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Fostering Service
Statement of Purpose 2010-11
City of Westminster
Fostering Service
1. Introduction
This Statement of Purpose explains the aims, objectives and services provided by
the Family Placement Team for Westminster City Council Children, Young People
and Families Service. It is part of our responsibility in fulfilling the requirements of
the Fostering Services Regulations (2002) and is updated every year. There is a
separate Statement of Purpose for the Adoption Service and for Private Fostering.
The Statement of Purpose is made available to staff of the organisation, foster
carers, children and young people, parents and other professionals.
Westminster Fostering Services are regulated by Ofsted and subject to 3 yearly
reviews. The service was last inspected in September 2008 and judged as ‘good’.
A full inspection report can be obtained from the Ofsted website or by writing to
Ofsted
NBU 3rd Floor
Royal Exchange Buildings
Manchester
M2 7LA
Tel: 08456 404040
enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk
2. The Aim of the Fostering Service
The aim of Westminster Family Placement Service is to provide appropriate, high
quality, safe, family based placements for children and young people looked after
by the Children, Young People and Families (CYPF) Service, in which the rights
and responsibilities of children and carers are preserved and respected
irrespective of the individual’s background.
As a local authority fostering service, the family placement team can only provide
and maintain appropriate placements by close co-operation with colleagues based
in other departmental services. To assist in this process the family placement
team operate a duty system for all children and young people who require
placements. All new fostering placements are referred to the service via the
Access to Resources Team (ART) who is the first port of call for social worker’s
based in other teams who require a placement for a child or young person.
As part of the commitment by The Children, Young People and Families
Department to maintain children and young people at home where ever possible,
the ART are expected to provide a challenge to the request for a placement to
make sure that the right placement is being sought and that the correct
procedures have been applied.
Because of the range and needs of the children who require placements, the
family placement team provides emergency, time limited and permanent
placements. Day care, Short Breaks, respite care, mother and baby placements
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and Supported Lodgings also form part of the service. There is a specialist
fostering scheme which provides a small number of places for children and young
people who display extremely challenging behaviours and for whom the
alternatives are secure accommodation or highly specialised therapeutic
placements. A service is also required for young unaccompanied asylum
seeking children about whom there is little or no information.
The provision of quality and effective services is based upon the belief that: -
Family based care is the best option for the majority of looked after
children and young people.
The needs of the children should be at the centre of our policies and
practice.
It is only by staff and carers working together as fellow professionals
that we will achieve best practice.
The value of carers and staff should be recognised, supported and
developed.
Corporate Parents, including teachers, medical staff and Local
Authority members, have an essential role to play in the care process.
3. Objectives of the Service
To provide a safe, caring family environment that meets the individual
needs of children in partnership with social work colleagues and other
professionals.
To provide appropriate family based placements for all children and
young people who are assessed as being able to benefit from such a
placement whether that is time limited or permanent.
To work closely with colleagues in the ART to provide a range of
appropriate placements for children who are looked after by the City
Council and ensure that our strategy for fostercare recruitment is based
on trends in the Looked After Child population.
To improve the outcomes for young people who are looked after by the
local authority in terms of being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and
achieving, making a positive contribution and achieving economic well
being.
To provide children with stability in their placements by keeping
placement moves to a minimum and by offering support and help to
carers to prevent placement breakdown.
To recruit, train and assess a wide range of foster carers from a variety
of backgrounds who can meet the needs of looked after children.
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4. Principles
In collaboration with fostercarers, Looked After children, young people and social
workers we have endorsed a set of Placement Promises. These Promises are in
addition to the London Pledge which the City Council has signed up to.
Regardless of the placement a Looked After child finds themselves in they can
expect the following:-
ENJOYING AND ACHIEVING
help with homework
to have friends visit during acceptable hours and after discussion and
agreement
to be included in family trips
to have support to participate in local groups and events
STAYING SAFE
to be talked to about safety and staying safe
for the main carer to get to know friends
to actively try to locate and make contact if missing
encouragement to listen to and respect the views of others – which may
mean challenging unacceptable behaviours
to have time made available to listen and talk
encourage positive interaction and ways to bond, for example going out to
dinner on occasion
engagement in conversations about aspirations
STAYING HEALTHY
discussions around sexual health/safe sex if required
help to make wise decisions about life
have an up to date appreciation of personal concerns
awareness of emotional health and sensitivity towards needs
to be taken to all medical appointments by a main carer
to be provided healthy food and snack options and encouraged to maintain a
healthy lifestyle
to have ready access to a main carer
to be treated as though a birth child
MAKING A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION
information about the local community and encourage participation
awareness and appreciation of cultural and ethnic background
support others to work positively and make a positive contribution
help with the development of independence skills through practical and
emotional support
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ACHIEVING ECONOMIC WELL BEING
to have a bank account and understand the importance of saving
involvement in the family chores around the house and be taught
independence skills
help with financial planning and to avoid debts
5. Management Structure and Staff Group
Westminster City Council is the registered provided of the Fostering Service. The
Head of Service (Acting) is
Janine Rowe
2nd floor
4 Frampton St
LONDON NW8 8LF
Tel: 020 7641 6710
jrowe@westminster.gov.uk
The Service Manager (Acting), Family Placements is
Trudy Eastwood
2nd floor
4 Frampton St
LONDON NW8 8LF
Tel: 020 7641 6717
teastwood@westminster.gov.uk
Trudy Eastwood is a qualified social worker and holds the Diploma in
Management Studies. She has been the Acting Service Manager for Family
Placements since August 2009.
The FPS has 4 Deputy Service managers who between them are responsible for
recruitment, assessment, support and training of fostercarers and adopters across
the various schemes, including Family and Friends. All are suitably qualified and
have extensive experience with children, families, fostering (including family and
friends) and adoption work.
The Fostering Service employs 12 social workers all of whom are GSCC
registered and have enhanced CRB checks.
In addition there is
1 Placements Officer with responsibility for fostering duty and the collation and
maintenance of fostering data
1 Senior Practitioner with responsibility for fostercarer training, CWDC
standards and NVQ assessments
1 specialist CAMHs family therapist dedicated to specialist fostercare support
An Education of Pupils in Care (Epic) Team co-located with the fostering
service
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A Camhs service co-located with the fostering service
1 Independent Reviewing Officer to complete reviews of fostercarers located in
the Child Care Review Unit
An active Westminster Fostercarer’s Association that meets quarterly with
officers and management
6. Number and type of Carer
At the 1st April 2010 the City Council had 130 approved foster carer households.
26 of these carers are kinship, 16 offer short break respite care to disabled and
non disabled children, 5 are carers on the specialist scheme and 12 are supported
lodgings carers. A number of these carers will be matched as permanent
fostercarers for the children in their care. These carers carry out a wide variety of
different tasks.
Mainstream Carers (Fee paid)
These carers provide the majority of foster placements in Westminster and
undertake a very wide variety of tasks including day care and respite care as well
as task centred, long term and permanent care. Approx 20% of carers are
Westminster residents and the remainder live either in surrounding London
authorities or further afield.
The Mainstream carers are fee paid and according to experience and training are
placed on either Band 1 or Band 2. Details of the requirements for each Band are
contained in the Fee Scheme document. Fostercarers can progress through the
Bandings either by way of their annual review, achieving a child care qualification
such as NVQ Level 3 or by recommendation from their supervising social worker.
Kinship (Family and Friends) Carers (non fee paid)
Kinship (family and friend) carers are approved to care for a specific child or
sibling group, to whom they are often related. These placements often start
during care proceedings. Social Workers have a duty to approach family and
friends in the first instance to prevent children going to carers they do not know.
We work with this group of carers to try and achieve legal permanency for the
children in their care. Many families are now approved as foster carers for a
relatively short period before they obtain a Residence, Special Guardianship or an
Adoption Order.
All emergency placements with Kinship carers (Regulation 38 placements) are
presented to the Fostering panel for interim approval.
Short Break Carers
This group of carers works closely with birth parents to provide short break care to
both disabled and non-disabled children. There is careful matching of the child
and the carers. The views of the child’s parents are very important in approving
any potential match.
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A number of these arrangements are long standing.
Specialist Fostercarers
We have recruited a small number of specialist fostercarers who are able to take
the most challenging children and young people who would otherwise be placed in
secure units or specialist therapeutic provision.
There is a detailed and specific criterion that applies to this scheme. The carers
have a dedicated CAMHS worker and regular meetings with a staff team to look at
placement options and behaviour management. A review is currently underway of
the scheme to refine its usage and make some recommendations about future
planning.
Supported Lodgings
The scheme supports young people as they prepare for independent living and is
available to young people aged 16 and over. A number of young people aged 18+
have been enabled to remain with their supported lodgings carer (or fostercarer)
in recognition that many need support into their young adult years. This scheme
also provides a stable home for young people who go into higher education and
may wish to return back to a family setting during holiday periods.
7. Fostering Allowances 2010/11
10/11
FEE Band 1
Age Group Allowance Fee Weekly Total
0-2 120 179 299
3-4 123 179 302
5-10 137 179 316
11-15 155 179 334
16+ 182 179 361
FEE Band 2
Age Group Allowance Fee Weekly Total
0-2 120 231 351
3-4 123 231 354
5-10 137 231 368
11-15 155 231 386
16+ 182 231 413
FEE Specialist Scheme
Age Group Allowance Fee Weekly Total
0-2 120 678 798
3-4 123 678 801
5-10 137 678 815
11-15 155 678 833
16+ 182 678 860
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9. Number of Children Placed
On the 1st April 2010 the City Council was looking after 241 children. This is in
addition to the 19 children, both disabled and non-disabled, receiving respite care
who are not Looked After. Over 212 of all looked after children are in foster care
with the rest in residential care, in semi independent living, placed with parents or
in pre-adoptive placements. 97 are placed with in house fostercarers whilst the
rest of those in fostercare are placed with independent fostering providers.
The Family Placement team receives an average of 17 placement requests each
month. These referrals are for new placements, respite and day care placements.
There is close liaison with commissioning and contracts officers to ensure that
children are appropriately placed in the right setting.
10. Complaints and Allegations
There is an established departmental complaints procedure which can be used by
any young person, foster carer or person acting on their behalf (i.e. parent). The
young person or foster carer may decide they wish to discuss their concern or
complaint with the Children’s Rights Officer or with Westminster Fostercarer’s
Association (Wfca). All carers and foster children are advised about Ofsted who
will also receive complaints or allegations about the foster care service. All
complaints are taken seriously and we work closely with our colleagues in
Children’s Rights, WFCA and the Complaints Unit to try and resolve these
speedily and at the lowest possible level wherever we can.
Allegations against Foster Carers
The department has an allegation procedure for fostercarers that is currently
under revision and in consultation with WFCA. All fostercarers have been
provided with the Dcfs publication ‘Protecting Children – Supporting Fostercarers’
(2009). When an allegation or concern is expressed about a foster carer the
Service manager or Deputy Service manager in conjunction with the Local
Authority Designated Officer (LADO) will decide if the allegation needs to be
investigated through a formal multi - disciplinary strategy meeting to which the
police are invited. Less serious matters, normally classed as ‘complaints’, are
dealt with directly by the Family Placement Team.
We are looking at further strengthening the systems currently in place to provide
better feedback to children’s social workers, independent reviewing officers and
fostercarers who have raised concerns. In the year ending 31 March 2010 the
Service dealt with 2 complaints.
All fostercarers have the right to complain about services either in relation to
themselves or on behalf of children placed in their care. This can be achieved
firstly by approaching their supervising social worker, line manager or Service
manager for Family Placements or the child’s social worker. Foster carers can
also make direct contact with the child’s Independent Reviewing Officer or their
own Reviewing Officer. Foster carers can also contact the Complaints Unit of the
City Council directly at
Complaints Unit – Children and Families
Westminster City Council
City Hall
64 Victoria St
London SW1
Tel: 020 7641 3482
11. Recruitment, Approval, Training, Supporting and Reviewing Foster Carers
The Recruitment of Foster Carers
The family placement service has a budget of just over £33,000 to spend on
recruitment and advertising. The team has an annual recruitment strategy that is
devised in conjunction with the Communications department.
We offer a financial incentive to our current fostercarers who recommend
someone who goes on to become an approved fostercarer. Research has shown
that ‘word of mouth’ is the best method of recruiting new fostercarers and this is
particularly so when the market is competitive and without capacity as is the case
in the London area.
We have successfully run Information Evenings for those who would like more
information about fostering before making a decision to proceed or would
welcome an opportunity for face to face discussion with members of the team
because they are at an early stage.
The Westminster web site is a useful recruitment tool and provides the opportunity
for people to register their interest and receive an information pack.
The Approval of Foster Carers
Enquiries
We receive a high level of enquiries from members of the public who are
interested in becoming foster carers. Unfortunately many families decide not to
continue once they learn the realities of the fostering task. This ability to turn
enquiries into fully approved fostercarers is a challenge and reflects difficulties
across the country.
The Assessment of Prospective Foster Carers
Assessments are undertaken using the British Association for Adoption and
Fostering (BAAF) Form F. Assessing Social workers undertake a number of
home visits to all members of the prospective fostering household. A full range of
statutory checks are made as well as taking full employment and address
histories. Personal referees are interviewed. A medical examination is arranged.
All carers, apart from Kinship carers, have to attend preparation groups.
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The Fostering Panel
The Fostering Panel meets every fortnight to consider prospective fostering
applicants and conduct reviews for currently approved fostering households.
The Panel is chaired by an Independent person who has extensive experience in
Children and Families social work and Safeguarding and the rest of its
membership is drawn from those with expertise in the fostering task including a
current fostercarer and a young person who was formally looked after.
The Panel's recommendations are considered by the Agency Decision Maker who
makes the final decision on behalf of the agency. Since April 2009 all
fostercarers have the option of using the Independent Reviewing Mechanism
(IRM) if they are not recommended for approval, their approval terminated or their
terms of approval altered by the agency and they are not in agreement with this
recommendation.
Training for Foster Carers
Training is seen as a key element in the development of fostercarers across all the
fostering schemes and is integral to offering safe and stable homes to children and
young people coming from a range of difficult and complicated circumstances.
All fostering applicants are required to attend pre-registration training based on the
Fostering Network’s Skills to Foster training course.
Post registration training is a combination of Core Courses and other specialist
opportunities to further develop carer’s skills. The implementation of the CWDC
programme is now well established and 25 fostercarers have completed the
standards.
Training is an integral part of a fostering career and begins during the
preparation and assessment process. Each carer has agreed areas of training
that are set in the annual review. All foster carers have a training profile, which
outlines their training needs for the coming year. The service expects that all
foster carers will attend at least 4-6 training courses per year. The service
employs a dedicated Training and Development Officer who leads on the
implementation of the training programme and the CWDC standards.
There are many courses run during the day and in the evening and weekends.
Westminster foster carers have the opportunity to attend more than 20 training
events per year.
Westminster foster carers must complete all core training areas in the first two
years of their registration.
The core courses are:
Safe Caring
Child Protection
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Attachment, Separation and Loss
Diversity Training
HIV
Health and Safety
First Aid (and Paediatric First aid for those caring for children aged from
birth to 3).
Carers also have access to departmental training courses that enable them to
share training with social workers and other professionals in the Department.
The Support of Carers
The service recognises and values the important role that foster carers play in the
lives of looked after children. The service aims to be receptive and responsive to
their needs.
A number of structures exist to help promote this relationship:
All carers have a supervising social worker.
All carers have an agreed level of visiting/contact from their fostering social
worker. Some visits provide formal supervision and others general support.
All carers including kinship carers have an annual review conducted by an
independent reviewing officer. This introduces a measure of independence
into the review process and ensures that our carers and the services they
receive meet the requirements of the regulations
The department pays the annual membership fee for carers to be members
of Fostering Network
We publish a newsletter quarterly and encourage participation from
fostercarers in its formulation
A duty officer is available for foster carers to talk to if their fostering social
worker is unavailable during office hours.
A Foster Care Support line operates from 6 until midnight during the week
and weekends and bank holidays from 12 mid day until 10 pm.
The service works closely with colleagues in both CAMHs and EPIC to
provide individual advice and support to manage difficulties in placement
The Emergency Duty Team offer support to carers out of office hours.
The Westminster website provides information both to current and
prospective fostercarers.
Supervising social workers play a crucial role in making sure that a child’s care
plan is followed through in the fostering placement. A record is kept of visits and
the SSW will discuss difficulties and problems as they arise. Records and the
original assessment papers are kept in the carer’s own file and held in the Family
Placements Service. These files are accessible to members of the Children,
Young People and Families Division. Carers may have access to their own files,
by making a written request to the Service Manager, Family Placements.
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At least one unannounced visit will take place annually to foster home and the
outcome will be recorded on the foster carer’s file.
13. Annual Reviews
The Fostering Service Regulations 2001require that foster carers be reviewed
annually. This review considers the foster carer’s previous year of fostering and
makes recommendations regarding the carer’s training and development needs
and their continuing ability to foster. The review considers the SSW’s report,
comments by the foster carer about their experience of fostering and meeting the
needs of children, comments from the children’s social worker and comments
from the children placed in the home during the review period. A review can also
be held at any other time if there is a significant change of circumstance or
issues of concern. Reviews are generally carried out in the foster carer’s home.
They give foster carers the opportunity to express their views about the service
and the department in general.
The Service Manager reapproves the fostercarer (following the recommendation
by the IRO or the Fostering Panel), unless there is a contentious issue or a
change of circumstance that will necessitate the review returning to the Fostering
Panel. The exceptions to this are after the first fostering year and every 3 years
thereafter and on these occasions the review will be returned to Panel for
consideration. The fostercarers will always be invited to attend any meeting of
the Fostering Panel where they are being considered. The foster carer is
notified of the outcome of the annual review in writing. Foster carers sign a new
agreement following each annual review.
The Foster Care Handbook and Agreement
The handbook was fully revised in February 2008.
The Foster Care Agreement has been revised to include the Placement Promises
and to meet the requirements of the National Minimum Standards and Guidance
in foster care.
16. The Children’s Guide
A Children’s Guide is being updated in conjunction with Looked After children and
young people via the Children in Care Councils.
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