6.1.12 Supervision and Support of Foster Carers

The fostering, placement support and permanence teams facilitate a range of support groups where carers can come together on a regular basis to offer support to each other, to hear expert speakers and organise training and social events. The following monthly groups are facilitated.

• A group for newly approved carers;
• A group for carers looking after children aged 0 to 11;
• A group for carers looking after children aged 11+;
• A group for parent and baby carers;
• A group for carers exploring therapeutic issues related to fostering;
• A group for lesbian and gay carers;
• A group for carers’ own birth children (meeting each school holiday).

In view of the importance attached to support groups, the department can pay child minding fees to enable Carers to attend groups and/or can arrange for children (looked after and birth children) to be cared for whilst the group is meeting.

The Fostering Team run a variety of coffee mornings for a range of carers, including newly approved carers, carers who live in the same area and parent and baby carers. Particularly for new carers coffee mornings provide an opportunity to meet other carers and staff.

In conjunction with Brighton and Hove Foster Care Association we arrange a variety of social events over the year, such as a summer garden party and a Christmas party.

The various support groups also have a social dimension which has triggered informal social networks and activities.

When we consult carers from time to time about key issues these meetings are held in a pleasant venue, such as a hotel, which also allows an opportunity for carers and staff to socialise. Social gatherings enable carers to meet each other and form links.

The Intensive Placement Team (IPT) comprises skilled, experienced workers who provide support to children and young people in care. The team becomes involved in placements where the child or young person is struggling to settle or is going through a difficult patch or is excluded from school. The IPT work closely with the Carer, Supervising Social Worker, child’s social worker and if appropriate the birth Parents.

The team also provides school holiday activities programme's for children and young people in foster care and carers’ own children.

The team also run ‘the morning unit’ for looked after children excluded from school, four days per week from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm. This gives carers a break as well as providing structure for young people, help at a time of crisis in their lives and with their behaviour to get them back to school.

Should therapeutic support appear to be necessary, the Social Worker for the child should discuss this with carers and their Supervising Social Worker. The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service CAMHS may be able to provide assistance. There are other organisations that provide counselling or therapy for looked after children including the Youth Advisory Centre that offers a service to older children aged 12 and above.

When new equipment is needed carers should purchase it and arrange reimbursement through the initial set up costs of a placement.

A website for Brighton and Hove foster carers is available: Fostering in Brighton and Hove.

As well as developing links with key BME groups locally and working to raise the profile of the needs of BME looked after children, this worker will offer specialist support to carers with children trans racially placed.

For employees who become approved foster carers, a comprehensive package of support is already provided. In addition flexibility at work can be enhanced to improve the balance of your 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.

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.

When carers are first approved, the Supervising Social Worker will agree the frequency of supervision*. Normally this will be monthly for the first six months, then the frequency can be changed/extended.

If deemed appropriate, the Supervising Social Worker will maintain telephone contact between visits; this should be negotiated between the Supervising Social Worker and the foster carer.

• Supervision sessions should normally be announced/planned, but can be unannounced.

Supervision is a positive, enabling and supportive opportunity for foster carers and should help them to have:

1. Their strengths and weaknesses recognised and developed;
2. Their skills and potential enhanced;
3. Their relationship with the local authority enhanced;
4. Their performance positively challenged and managed.

The supervision agenda will be agreed at each meeting and will likely include:

1. An assessment of the understanding of the foster carer of the standards, policies, procedures and guidance of Children’s Services in relation to looked after children, including health and safety issues;
2. An assessment of the training needs of the foster carer and the identification of suitable ways of meeting those needs including the foster carer’s responsibility for their own development, this should be completed in their Personal Development Plan;
3. A discussion about the foster carer’s attendance at support meetings;
4. The need for any additional support or training;
5. A review of the foster carer’s record keeping to ensure that the Daily Records are being completed appropriately and in sufficient detail and that records of the child’s health, any incidents, absences and restraints are being kept in accordance with procedures;
6. The monitoring of how the records kept by the foster carer are stored;
7. A discussion about how a child or young person’s education, development and health care are being promoted.