration. Fostering Panel will hear any representations and make a recommendation following this. The Panel may uphold its recommendation .or make a different recommendation as a result of the applicant's representations. The Panels fresh recommendation will be sent to the  Agency Decision Maker who will then proceed to make his/ her decision taking into account the panels fresh recommendation.

If the applicants are to be approved the Panel Administrator will send written notice of the decision to the applicant  signed by the Agency Decision-Maker within 7 working days of receipt of the decision notifying them of the terms of their approval and entering into a Foster Carer agreement.

If the decision is that they are not to be approved the Agency Decision Maker will write to them explaining the reasons for deciding not to approve.

If the applicant decides to refer the matter to an Independent Review Mechanism, 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 minute, if different, will be sent to the Independent Review Mechanism within 10 working days of their written request.

The procedure for the Independent Review Mechanism is carried out by BAAF; the applicant and two representatives of the Fostering Agency will be invited to attend the Independent Review Mechanism.

After considering the representations, the Independent Review Mechanism may make a recommendation, which the 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 7 working days of the receipt of the Independent Review Mechanism's recommendation.

12. After the Approval

Where an application is approved, the foster carer will be allocated a supervising social worker from the Fostering Team.

The supervising social worker will request the foster carer to sign a Foster Care Agreement between the local authority and the foster carer, which contains the information the foster carer needs to carry out his or her functions as a foster carer effectively. 

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 case record, 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 Carer Agreement will contain the following information:

1. The terms of the foster carer’s approval
2. The support and training to be provided to the foster carer
3. The procedure for the review of the foster carer’s approval
4. The procedure for placements of children
5. The procedure for making representations and complaints
6. 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
7. The requirements in relation to confidentiality
8. The procedures for behaviour management and unauthorised absences of children placed with the foster carer including the ban on corporal punishment
9. The procedures for informing the fostering social worker of the child’s progress and any significant events relating to the child
10. The need to give 28 days’ notice in writing of they wish to cease fostering

New foster carers will also be given their personal copy of the Foster Carer's Handbook, which covers policies, procedures, guidance, legal information and insurance details and in respect of which the foster carer must sign confirmation of receipt.

They will need to provide their Supervising Social Worker with information about their bank account and their availability to commence caring. Agreement of their start date should be made and the Social Worker should contact the Administrative Officer, Finance to make arrangements for their fee to be paid.

The allocated supervising social worker will continue to provide support to the foster carer up to, during and after all placements - see Chapters on Supervision, Training and Review of Foster Carers.

13. Family Books/Profile

Approved foster carers should be asked by their supervising social worker to provide a Family Book or Profile. This should contain visual and written information to introduce any child placed in the foster home to members of the foster family and the foster home and to the facilities and environment which are local to the carers. The information should also contain house rules, routines, names of pets, information about how the foster family has fun and any other information to convey what it would be like for a child coming into the household. The Family Book should also identify the approval details of the carers, any special skills they have, the behaviours worked best with and their willingness to manage contact with parents

This information will be used to identify 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.

14. Register of Foster Carers

The Panel Administrator will update the ICS database which maintains the register of all approved foster carers containing the following particulars:

1. The name, address, date of birth, sex and ethnic origin of each foster carer
2. The date of approval and of each review of the approval
3. The category and current terms of the approval

For those carers who are approved under Regulation 38 the name, address, date of birth of each person with whom a child is placed who is a relative or friend (but not an approved Kinship Foster Carer) and who has entered an agreement to provide care for the child placed, together with the date and terms of the agreement will be put onto ICS by the Administrative Officer for the area responsible for the child

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