3.7.6 Annual Review of Foster Carers

RELATED CHAPTERS

This Chapter should be read in conjunction with the following:

Introduction
Review and Skills Board (RSLB)
The Agency Foster Panel

Appendix 1: Monitoring and Quality Assurance

1. Introduction

In summary, this procedure proposes the creation of a ‘Review and Skills Level Board’. The creation of a board will greatly enhance matters of quality assurance and monitoring in respect of fostering service provision, Walsall MBC. The Board will allow for the scrutiny of the majority of foster carer reviews and all skills level applications by way of a thorough and dedicated process. This will reduce current pressures on the agency Fostering Panel, and allow panel to focus on contentious and priority matters.

The creation of a board conforms to current guidance and legislation mainly contained within Fostering Service Regulations and National Minimum Standards.

2. Review and Skills Board (RSLB)

The Review and Skills Level Board will:

Consider all of those foster carer annual reviews that are not required, from a regulatory point of view, to be determined by the Fostering Panel;
Consider all applications for a move within the agency’s skills based payment scheme.
Provide a monthly report to the Fostering Panel consisting of management information about the outcome of foster carers’ annual reviews (Standard 30.6) and skills level applications;
Provide quarterly figures for panel concerning the range of carers available to the Authority in comparison with the needs of children (Reg. 30.7);
Provide a quarterly summary of the broad detail and the outcome of all complaints in connection with the fostering service provider. (See note one ‘Monitoring and quality assurance’);
The Co-ordinator (Foster Carer Reviews) will be responsible for the collation and report of all management information, consequent of the review process, for consideration by the Fostering Panel (see Appendix 1, Note 1).

The RSLB will meet bi-monthly .For the first part of the meeting the agenda will be ‘Foster Carer Reviews’. For the second part of the meeting the agenda will be ‘Skills Level Applications’.

The composition of the RSLB for the consideration of foster care reviews will be as follows:

Designated Manager (Review of Foster Carers) (this person to chair the RSLB);
Chair or Vice Chairs of the Foster Panel;
Co-ordinator (Foster Carer Reviews).

The following additional people will attend the RSLB for the second part of the meeting, when skills level applications are considered.

Team Manager – Fostering Support Team;, or
Team Manager – Permanence Support Team (depending within which team the carer is allocated);
Foster carer training co-ordinator.

Attendance at the RSLB

Although there is no specific guidance about the attendance of foster carers at review boards, good practice would indicate that carers can, if they wish attend the Board at the time of the consideration of their review.

The attendance of link social workers at the time of the consideration of a foster carers’ annual review to whom they are linked is not a formal requirement, they should attend however to support a carer who wishes to attend the Board.

It is expected that link social workers and the carers will attend the Board at the time of the consideration of all skills level applications.

3. The Agency Foster Panel

Also see The Fostering Panel Procedure

In respect of foster carers annual reviews the Fostering Panel will:

Consider those foster carer annual reviews that take place not more than a year after initial approval;
Consider, as a matter of good practice and quality assurance, a random selection of those reviews that are reported to the panel on a monthly basis;
Consider any subsequent review or skills level application which the fostering service provider refers to it;
Consider any case referred to it under regulation 28 (2) or 29 (9), (these regulations refer to those cases that arise consequent of written representation to the fostering service provider);
Receive management information for monitoring and quality assurance purposes (see Appendix 1: Note One);
Receive notifications in respect of all other relevant matters (see Appendix 1: Note Two).

3.1 Foster Carer Reviews

Amended June 2009: To reflect new arrangements for application to the Independent Review Panel.

Typically, the reviews referred to the Fostering Panel by the fostering service provider will be those generally:

“Where termination of approval or significant changes in terms of the approval is being considered or where there are major concerns about the suitability of the carer ….”

And specifically:

Following a significant allegation or complaint involving CP concerns;
A consistent failure of the carer to comply with Care Standards (Regulations) or quality standards (agency);
Significant changes in personal or familial circumstances such as death, divorce, health, accommodation, criminal record and so on;
Any circumstances where the carer and the agency fail to agree on a recommendation.

All reviews where the recommendation is for a significant change to the current approval of a foster carer, for example, a proposal to increase the number of fostered children and/ or recommend significant changes to age range which are not consistent with the carer’s developmental progress.

Any other circumstance that gives rise to a carer being unavailable to foster, either through a decision by the fostering service provider or the foster carer.

The fostering service provider will on all occasions, when the de-registration of a carer is the recommendation of a review, refer the review to the agency Fostering Panel. If the Fostering Panel decide to terminate or de-register a Foster Carer, the carer(s) have the right to make a representation or apply for an Independent Review (see Section 8, Representations/Independent Review, of the Fostering Panel Procedure.)

The proposal to create a Review and Skills Level Board does not prejudice the right of a carer to make written representation to the fostering service provider. On receipt of such written representation within the specified time scale, the fostering service provider will refer the case to the Fostering Panel for its consideration.

3.2 Skill Level Applications

All applications for a move within the skills based scheme will, in the first instance, be referred to the Review and Skills Level Board for a recommendation.

If the applicant and the fostering service provider fail to agree on a recommendation, then the fostering service provider will refer the case to the Fostering Panel for consideration. It is the responsibility of the Fostering Panel to make a recommendation to the fostering service provider who will then make the final decision on the skill level.

Finally, this procedure will not prejudice the rights of any carer or service user to make representation in accordance with the Local Governments complaints procedure.

Appendix 1: Monitoring and Quality Assurance

Note 1: Monitoring and Quality Assurance

The Fostering Panel should receive management information about the outcome of foster carer reviews. Fostering Panel’s should also monitor the range of foster carers available in relation to the profile of children needing foster carers. A recent Government inspection of LA fostering services confirmed that there is a shortage of foster carers. The inspections also found that there is a shortage of Black and minority ethnic carers.

Disabled children are sometimes placed inappropriately. High numbers of exemptions are being granted.

The Fostering Panel needs information on all of these issues in order to monitor, to ask questions and to assist the agency in developing recruitment strategies and support packages for foster carers as required.

The Coordinator (Foster Carer Reviews) will provide monthly and three monthly reports to the fostering panel with the additional three monthly summaries of the broad detail and outcome of all complaints in respect of the fostering service provider.

The Fostering Panel provides a quality assurance function in relation to the assessment process, in particular to monitor and review the work of the assessors; to provide feedback; to identify problems; and to ensure that there is consistency of approach in assessments across the service, that is fair to all applicants and that it has been completed in a thorough and rigorous way.

The Fostering Panel therefore needs to monitor the quality of reports and work undertaken by the fostering service provider. Inadequate and poor reports should be challenged and recommendations deferred.

The speed of assessments should also be monitored so that carers are not waiting unduly. Panels should be aware of the preparation, training and support provided by the agency. It may be helpful to set up forums where there can be an exchange of views between panels and social workers. Regular and consistent feedback from carers about the process should be obtained.

An annual report should be prepared detailing the work of the fostering service, including the numbers and profile of foster carers and children; number of disruptions and retention strategies; training and support; strengths and achievements of the service; training and support; strengths and achievements of the service; performance targets measurements and future areas for development. This report should be approved by the chair and made available to Fostering Panel members, children and young people in foster care, elected members, and responsible individuals as well as the managers and staff within the agency.

Note Two: Matters to be reported to the agency fostering panel and timescales

Foster carers are required to give 28 days notice in writing to the fostering service provider and their approval is terminated 28 days from the date on which the agency receives the notice. This applies to all carers who request a break from fostering.

Resignation – no child in placement

Should be referred to fostering panel for information and acknowledgement;
Resignation – child in placement:

Should be referred to the fostering panel with a copy of the agreed protocol detailing the arrangements for the continuing care of the child;
Short term variations

Should be notified to the foster panel at the next meeting for monitoring purposes. If the variation is to continue beyond six weeks then a review must be arranged. Variations must be agreed by a Team Manager Family Placement Services;

See Foster Carer Variations Procedure
Exemptions to the usual fostering limit

This should be for short periods only. Children should be named and only the Designated Manager (Exemptions) for the area authority in which the foster family live can grant the exemption. Upon the granting of an exemption, it is the responsibility of a Team Manager Family Placement Services to ensure that the appropriate notifications are made;

See Exemptions to the usual Fostering Limit Procedure.

The Fostering Panel should be notified of exemptions at its next meeting so that the situation can be monitored. It is essential that the panel and the fostering service provider are fully satisfied that such arrangements are working in the best interests of children and within the capabilities of the foster carer. A foster carer review should be arranged if the exemption continues beyond six weeks.

End