Placements in Foster Care

1. Consultation

At the point that it is determined that a placement may be required, and throughout the subsequent process of identification, planning and placement, the social worker must consult and take account of the views of the following people:

1. The child;
2. The child's parents;
3. Anyone who is not a parent but has been caring for or looking after the child;
4. Other members of the child's family who are significant to the child or who have a Child Arrangement Order in their favour in relation to the child;
5. The child's school or the education service;
6. The Youth Offending Service, if the child is known to them;
7. Any other relevant person, e.g. nursery, health care professional, Children's Guardian.

The views of these people should be given by them, in writing, or should be recorded by the social worker. If the child's wishes are not acted upon, the reason should be given.

2. Placement Request

Where a decision has been made that a child requires a foster placement, the child's social worker should request a placement by contacting the Fostering Placements Officer at the Fostering Service.

In making this request, the social worker will be asked to complete a referral form with information about the child, the type of placement sought, the the date by which the placement is required, the likely length of time for which the placement is required and the expected level of contact between the child and parents. The social worker should also complete the risk assessment form and authorisation form.

The Fostering Placements Officer at the Fostering Service will check whether an in-house placement is available that appears to be appropriate to meet the child's needs. If such a placement is available or if there is a possibility of a placement by the required date, the social worker will be advised accordingly.

If no appropriate in-house placements are available and the child requires a placement without delay, the Fostering Placements Officers will contact the Placements Officers from NLAFC consortium. If Fostering Placements Officer is still unable to identify the suitable placement, the Fostering Placements Officer needs to notify the social worker and at the same time the Team Manager of Access to Resources Team. the agreement to make enquires with independent fostering agencies should be sought from the Head of Service (LAC) or Service Manager (LAC).Where there is a child already in the proposed foster placement from the NLAFC consortium, contact should be made with the social worker for that child the consent of that child's local authority should be sought by the Fostering Placements Officer of NLAFC consortium Fostering Service.

3. External Placements and the Placement Panel

Where no in-house foster placement is available and a referral to seek an external placement has been approved by the Head of Service (LAC), Service Manager (Fostering and Adoption) or Placement Panel. The Access to Resources Team will identify possible placements with external fostering agencies and liaise with the social worker, as necessary, about their suitability.

At this stage, the Access to Resources Team will hold initial discussions with the external fostering agencies as to the appropriateness of the referral, time-scales for vacancies and the basic costs of the placement. The Access to Resources Team will ascertain the services included in the basic cost, what would be regarded as extra cost and the conditions relating to the notice period, and liaise with the child's social worker and relevant manager as necessary.

If an external placement appears suitable and a vacancy is available, the Access to Resources Team will:

• Obtain Form F, Annual Review, DBS checks and Medicals from the fostering agency;
• Cross refer to the Pan London Contract.

As long as no concerns have been raised in relation to a proposed external placement, the Access to Resources Team will put forward the carer to the child's social worker and then discuss its suitability with the social worker and manager.

The social worker will complete the Placements Panel Referral Form and attach a copy of the Assessment and the child's Care Plan. The social worker should attend the Placement Panel meeting when the case is considered.

The Placement Panel will authorise the placement if satisfied that there are no alternatives to the child being/remaining Looked After.

The Placement Panel will ensure that all internal resources have been explored before agreeing to a placement with an external provider.

In cases where a child has complex needs and issues of joint funding with Health and Education arise in relation to the placement, the case will be referred to the Placement Panel. This will be arranged through the Complex Issues Panel Coordinator, who is based within the Meetings, Panel and Event's Operational Support Hub.

When the placement has been agreed as suitable, the Access to Resources Team will negotiate the terms and conditions of the placement with the fostering agency. Where the fostering agency is a member of the Pan London Consortium, this will be in line with the standardised Pan London Contract.

Where the proposed placement is with a foster carer living outside the borough, the views of the local authority where the foster carer lives must be sought and taken into account see also the Out of Area Placements Procedure.

N.B. In addition to the above approvals, in order to avoid placements that disrupt a child's education, the Nominated Officer must approve any change of placement affecting a child in Key Stage 4, except in an emergency/where the placement is terminated because of an immediate risk of serious harm to the child or to protect others from serious injury - see Supporting the Education and Promoting the Achievement of Children with a Social Worker, Looked After and Previously Looked After Children Procedure.

4. Matching and Approval of Placement

The matching process should consider the child's needs especially regarding the following key areas:

• The child's education;
• The expectations around contact with relatives and friends;
• The child's identity/race/culture;
• The child's history;
• The child's behaviour;
• The child's health;
• The focus of the placement.

The matching process should also consider the carer's availability and:

• Their experience;
• Their strengths;
• The family composition;
• Whether they smoke;
• The distance from the foster home to the child's school;
• Other children in the placement;
• The foster carer's children;
• Whether bedroom sharing would be required.

Once a potential placement has been identified, the child's social worker will liaise with the foster carer's supervising social worker (who may be from NLAFC Consortium or an independent fostering agency) to agree arrangements for the placement. At this stage, the social worker will also discuss the child with the prospective foster carer and, in particular, share/clarify any risks associated with the placement with the foster carers and the supervising social worker. Wherever possible, the child's social worker should visit potential carers and as required consult with other professionals, prior to a decision about the appropriateness of a placement being made.

In relation to the sharing of bedrooms, each child over 3 should have their own bedroom, or where this is not possible, the placing authority must agree to the sharing of the bedroom and this must therefore be addressed during the matching process and recorded.

Where the proposed placement is an in-house placement, it will then be presented to the social worker's manager for approval.

If the placement is outside the foster carer's terms of approval or an exemption is required, see Exemptions and Extensions/Variations to Foster Carer Approval Procedure.

N.B. In addition to the above approvals, in order to avoid placements that disrupt a child's education, the Nominated Officer must approve any change of placement affecting a child in Key Stage 4 except in an emergency/ where the placement is terminated because of an immediate risk of serious harm to the child or to protect others from serious injury - see Supporting the Education and Promoting the Achievement of Children with a Social Worker, Looked After and Previously Looked After Children Procedure.

If the relevant manager approves the foster placement, the placement planning process can start - see Section 5, Placement Planning.

The social worker may then arrange an introductory visit to the proposed placement, with the child (if old enough) and parents (if appropriate).

5. Placement Planning

Before the child is placed, the child's social worker will arrange a Placement Planning Meeting after liaising with the foster carer and the foster carer's supervising social worker (who may be from an independent fostering agency). The meeting will usually be held in the new placement. See also Placement Planning and Disruption Meetings Procedure.

Participants will include:

• The parent;
• The child (if appropriate);
• The foster carer;
• The supervising social worker;
• Any other relevant professionals, e.g. a representative from the child's school;
• Anyone else considered appropriate or who will have a role in the placement.

The purpose of the first Placement Planning Meeting is to finalise the Placement Plan (which will be recorded on the Placement Information Record). This will involve a discussion of the child's needs to ensure careful matching, including the child's personal history, religious persuasion, cultural and linguistic background and racial origin, as well as the child's health and education needs and how these are to be met. It will also include the arrangements for registering the child with local health professionals (GP, dentist and optician).

In addition the placement planning meeting will consider the type of introduction process required, for example whether arrangements should be made for the child, parents and the social worker to visit the foster home and/or whether it may be appropriate to have an introductory overnight stay. Children should be able to visit the foster home and talk in private with the carer. If this is not possible, arrangements may be made for the carers to visit the child and parents; or for information about the foster carers to be sent to the child and/or the parents, for example about routines in the foster home, bedtimes, meals, visitors, pocket money, school, privacy and the overall expectations in relation to the child's behaviour within the home.

For children placed in foster care, the Placement Plan should cover the following issues in addition to those for all placements set out in the Decision to Look After and Care Planning Procedure:

1. The type of accommodation to be provided and the address;
2. The child's personal history, religious persuasion, cultural and linguistic background and racial origin;
3. Where the child is Accommodated:
   • The respective responsibilities of the Local Authority and parents/anyone with Parental Responsibility;
   • Any delegation of responsibility by parents/anyone with Parental Responsibility to the Local Authority and /or the foster carer(s) in relation to the following matters (and identifying any of these matters on which the local authority/parents/persons with Parental Responsibility consider that the child may make a decision):
     • Medical and dental treatment;
     • Education;
     • Leisure and home life;
     • Faith and religious observance;
     • Use of social media;
     • Any other matters upon which the local authority/parents/others with parental responsibility consider appropriate.
   • The expected duration of the arrangements and the steps to bring the arrangements to an end, including arrangements for the child to return to live with parents/anyone with Parental Responsibility;
   • Where the child is aged 16 or over and agrees to being provided with accommodation under Section 20 Children Act 1989, that fact.
4. The circumstances in which it is necessary to obtain in advance the Local Authority's approval for the child to take part in school trips or overnight stays;
5. The Local Authority's arrangements for the financial support of the child during the placement;
6. The obligation on the carers to comply with the terms of the foster care agreement. 

The meeting also provides an opportunity to ensure that the foster carers have a copy of any relevant court order and that full information is shared with them about the child's needs and any behaviour management issues.

Except in emergency placements, the Placement Planning Meeting should be held before the placement. Where this is not possible, it should be held at the latest within 5 working days of the placement.

The child's social worker will complete and arrange for the circulation of the Care Plan and Placement Plan to the child, parents and foster carers before or at the latest, within 5 working days of the placement.

At the time of the placement, the foster carers should also be given any additional information about details of the child's day to day needs which are not covered by the Placement Plan/Placement Information Record but are important to ensure that the carers are in the best possible position to help the child settle in the new placement, for example any particular fears at night-time or the child's favourite toys.

The child's social worker must provide the child and the parent with written information about coming into care, including information on using the Complaints and Representations Procedure.

In addition, as indicated above, the social worker should ensure that any other information about the placement that is available for the child is obtained and given to him/her. Children must understand house expectations before the placement is made.

In all cases, the child should be accompanied to the placement by the social worker and helped to settle in. Suitable luggage should be used and a child's belongings should never be transported in bin-bags or other inappropriate containers.

6. Notification of Placement

The child's social worker will update the child's electronic records with the details of the placement and ensure that notification is sent to the finance section so as to trigger payments to the foster carer. The Fostering team (for an in-house placement and consortium placement) and the Access to Resources Team (for a placement with an independent fostering agency) should complete a Start/Stop Form and distribute it in accordance with administrative processes in relation to Stop/Start Forms Procedure.

The notifications should be before the start of the placement, wherever possible, or within 5 working days.

Notification of the placement will also be sent by the child's social worker to the Designated Nurse for LAC, the education service, the relevant local Children's Services (if the placement is in the area of a different local authority) and the child's GP.

The child's social worker must also notify the allocated or, if it is the first placement, the Safeguarding and Quality Service of the placement. This notification will trigger the appointment of an Independent Reviewing Officer if it is the first placement and the setting up of arrangements.

These notifications must be made in writing, advising of the placement decision and the name and address of the person with whom the child is to be placed.

The child's social worker should also notify - preferably in writing but it may be verbally - all those involved in the day to day arrangements for the child, including nursery/school and any health professional or YOT worker actively involved with the child.

It will be necessary for the foster carer or the child's social worker to ensure the child is registered with a GP, Dentist and Optician, either retaining practices known to him or her (which is preferable) or in the area where they are placed.

In relation to a first Looked After placement it will also be necessary for the social worker to liaise with the Designated Nurse for LAC to arrange a Health Care Assessment - see Health Care Assessments and Plans Procedure. The social worker must also contact the relevant school or, where the child does not have a school place, the relevant education officer with a view to the completion of a Personal Education Plan - see Supporting the Education and Promoting the Achievement of Children with a Social Worker, Looked After and Previously Looked After Children Procedure.

For any new placement, every effort should be made to enable the child to remain at the same school unless there are reasons which would be detrimental to his or her well being.

7. Support and Monitoring of Placements

The child's social worker must visit the child in the placement within one week of the placement and then, at a minimum, every six weeks during the first year, thereafter every six weeks(three months if the placement is intended to last until the child is 18). For children in long-term foster placements visits after the first year should not be less frequent than six monthly - see Social Worker Visits to Looked After Children Procedure.

The foster carer will also receive support and supervision from their supervising social worker (for in-house placements) - see Supervision and Support of Foster Carers Procedure - and from the independent fostering agency (for external placements).

Where there are concerns in relation to the progress of the placement, consideration should be given to seeking additional resources to assist the carers.

Where there are any changes to the type of placement or to the child's legal status during the placement, the child's social worker must update the child's electronic records.

Where the placement is with an external fostering agency, the Access to Resources Team will maintain regular contact with the social worker and ask the social worker to complete the Placement Evaluation Form, to monitor the appropriateness and effectiveness of the placement.

The Access to Resources Team will arrange for the Placement Panel to review the placement at regular intervals as agreed at the Panel when the placement was authorised.

Where the needs of the child in the placement will involve costs in addition to those approved, the placement must be referred to the Placement Panel for authority for any such additional costs before they are incurred.

Where a foster placement is considered to be at risk of disrupting, consideration will be given to calling a Placement Stability Meeting - see Placement Stability Meetings Procedure.

The records should be monitored for quality, adequacy and retention.

8. Ending of Placements

When the placement ends, the child's social worker must update the child's electronic records and notify the Fostering Placements Officer, Supervising Social Worker, Fostering Service or Access to Resources Team (for external placements). The Fostering Placements Officer will complete the Stop form and email to Children's Finance Section in accordance to Start/Stop Forms procedures so that payments to the carer will cease. The social worker will also send copies to those notified when the placement was made.

All written information on the child, which the foster carer holds, should be transferred to the supervising social worker for transfer to the child's social worker.

The foster carer should be asked to complete an end of placement report.

Children must, when they leave the home, be helped to understand the reasons and be supported with the transition - including return home and independence.

Foster carers must be supported to maintain links with children who leave their care, where appropriate.

Where the placement ends in an unplanned way, consideration should be given to holding a Disruption Meeting - see Placement Planning and Disruption Meetings Procedure.

Where a former carer's records are requested by a new agency, these must be made available within one month of the request.

9. Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters

A person who is approved as a prospective adopter may be given temporary approval as a local authority foster carer for a named Looked After child, where the local authority consider that this is in the child's best interests.

Before giving such approval, the responsible authority must:

• Assess the suitability of that person to care for the child as a foster care; and
• Consider whether, in all the circumstances and taking into account the services to be provided by the responsible authority, the proposed arrangements will safeguard and promote the child's welfare and meet the child's needs as set out in the Care Plan.

The temporary approval period expires when:

• The placement is terminated by the local authority;
• The approval as a prospective adopter is terminated;
• The prospective adopter is approved as a foster carer;
• The prospective adopter gives 28 days' written notice that they no longer wish to be temporarily approved as a foster parent in relation to the child; or
• The child is placed for adoption with the prospective adopter.

10. Long-Term Foster Placements

Where it is the case that the most appropriate route to permanence is long-term foster care, the regulations set out the arrangements for making such a placement, including:

• That foster care is the plan for permanence and is recorded in the child's care plan, (Reg 5(a));
• That the foster carer has agreed to act as the child's foster carer until the child ceases to be looked after;
• That the responsible authority has confirmed the nature of the arrangement with the foster carer(s), the birth parent and the child; and
• The child and foster carer have a clear understanding of the support services they will receive to promote the placement.

The assessment and planning process for long-term foster care should address the child's current needs and likely future needs, and the capacity of the foster carer to meet these needs now and in the future. The length of placement will vary according to the child's age and the long-term plan for the child, including the transition to adulthood. These factors must all be taken into account in planning for support and services where long - term foster care has been identified as the plan for permanence for a child.

Before deciding to place a child in a long-term foster placement, (whether or not this means moving to a new carer) the ability of the identified long-term foster carer to care for the child both now and in the future should be assessed. The support and services which will be needed to ensure that the placement is stable, secure and meets the child's needs should be identified taking into account the carer's previous fostering or other childcare experience, family configuration (including placement of other children under fostering arrangements), existing relationship (if any) with the child, knowledge and skills and capacity to care for the child long term under a fostering arrangement.

It is imperative that the foster carer fully understands and explicitly agrees to the long term commitment they are making to the child [regulation 22B (2)(f)]. A record of the discussion of these matters including the outcome should be made as part of the assessment process.

The decision to place a child in a long-term foster placement with a particular foster carer should be discussed and recorded as part of the review process. This decision should then be recorded in the placement plan and agreed and signed by the foster carer [regulation 9(3)].

Where it is agreed that the child will be placed in a long-term foster placement, this should be communicated clearly to the foster carer, the child's parents or any other person who is not a parent but has parental responsibility and the child. (Reg 2(1)).

Where the decision has been taken that the plan for permanence is long-term foster care and the child is in an existing foster care placement, it may be that the carer and (where appropriate) the child want the existing foster placement to be the long-term foster placement. Such a proposal should be considered in a reasonable timescale taking into account the existing relationship between the child and the foster carer, the length of time in placement, the child's relationships with the foster carer's wider family and community. Consideration should also be given to the progress the child has made in the placement, recorded through the case review process.