Supervision, Support and Training of Staff and Foster Carers

The Fostering Agency is committed to ensuring staff and carers receive effective supervision. Supervision supports the development of a positive culture in the Agency, and provides a focus for continuous improvement and consistent practice which help to improve outcomes for vulnerable children, young people and their families.

The Agency will ensure:

• Each member of staff and each carer has an induction;
• All staff and foster carers receive regular supervision and informal support as required.

Supervision is a formal process in which the workload and performance of each individual is evaluated and reviewed so that support can be provided as required and training and development needs identified.

All staff and carers will receive regular formal supervision, normally by their Line Manager or Supervising Social Worker to enable them to:

• Be clear about their role, responsibilities and accountabilities;
• Understand and achieve their individual aims and objectives and those of the Agency;
• Be supported in maximising their potential;
• Be clear about communication methods which allow for constructive two way feedback.

Formal supervision does not replace the informal supervision that takes place on a more regular basis as required.

Supervision is a private but not a confidential process. This means that the records are the property of the Agency, not the individual. Where there is an explicit issue that needs to remain confidential this must be agreed between supervisor and supervisee.

Supervision is not a forum for dealing with disciplinary matters, although concerns about work, personal competence or conduct will be raised in supervision. Where it is anticipated that a more formal process is needed, the matter should be dealt with outside supervision and via the appropriate procedures.

Any areas of disagreement between the supervisor and supervisee will be recorded on the supervision records. Areas of disagreement that cannot be resolved may be referred to the Fostering Manager.

It is recognised that, in addition to individual supervision sessions, there are other ways in which staff and foster carers discuss and seek advice. This could be through peer men to ring or in a group setting. These are valuable and helpful ways in which staff and foster carers can broaden their knowledge and expertise, however they must never be a substitute for formal individual supervision sessions.

The child's allocated social worker should be contacted for specific advice or support in relation to the child and their Care and Placement Plans.

For agency staff members, a supervision agreement will be completed between the supervisor and supervisee.

This will include:

• Frequency;
• Duration (approximately 1 hour) and location of sessions (ensure privacy);
• Record keeping (i.e. record of supervision to made and signed by supervisor and supervisee and accessible to both);
• Confidentiality and disagreements.

The agenda for each meeting should cover:

• Matters arising from the last supervision;
• Issues to be discussed;
• Any training issues;
• Any other business.

For foster carers, supervision is essentially a supportive and enabling two way process to:

• Ensure the foster carers understand how they contribute safeguarding promoting the welfare of children in their care;
• Enable foster carers to contribute effectively to the plans for the children for whom they are caring;
• Provide appropriate monitoring and feedback on the foster carer's work to ensure the Training, Support and Development Standards for Foster Carers are fully met;
• Complete personal development plans for each carer, which are linked to their training and their annual review;
• Support foster carers by providing advice and guidance, or making this available from elsewhere as appropriate;
• Give foster carers an opportunity to raise any problems and make sure they are addressed appropriately;
• Acknowledge the challenges and demands that the fostering tasks make on foster families and ensure appropriate support is available;
• Recognise and address any difficulties the foster carer's own children may be experiencing arising from fostering; and
• Assist foster carers to work in an anti discriminatory way that respects and promotes individual differences.

The agenda for each meeting should cover:

1. Matters arising from the last supervision;
2. Personal issues, e.g. effect of a placement on the foster carer's own family, changes in the carer's situation and circumstances etc.
3. Child/en in placement:
   • Their health, cultural, educational, leisure and contact needs – and any support needs;
   • Progress and work with respect towards each child's Care Plan;
   • Any accidents, injuries and illnesses experienced by each child;
   • Any complaints in relation to children placed with them and their outcomes;
   • Any concerns around behaviour management in relation to children placed with them;
   • Any other significant events (see Section 6, Role of Foster Carer to Report Significant Events);
   • Any medication, medical treatment or first aid administered.
4. Training/development issues for the foster carers and their family;
5. Safe caring and health and safety issues;
6. Foster carer's recording which is to be reviewed by the Supervising Social Worker who should sign the foster carer's diary.

A record of all meetings should recorded on a pro forma Supervision Record and will be kept on the foster carer's file; with a copy given to the foster carers.

The supervision records will inform the foster carer's review - see Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers Procedure.

Frequency of supervision meetings will be agreed between the foster carer and the Supervising Social Worker and should take place as appears necessary in the interests of the children placed with them. Informal supervision will take place as required.

Foster carers will also be provided with information about what support will be available from the Agency outside office hours, including the relevant contact details.

There should be an unannounced visit at least once a year. The main purpose of the unannounced visit will be to look at the home environment that a child is living in.

The unannounced visit will be undertaken by the foster carers' Supervising Social Worker who will need to check:

• Who is in the home;
• Who is caring for the child;
• If the carer is not at home, what arrangements have been made for the care of the child.

If the foster carers are not at home, the Supervising Social Worker should leave a note for the foster carers to say that they have visited.

If the child is present and being cared for by someone else, the social worker should check the identity of that person but should not continue with the visit.

Unannounced visits should be recorded.

There should not ordinarily be a regular programme of unannounced visits without particular reason - for example if a foster carer is being closely monitored. In such an event the reason for such will be explained to the foster carer.

For the detailed procedure, see Managing Allegations Against Staff and Foster Carers Procedure

Where allegations are made against foster carer(s), the Supervising Social Worker should:

1. Support the family;
2. Discuss, with the foster carer and their family, the issues that led to the allegation, as agreed at the Strategy Meeting;
3. Make the foster carers aware of the process and of their rights during any investigation;
4. Make the foster carer's aware of their own possible conflict of interests and inform them of where they can seek alternative support and advice for example from the Fostering Network or other independent sources.

The foster carer(s) should be fully aware of the Notification of Significant Events and the need to immediately report to their Supervising Social Worker or Fostering Agency the following:

• The death of a child;
• A Serious illness or serious accident of a child placed with them;
• The outbreak at the foster home of any infectious disease (which in the opinion of a general practitioner attending the home is sufficiently serious to be notified);
• An allegation that a child placed with foster parents has committed a serious offence;
• Concerns about the sexual exploitation of any child placed with them;
• The Police being called to the foster carer's home as a result of a serious incident relating to a child placed there;
• A child placed with the foster carer(s) who has gone missing;
• Any serious concerns about the emotional or mental health of a child, such that a mental health assessment would be requested under the Mental Health Act 1983.

See also: Notifications of Significant Events Procedure.

All aforementioned significant events must be recorded within 24 hours of the event by the foster carer using the Break 'Incident Reporting' form in Local Resources which must then be sent to the Supervising Social Worker for completion. A copy of the completed incident report will be retained on the child's and carers' file on Charms and a copy forwarded to the child's social worker.

The Supervising Social Worker must review the child's 'Safe Care and Risk Plan' and Risk Assessment in the light of every incident and update as required in order to identify emergent or evolving risk. The updated 'Safe Care and Risk Plan', Risk Assessment and the Incident Reporting form must also be recorded on Charms. Where appropriate and agreed, the child's parent(s) should be informed.

Supervising Social Workers should ensure the following tasks are done:

Post Approval

• Ensure that all new carers complete the Foster Carer Training Support and Development Standards by their first annual review;
• Give a copy of the Foster Carers' Handbook to the new carer;
• Give the Foster Care Agreement to the carer: 2 copies to be signed and one returned and placed on the carer's file;
• Support carers with any specialist issues for disabled children for e.g. support in completing applications, Disability Living Allowance etc.

Pre-Placement

• Complete risk assessments surrounding bedroom sharing (each child over 3 has their own bedroom or, where this is not possible, the sharing of the bedroom must have been agreed by the Placing Authority), mixing with other children in home, etc.
• Discuss and check equipment (especially in the child's bedroom) and ensure it is appropriate to the age of the child to be placed;
• Take part in discussions about potential placements;
• Take part in planning meetings regarding placements;
• Ensure that the child's social worker give the foster family full information about children about to be placed, including a history of any abuse or neglect and the reason for the placement, the child's educational, medical, religious, racial, linguistic and cultural needs and if they have gone missing previously;
• Discuss issues relevant to contact with birth parents and other family members;
• Discuss how the child's health needs are promoted and how children should be encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle;
• Assist carers in dealing with relevant services such as health, education or specialist services is appropriate, particularly if the placement is an out-of-area one and such services need to be transferred to meet the child’s needs;
• Discuss appropriate training to when providing care for children with complex health needs;
• Assist carer with training needs for appropriate safer care practice, including skills to care for children who have been abused. For foster carers who offer placements to disabled children, this includes training specifically on issues affecting disabled children;
• Discuss financial issues with the carer: allowances, pocket money, leisure activities, toiletries and travelling. Enquire about holiday plans the carers have made, and if the child is able to join them? If not the child's social worker must be informed so alternative arrangements can be made;
• Share names and contact numbers for identified relevant members of the family, and also the local authority out-of-hours support, school; health and other relevant staff/agencies who might be involved;
• Ensure that arrangements are made for the provision of specialist equipment for disabled children;
• Set date of first visit after the placement;
• Let the social worker for a child already in placement know when another child is to be placed.

During Placement

• Where necessary, check and follow up on all issues raised during the placement planning. Discuss any areas of concern with foster carers and ensure appropriate support/advice is provided straight away rather than the carer having to wait for reviews;
• Provide foster carers with breaks from caring as appropriate, which must meet the needs of placed children;
• Take part in any Strategy Meetings and Section 47 Enquiry relating to the foster family. Be involved in interviews/support as agreed;
• Ensure the Supervising Social Worker and the foster carers receive invitations to the child's Looked After Reviews and Child Protection Conferences, and attend when appropriate;
• Prepare for and attend foster carer review meetings (see Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers Procedure);
• Ensure the training programme is updated and accessed by carers and their family and children;
• Visit regularly in accordance with the foster carer's needs, the child's Care Plan and as required - see Section 3, Frequency of Supervision for Foster Carers and Section 4, Unannounced Visits for Foster Carers;
• Review the safer caring plan and any changes in household circumstances;
• Assess and review any health and safety issues within the fostering household including the addition of any new pets and the environment in which they are kept;
• Make unannounced visits as required - see Section 4, Unannounced Visits for Foster Carers;
• Update Disclosure and Barring Service checks on members of the family every 3 years, including those reaching 18, and other persons who come to live at the home, who are 18 or over;
• Update medicals on the carers every 2 years or as necessary;
• Record all contacts with carers;
• Provide reports for Panel as required under the relevant procedures;
• Where appropriate contribute to Court Reports as agreed with child's social worker;
• Discuss how the carers can support young people into adulthood;

At End of Placement

• Support the family as much as possible in what can be a very difficult time;
• Discuss fully with the carer and their family all the issues that have led to any unplanned end of a placement and identify any learning/training opportunities;
• Assist the foster carer to complete their end of placement report if required;
• Attend Disruption Meetings as required.