STATEMENT OF PURPOSE BURY FOSTERING SERVICE July 2015 Page 1 of 21
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE BURY FOSTERING SERVICE Contents 1. Mission Statement Page 3 2. Principles and Standards of Care Page 4-5 3. Bury s Fostering Provision Page 6 4. Recruitment and Assessment of Page 7-9 Foster Carers 5. Assessment of Family/Friends Carers Page 10 (Connected Persons) 6. Fostering Panel Page 10-11 7. Bury Fostering Service Structure Page 12-17 8. Complaints and Allegations Page 18 Appendix 1 Performance Information Appendix 2 Allegations and Complaints Page 2 of 21
The Statement of Purpose is a useful source of information to members of the Council, staff, foster carers, prospective foster carers and children and young people who are placed with Bury carers. The Statement of Purpose is reviewed and updated regularly, at least annually, and modified as necessary. 1. MISSION STATEMENT 1.1 To provide a sufficient range of safe and secure foster placements to meet the assessed needs of children in care and to promote and safeguard their welfare. 1.2 To ensure that placements promote stability and positive outcomes for children and young people by working in partnership with young people, carers, birth families, other professionals and communities 1.3 The fostering service operates within equal opportunities legislation and, relevant departmental policies and does not discriminate in any way on the basis of race, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation marital status or age, in relations to staff, carers or Service Users. Page 3 of 21
2. PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS OF CARE The principles and standards guiding the Service are: To recruit carers from a wide variety of backgrounds, the majority from the local community or within reasonable travelling distance who have the potential to meet the diverse needs of the Looked After Children in Bury To reward foster carers financially for their skills, competency and experience. To offer a range of training and support services before and after approval to carers that will maintain the stability of placements To provide appropriate and timely placements for all children who are in need of fostering provision and to offer placement choice To support permanency planning for all children To consider the specific needs of the child/young person to be placed by age, ethnicity, gender, disability and sexual orientation and as far as possible match these needs with the skills of the approved carers The welfare of children is paramount and this will be reflected in all aspects of the work Looked after children will be regularly consulted in all aspects of their placement and their wishes and feelings will be taken into consideration. The wishes and feelings of birth children in fostering households will be sought and taken into consideration All work will be undertaken in partnership with Looked after Children, their parents, birth families, foster carers, Social workers and all relevant agencies and disciplines. The service will operate in a manner that promotes equality, values diversity and challenges any form of discrimination. The safety and protection of Looked after children will be an over riding priority. Children will be supported and encouraged to develop independence skills in accordance with age and ability and to pursue leisure interest in line with their wishes. To promote the physical and emotional health of children in foster care by encouraging a healthy lifestyle and working in partnership with health professionals. Page 4 of 21
To enable the children it cares for to reach their full potential, socially and educationally and enable them to make a positive contribution to the community and to recognise their achievements and progress. Contact will be promoted with the birth family and others of significance to the child where this is consistent with the child s care plan. Whenever possible siblings will be placed together if this is in their best interest and is consistent with their care plans The Service will be regularly monitored and reviewed for quality performance and delivery and service improvements The fostering Service will contribute to the placement stability of Looked After children by providing placements that meet with Children s needs and will identify support for the placement Children, their birth families and foster carers are encouraged to provide feedback which will be used to inform Service Planning. Children, their families and carers will be given access to the complaints procedures Children will be given a copy of the Children s Guide, Being Looked After in Bury and details of how to access the Children s Rights Service Page 5 of 21
3. BURY S FOSTERING PROVISION Short term foster care to support families through crisis, family breakdown or to protect a child from harm on a time limited basis. Permanent substitute family care through long term fostering for children who cannot return to live with their birth family. Approved foster care placements with family members or friends. Short break provision for children at risk of becoming accommodated in care Home from Home foster scheme for children with a disability who are provided with respite care. Supported Lodgings Scheme for young people aged 16+ Page 6 of 21
4. RECRUITMENT AND ASSESSMENT OF FOSTER CARERS What does the Service look for in foster carers? Many of the qualities looked for in prospective foster carers are the same as those asked of any good parent but we also look for a little bit more. This could be defined as an ability to offer good quality parenting and the capacity to reparent children who have been abused or neglected, and would be central to the application. Foster children will have experienced trauma and separation from their birth family and will display many different types of behaviour to express their upset or distress. Some will also have had many different carers and will be looking for confident people who can offer stability, safety, consistency and reliability. The assessment process itself covers the following areas: Motivation, experiences, skills and abilities essential in a foster carer to safeguard a child Provision of a safe, healthy and nurturing home for children Personal warmth to adults and children Ability to work with the Department to implement the plan for the child. This is likely to involve contact with birth parent(s) and others important to the child The capacity to positively encourage a child s understanding of their origins, religion and culture. Understanding of others points of view and feelings Ability to stand back from problems. Flexibility in resolving problems Ability to enable a child who is moving on to do so in a positive manner Knowledge of normal child development, ability to listen and communicate with children Ability to manage a child s behaviours using boundaries but without physical or other inappropriate forms of punishment Appreciation of how experiences affect families and the impact fostering may have on carer s own family Evidence of ability to sustain supportive relationships with family, friends and the community Ability to use training and supervision opportunities to improve skills Ability to understand own limitations and to ask for help and support Appreciation of how a child s past may affect their current and future behaviour/needs Page 7 of 21
Appreciation of the importance of education and health for young people and the ability to promote these Foster carers are recruited by various methods including regular advertising campaigns through the local press and radio. The overall aim is to increase placement choice and enable the Fostering Service to place children with local foster carers who can best meet their particular individual needs. Applications are welcomed from all sectors of the community irrespective of gender, marital status, ethnicity or sexual orientation. Applicants are encouraged to apply who could meet the needs of disabled children and young people and applicants who are able to look after older children or sibling groups are also needed. Wherever possible, foster carers are encouraged, and financially supported, to offer continuing care to young people beyond the age of 18. The Extra Mile will support the young adults and carers at this point. Detailed information about fostering is also available on the Council website. Enquirers receive an information pack within 2 days of their enquiry. Interested people are subsequently visited in their home and then invited to attend preparation sessions prior to a full assessment being undertaken. Thorough assessments of applicants suitability and skills are undertaken in accordance with current legislation and guidance, including the Fostering Service Regulations 2011 and National Minimum Standards. Three personal references are obtained, a medical report, enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check and checks are also made with statutory agencies. The assessment is based on a 2 stage process, which runs concurrently. Stage 1 considers the statutory checks and personal references, as discussed below. Stage 2 is the home study, when the assessing social worker will need to visit the home a minimum of eight visits or sixteen hours (approximately) to spend time working with the applicants on their Form F and portfolio. The assessment is a joint project and needs full participation from applicants and their family. During the assessment, Bury Fostering Team will undertake a variety of statutory checks (Stage 1), which include; sation references Page 8 of 21
3 personal references Particulars of all people living in home, previous partners and children to that relationship A Home and Safety check will also be carried out alongside a risk assessment on any pets in the home. Completed assessments are considered by the Fostering Panel. If any of the Stage 1 checks are returned indicating that the applicant is unsuitable to foster the assessment, the Agency Decision Maker will make the decision whether to continue or terminate the assessment. Explanation will be given to the applicant about this decision. If during the Stage 2 home study assessment concerns are raised about the applicant s suitability to foster and the assessor wishes to terminate the assessment, a brief report will be completed and presented to foster panel. A recommendation will be made by the foster panel regarding continuing or ending the assessment. Agency Decision Maker will make the final decision about terminating the assessment based on the brief report and recommendation by foster panel. Page 9 of 21
5. ASSESSMENT OF FAMILY AND FRIEND FOSTER CARERS Family and friends foster carers will usually come into foster care because they want to make sure that the children they are being assessed to care for can remain within the extended family. Assessments may be undertaken in emergency to enable children to be placed immediately or over a period of time so that children can be placed after approval. The assessment is for specific named children only and therefore focuses on the circumstances of the prospective carers and the children. However assessments are undertaken in accordance with the same legislation and guidance as general carers so Family and Friend carers will undergo the checks and medicals outlined above and their full assessment will be presented to the Fostering Panel. 6. FOSTERING PANEL Fostering panels have a crucial role to play in the provision and monitoring of foster care for children. Fostering panels are necessary to ensure that good quality decisions are made about the approval of carers, in line with the overall objective to promote and safeguard the welfare of children in foster care. Membership of the Panel The central list of Panel members is as follows Jane Davies Dr Ali Jane Hayes Independent Panel Chair Medical Adviser Independent member (Children s Rights) Susan Southworth Elected member Jenny Ramsbottom Independent member (Foster Carer, Bolton MBC) Sharon Briggs Marie Holmes Paula Lloyd Helle Kristensen Rhian Greenway Donna Green Elected member CYPIC Virtual Headteacher Social Worker (Fostering Service) Social worker (Adoption Team) Looked After Children s Nurse Chair Bury Safeguarding Childrens Board (BSCB) Panel members come from a range of professional backgrounds that supports good decision-making, based on sound knowledge and experience. The Page 10 of 21
commitment show by Panel members to regular attendance enhances the consistency of recommendations The Panel is supported by Brenda Jones, Fostering Team Manager, who is the Panel Adviser and Suzanne Nye who is the Panel Administrator. The panel has several very important functions, although its primary one is to make recommendations about the approval of foster carers. This includes all new assessments of foster carers. Additionally the panel can make recommendations as to whether a person remains suitable to act as a foster carer and whether or not the terms of the approval remain appropriate. The panel will also monitor any variation in the foster carer s approval status, which has been made for an agreed period of time to allow a child to be placed who is outside of the carers agreed age range for approval. Sometimes it is necessary for the fostering provider to grant an exemption over the normal fostering limit of three children so that more children can be placed. This exemption should only be agreed for a short period of time and should be monitored by the fostering panel. The fostering panel is required to consider the first annual review of all foster carers. Occasionally it will be necessary for the fostering service to take action to alter the terms of the approval of carers, including terminating their approval. This can be due to a range of circumstances, including situations where there have been serious allegations made about the carers. These cases will be referred to the fostering panel that will make a recommendation to the Agency Decision Maker. The Agency Decision Maker will give written notice to the foster carer that it is intended to propose to terminate or revise the terms of approval (a qualifying determination) together with the reasons for this decision. If the carer does not agree with this decision there are two routes that they can choose to have the decision reviewed. The foster carer can apply to the Independent Reviewing Mechanism for a review of the fostering service provider s qualifying determination, or the foster carer can make representations, within 28 days to the fostering service and the case will be reconsidered at the fostering panel. The following web link provides detailed information about the Independent Review Mechanism:- www.irm-adoption.org.uk/fostering Foster carers are encouraged to attend the fostering panels at approval stage, and sometimes for annual reviews. Foster carers will also be invited to attend when de- registration is being considered. Bury s Fostering Panel meets for a full morning every month to conduct its business, although occasionally there is a need for additional panels. Bury s Fostering Panel has an experienced Independent Chair, and Independent Vice Chair, that ensures that panel members are enabled to reach a Page 11 of 21
recommendation about the approval of foster carers or any of the other panel business that panel members are asked to consider. For further information regarding fostering panels a useful reference site is:- www.baaf.org.uk 7. BURY FOSTERING SERVICE STRUCTURE The Fostering Service comprises of: Team Manager Assistant Team Manager 2 full time equivalent, Advanced Practitioners, (one with lead responsibility for family and friends foster carers, one with lead responsibility for general foster carers breaks and foster carer training) 10 full time equivalent fostering social workers 1 full time social worker who co-ordinates the Home from Home Scheme to provide short planned breaks to disabled children and young people and Supported Lodgings Scheme 2 full time Children and Family Support Workers 1 Recruitment Officer The Fostering Social Workers have a wide range of experience of children and families social work and fostering. They are supported by family support workers. Internal and external training is provided to all social workers, any specialist training, pertaining to fostering is provided by national organisation e.g. Fostering Network and Coram-BAAF. Staff are expected to keep their skills and knowledge updated this is in line with the requirements for their registration with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC) The Team Manager has experience of management in both the independent and public sector and holds a qualification in ILM 5. The Assistant Team Manager has experience in both the independent and public sector and holds a qualification in ILM 2 & 3 The short break scheme was established as part of the prevention strategy, to support children in the 8 16 age range and their families by offering planned short breaks with approved foster carers. The intention of the scheme is to enable Young People to remain in their families where possible. The Fostering Service is supported by one full time administrator and a part time administrator (responsible for the Fostering Panel) who are managed by an experienced senior administrator. The Senior Administrator is responsible for the payment of allowances and fees Page 12 of 21
Fostering Service Brenda Jones Fostering Team Manager Recruitment & Assessment Zoe Edmonds Assistant team Manager Sharon Cummins P/T Andrea Elliott Emma Newey Recruitment Officer Halima Choudhry 2.5 Supervision & Development Lynn Welsby HFH/Short Breaks Supported Lodgings Paula Lloyd 4.5 days Teresa Wilson Colleen Wightman Glynis Lewis 2.5 days Godfrey Clarke Susan Patterson Family Support Workers (Also Adoption work) Sonia Whittle Paul Barlow Family & Friends Zoe Edmonds Assistant Team Manager Amanda Dainton Advanced Practitioner Gail Worswick 27 hrs Razia Choudhury 2.5 days Julia Enneoka 2.5 days Julie Rodgers Page 13 of 21
Brenda Jones Fostering Service Manager Qualifications: 1985 - BA Public Service Studies 1991 Qualified in October CQSW and Diploma Applied Social Studies Years of Social Work: 33 years of experience in Social work including residential and voluntary work 23 Years qualified Years of Family Placement Experience: 7 years Family Placement Worker 16 months Family Placement Manager IFA 2008 2013 IRO Fostering and Safeguarding Manager 2013 2015 Panel Advisor, Fostering and Adoption Post Qualification Achievements: 1999 Practice Teacher Award 2005 NVQ Level 4 Training and Development 2006 NVQ Level 5 Operational Management 2010 ILM Level 5 - Leadership Zoe Edmonds Assistant Team Manager Qualifications: 1994 BeTech Nursery Nurse 1998 Playwork BA (HONS) 2003 Diploma in Social Work/ Masters in Social Work Years of Social Work: 17 years in social care including Residential Social Work 11 Years Social Worker Years of Family Placement Experience: 2 years with an IFA 6 years with Bury Post Qualification Achievements: PQ1 ILM 2 & 3 Paula Lloyd Advanced Practitioner Qualifications: 1996 BA (HONS) Community Studies 1998 MA & Diploma in Social Work 2002 PQ1 Years of Social Work: 17 years Social Worker Years of Family Placement Experience: 9 Years Bury Fostering Service Page 14 of 21
Amanda Dainton Advanced Practitioner Qualifications: 1995 Dipsw 2002 PQ1 2008 PQ2-6 Degree Years in Social Work: 20 years 15 years Safeguarding and Duty Fostering Experience: 5 years Bury Fostering Service Julie Rodgers Supervising Social Worker Qualifications: BSc Sociology 1996 NVQ level 3 children & young people Dipsw 2004 Years in Social Work: 19 years including residential social work for the local authority and safeguarding social work Fostering Experience 4years Bury Fostering Service Post Qualifications 2008 PQ1 2013 BA (Hons) Professional Studies in Child Care, (Specialist Award in Social Work Post Qualifying) Halima Choudhry Part Time Supervising Social Worker Qualifications: May 2007 Birmingham City University Years in Social Work: 8 years with 2½ year gap Fostering Experience: 7½ years with 2½ year gap Bury Fostering Service Post Qualifications: NQSW Solihull MBC Currently undertaking consolidation with MMU Godfrey Clark Supervising Social Worker Qualifications: 1998 Diploma in Social Work Years in Social Work: 13 years including Guns & Gangs Team, Children with Disabilities and Looked after Childrens Team Fostering Experience: 4 years Bury Fostering Service Page 15 of 21
Julia Enneoka Part Time Supervising Social Worker Qualifications: June 2003 MA Social Work and Care Pedagogy University OF Opole, Poland Dec 2009 MA Social Work, University of Manchester Years in Social Work: 5 years in current post Fostering Experience: 5 years Bury Fostering Service Post Qualifications: 5 years post qualifying social work experience in UK 2011 ongoing PhD in sociology, University of Manchester 2015 Completed Consolidation Module University of Salford Gail Worswick Supervising Social Worker Qualifications: 1998 Psychology degree 1999 Counselling Level II Bolton University 2002 - Diploma in Social Work Years in Social Work: 1998 2003 Residential Social Worker 2002 2008 Safeguarding Team Fostering Experience: 2009 Present Bury Fostering Service Post Qualifications: 2007 PQ1 2008 Practice Teacher Workbook Colleen Wightman Supervising Social Worker Qualifications: 1973 PRCC 1997 DIPSW Years in Social Work: 42 years (various posts) Fostering Experience: 11 years as a Foster Carer 12 years Bury Fostering Service Post Qualifications: PQ1 Level 2 Counselling Lynn Welsby Supervising Social Worker Home From Home, Short Break and Supported Lodgings Co-Ordinator Qualifications: 1977 PRCC 1983 Certificate in Social Services Years in Social Work: 37 years (various posts-bury) Fostering Experience: 2002 Present Bury Fostering Service Post Qualifications: 2005 - PQ1 Page 16 of 21
Susan Patterson Supervising Social Worker Qualifications: 2009 MA in Social Work Years of Social Work: 6 years Fostering Experience: 4 years 2009 2010 IFA Social Worker 2011 2012 IFA Social Worker 2013- Present Bury Fostering Service Post Qualifications: 2014 - PQ1 Glynis Lewis Supervising Social Worker Qualifications: 1983 BA Applied Social Studies and CQSW Years of Social Work: 32 years (various posts-bury since 1983) Fostering Experience: 2004 Present Bury Fostering Service Post Qualifications: 2001- PQ1 Sharon Cummins Supervising Social Worker Qualifications: 1999 DIPSW Years in Social Work: 1987-2000 Residential 2000-2002 Child Protection 2002-2005 BEST Fostering Experience: 2005 Present Bury Fostering Service Post Qualifications: 2006 - PQ1 Teresa Wilson Supervising Social Worker Qualifications: 2004 Diploma in Social Work Years in Social Work: 26 years including Residential Social Worker for local authority and independent sector Fostering Experience: 1979 1989 Foster Carer 2005 present Bury Fostering Service Post Qualifications: 2007 - PQ1 Razia Choudhury Supervising Social worker Qualifications: 2002 BA (Hons) Social Worker & DIPSW Years in Social Work: 13 years including years as a Safeguarding Social Worker Fostering Experience: 2006 present Bury Fostering Service Page 17 of 21
Post Qualifications: 2006 PQ1 Level 3 Counselling Skills Emma Newey Recruitment Officer Qualifications: 1997 NNEB Experience: 2001 BUPA, Child and Parenting Helpline 2007 BUPA, Child Care Co-ordinator Fostering Experience: 2012 Present Bury Fostering Service Paul Barlow Fostering Child & Family Support Worker Qualifications: NVQ Level 3 children and Young People Experience: 4 years Residential Children s Homes 3 years Residential Education 13 years, Community Family Support Worker Fostering Experience: 2013 Present Bury Fostering Service Sonia Wittle Fostering Child & Family Support Worker Qualifications: 1994 NNEB 1995 ADCE 2004 HLTA Experience: 3 years Early Years 14 years in Education 6 in Management Fostering Experience: 2011 present Bury Fostering Service Page 18 of 21
8. COMPLAINTS AND ALLEGATIONS Wherever possible complaints are dealt with informally and where appropriate, in the first instance, any complaint by or against a foster carer will be dealt with on a problem solving basis. Foster carers are given a written procedure regarding complaints. Bury Council has a Complaints Coordinator for Children s Services and has complaints procedures that operate if a complaint cannot be satisfactorily resolved at an informal level. When a complaint against a foster carer raises safeguarding issues it is referred to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and may be investigated under Child Protection procedures The role of the LADO is set out in the HM Government guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children (2006). Appendix 5 outlines the procedures for managing allegations against people who work with children. The LADO works within Children s Services and should be alerted to all cases in which it is alleged that a person who works with children has: behaved in a way that has harmed, or may have harmed, a child, possibly committed a criminal offence against children, or related to a child, behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates s/he is unsuitable to work with children. The LADO provides advice, guidance and help to determine whether the allegation sits within the scope of the procedures, and help to co-ordinate information-sharing with the right people and will also monitor and track any investigation, with the aim to resolve it as quickly as possible. Bury Council has clear policies and procedures regarding allegations against professionals and investigations are dealt with promptly and transparently. There is a leaflet specifically designed for Children and Young People advising what to do if they have a complaint and all complaints are taken seriously, with outcomes shared with the complainant. There is an anti bullying leaflet specifically designed for children and young people which is included the information they are given when they become Looked After by Bury Children s Services Page 19 of 21
APPENDIX 1 PERFORMANCE INFORMATION On 31 st March 2015 there were children in placement with foster carers, of which were placed with kinship carers and with carers approved by independent agencies (IFA) 19 Young Adults (over 18) were placed in continuing care arrangements with their former foster carers. Numbers of foster carers. Number of carers Type Role 98 General Foster Carers Provide temporary and permanent placements to unrelated children 42 Family and friend foster carers (also called kinship carers or Connected persons) Provide temporary and permanent care to children related or previously known to them 5 Home from Home scheme Part time carers who offer short breaks for disabled children on a part time basis 3 Multilink carers Full time carers who offer regular respite for a number of disabled children 7 Short Break carers Offer short breaks to children who live in families who are under pressure 3 Holiday carers Carers who are approved to provide holiday care and short breaks for specific children 4 Supported Lodgings Older teenagers 162 Total number of approved carers Providing 239 placements Page 20 of 21
APPENDIX 2 ALLEGATIONS AND COMPLAINTS From April 2014 March 31 st 2015 there were: 2 complaints received from young people - one was not upheld 1 complaint received regarding a foster carer this was not upheld 1 complaint received by child/young person s parent Page 21 of 21