Sussex Child Protection and Safeguarding Procedures
Sussex Child Protection and Safeguarding Procedures Sussex Child Protection and Safeguarding Procedures

6.1.5 Council Employees Who Foster

RELEVANT DOCUMENTS

Fostering Services Regulations 2011

Fostering Services National Minimum Standards 2011

By introducing the Supporting Employees Who Wish to Foster policy, the Council demonstrated its commitment to improving the recruitment and retention of foster carers.


Contents

  1. What Support is Available to Employees?
  2. Where Can I Get a Copy of the Policy?
  3. Who Does this Policy Apply To?
  4. Further Advice


1. What Support is Available to Employees?

For employees who become approved foster Carers for Brighton and Hove City Council a comprehensive package of support is already provided. In addition flexibility at work can be enhanced to improve the balance of their job and foster caring responsibilities by:

  • Offering more flexible working arrangements;
  • Granting special discretionary leave to deal with emergencies;
  • Granting up to a maximum of 5 days paid leave (pro-rata for part-time/part-year or job sharing employees) in any leave year to enable you to attend the required training courses, review meetings or other key meetings in connection with the child(ren) placed with you.

Where a couple are both employees of the Council the leave entitlements referred to above will apply to each partner.


2. Where Can I Get a Copy of the Policy?

You can access a copy of Supporting Employees Who Wish to Foster on the Wave by going to the Human Resources web pages on the Intranet. Alternatively you can request a copy from the HR Strategy & Projects team or from the Fostering Team.


3. Who Does this Policy Apply To?

It applies to employees who are either applying to become a foster Carer or are already an approved foster Carer for Brighton and Hove City Council or Barnardo’s Link Plus Service with the exception of:

  • Those employees who work in the children and families social care service and who have direct involvement in the planning and decision-making for looked after children;
  • Those employees based in schools unless the school formally adopts the policy locally.


4. Further Advice

If you have any queries about this policy please talk to your Supervising Social Worker or your Manager or the Council’s Human Resources division.

End