11.2.7 Placements with a Relative or Friend (Connected Persons)

Authority to agree an immediate placement rests with the responsible Children's Service Manager or an equivalent covering Service Manager. In agreeing such a placement this manager needs to be satisfied that:

1. The proposed carer is a relative, friend and/or is known to the child;
2. The proposed placement is the most appropriate placement for the child.

In completing a viability assessment the child social worker should consider:-

1. The willingness and suitability of the proposed carer, the suitability of all other persons aged 18 and over who are members of the household in which it is proposed that the child will live. Mosaic and Police Checks, outside local authority checks must be undertaken. The suitability of the proposed accommodation (including the proposed sleeping arrangements for the child should be considered with reference the bedroom sharing policy of the local authority). The child's social worker should also give the prospective carer as much information about the child as is practically possible, preferably in writing;
2. Their capacity to care for children and, in particular in relation to the child (or children) concerned, to provide for his / her physical needs and appropriate medical and dental care; to protect the child adequately from harm or danger including from any person who presents a risk of harm to the child' to ensure that the accommodation and home environment is suitable including where relevant an initial risk assessment of any pets, together with the environment in which the pet is kept; in relation to the child's age and developmental stage, to promote his / her learning and development; to provide a stable family environment which will promote secure attachments for the child, including promoting positive contact with parents and other connected persons, unless this is not consistent with the child's welfare;
3. The significant and immediate needs of the child and the prospective carer's skills, parenting experience and potential to meet those needs;
4. The views and wishes of the child and the child's parent/guardian, about the proposed placement, wherever possible;
5. The Family and Friend’s Part 1 assessment report should be sent to the Children's Service Manager for authorisation and then sent to e to the Family and Friend’s Nominated Officer for decision making.

5.1

After completion of a positive viability assessment a referral is completed through Mosaic via the family and friend’s viability assessment work step. If appropriate a supervising social worker will be allocated to undertake a part 1 assessment with the child social worker. This work step will be commenced after agreement for referral is agreed by the fostering team manager. An applicant must be informed of the expectations of acting as a foster carer for the department to support their decision making in order to progress with the fostering assessment process.

The part 1 family and friends’ assessments are to be completed jointly by the child social worker and supervising social worker. The child social worker has responsibility for sections 1-8 with the supervising social worker needing to complete section 9. A joint recommendation is to be made in section 10 as to the suitability of the applicant to foster. The care plan and placement of the child remains the responsibility of the child social worker.

1. Within the part 1 works step the outcome of initial reference checks should be references as followed by the child social worker:
   1. Police check;
   2. Mosaic system checks if the carers reside in the Nottinghamshire local authority area;
   3. Outside local authority checks if the applicants reside outside of Nottinghamshire or have lived elsewhere previously.

If there are positive disclosures received from the police check, then a risk and impact assessment must be completed by the supervising social worker. This will need to be read and countersigned by the child social worker, child social worker team manager, fostering team manager and fostering service manager. This will assess the applicant’s ability to act as a foster carer for the department by analysing all information available and needs to be uploaded in Mosaic.The fostering service manager should record their decision on mosaic on the applicants file.

If the applicant smokes and the child is aged under 5 years of age a smoking exemption must be completed and needs to be uploaded in Mosaic by the supervising social worker and agreed by the fostering service manager. The fostering service manager should record their decision on mosaic on the applicants file.

A bedroom sharing assessment must be completed jointly if the child is sharing a bedroom, unless they are aged under 2 years and are sharing with the carers. The bedroom sharing assessment should be agreed by child social worker team manager, fostering team manager and fostering service manager and needs to be uploaded in Mosaic. A pet assessment should be completed by the supervising social worker if applicable and financial assessment should be completed by the applicants along with all other relevant fostering forms.

The completed part 1 assessment should be sent to the Children's Service Manager, Children’s Team Manager for authorisation and then sent to e to the Family and Friend’s Nominated Officer for decision making. If a positive recommendation is agreed, then this is the point that Reg 24 placement commences. The fostering team manager will notify placements team, notification placements and payments team.

Visits should be made to the child at minimum of weekly intervals by the childcare social worker prior to Regulation 24 agreement. Unless this is otherwise agreed and recorded on mosaic by child social worker team manager.

Delegated authority needs to be completed and shared with the applicants by the child social worker team at the earliest opportunity.

The fostering team manager will be responsible for supervising the assessment, monitoring its progress.

Immediate Post-Placement Procedure

• A Family and Friend’s joint Part 2 Assessment will commence with the Roles and responsibilities in terms of the report’s completion are detailed on the part 2 CoramBAAF Assessment Form C;
• The supervising social worker must book a Fostering Panel date for consideration of approval within 16 weeks of the child's placement having been made;
• A Placement Planning Meeting should be convened  within three days of the placement being made if the child is not already placed. This meeting should include the carers, child social worker and supervising social worker.

5.3

Expectations of Foster Carers Following Temporary Approval Under Regulation 24

Reports on foster carers, approved as temporary foster carers by the making of a placement with them under Regulation 24, must be considered by the Fostering Panel and have had agency decision maker decision returned within sixteen weeks of  the commencement of Reg 24. If the Family and Friend’s Part 2 assessment report is incomplete, the Fostering Panel should receive a report under the provisions of Regulation 25. The Fostering Panel will, in such a case, be asked to give a view as to the validity of an extension being sought and any comment about the temporary foster carers' suitability to act as foster carers. This recommendation will then inform the Family and Friend’s Nominated Officer  in his/her decision to extend the placement under Regulation 25 for a further period of up to eight weeks. The decision to extend the placement for a further period of up to eight weeks rests with the Family and Friend’s Nominated Officer not with the Fostering Panel. If the period of temporary approval and of any extension to that period expires, and the temporary carer has not been approved as a foster carer, the placement, therefore becomes unregulated.

5.4

The Report Format

The Family and friend’s Part 2 report format which is located on the connected adults Mosaic records should be submitted to the fostering panel for consideration for foster carers approval. This report should be presented to the fostering panel no more than sixteen weeks after the child has been placed with the temporary foster carers.

5.5

Payments and Levels

1. Family and Friends Foster carers will receive the Regular Weekly allowance plus £10 from the point that they are temporarily/permanently approved;
2. Prior to Temporary Approval, the responsibility to make payments is the responsibility of the relevant child care team. Payments are generally paid at the equivalent of Regular Weekly allowance minus the additional £10;
3. We do not pay Family and Friends Foster carers the levels payment, where we are wanting to secure permanency for the child via a Special Guardianship Order (SGO). However, if, we think the Family and Friends Foster carers need ongoing support or due to the complexities of the child/YP placed, then the carer/s can progress on the levels payment providing they are completing the training we expect them to complete. wWith regard to Levels Payments, Nottinghamshire County Councils Director of Childrens Services has agreed that when a child/young person’s care plan has clearly been agreed as long-term fostering, Family and Friends carers are eligible for the Levels payments as appropriate and agreed by the Fostering Team Manager and Fostering Service Manager;
4. Progression through the levels is based upon training and evidencing that the specific requirements for the levels are met. This will be reviewed and agreed by the Fostering Independent Reviewing Officers at the Foster Carers Annual Review.

For newly approved Family and Friends carers, where long-term fostering is the agreed care plan, carers to commence on the Level 1 payment. Again this is to be agreed by the Fostering Team Manager and Fostering Service Manager.

Reviewed September 2019.