Foster a Future - Newcastle City Council

Newcastle City Council Children’s Services DirectorateFoster a FutureFostering ServiceStatement of Purpose

Foster a FutureStatement of PurposeContentsWhat is a Statement of Purpose? 2Mission Statement 2The Aims and Objectives of the Fostering Service 3Principles and Standards of Care 5The Facilities and Services Provided by the Fostering Service Fostering Placements 6Carer Support Services 8Numbers, Relevant Qualifications and Experience of Staff 12Shared Care Scheme for Children With Disabilities 16Number of Children/Young People in Foster Placements and Number of Carers 16Summary of the Procedures for Carer Recruitment,Training, Approval, Support, and Review 17Procedures for the Investigation of Allegations orComplaints Made Against Foster Carers 23Distribution of this Statement 24Consultation 25Comments 251

Foster a FutureStatement of PurposeWhat is a Statement of Purpose?The Statement of Purpose is the means of providing information about NewcastleCity Council's Fostering Service and Newcastle Shared Care as required by Standard 1of the National Minimum Standards for Fostering Services and the Fostering ServicesRegulations (2002).The Statement of Purpose is a source of information for the families, foster carers,and shared care carers of children and young people cared for in foster placements,for people thinking of becoming foster carers, and for professionals and colleagueswithin the Children Services Directorate, the City Council, and from other agencies.A leaflet entitled “About Being Fostered” is provided to children and young peoplebeing cared for in foster or shared care placements. The leaflet has been designed bythe children and young people participation group in partnership with marketingprofessionals.Ofsted regularly inspects the Fostering Service and Shared Care Service to ensure thatthey achieve the aims and objectives set out in the Statement of Purpose.This is the Fostering Service's latest Statement of Purpose. It includes the views offoster carers, social workers, managers and other professionals working with childrenand young people. It is revised annually and the latest views of children and youngpeople in foster placements are also included.Mission StatementThe Newcastle Fostering and Newcastle Shared Care Service aims to provide a goodquality, highly regarded service that inspires confidence in children/young people,carers, staff, managers and partner agencies. They will provide and maintain fosterand shared care placements that enable looked after children to most fully achievetheir personal, social, developmental, education and employment potential.The Aims and Objectives of the Fostering ServiceNewcastle City Council's Fostering Service aims to:• Recruit and train quality foster carers who can then offer the highest qualityfoster care placements within the local community• Value diversity by recruiting and training carers who respect, promote and reflectthe ethnicity, race, culture and religious identity of the children and young peoplethey care for• Respect the gender and sexuality of children and young people• Listen to children and young people about their needs, wishes and experiences• Work together with the Placements Service to ensure that children and youngpeople are placed with carers who have the range of skills and experiences tomeet their needs• Work closely with the independent fostering agencies to ensure that there is arange of placement choice• Be wholly committed to children and young people cared for in foster and sharedcare placements and to be centred entirely on their needs• Advise children and young people in foster and shared care placements of theComplaints Procedure and assist them in making a complaint if they choose. Alsoto enable children and young people to contribute to the annual reviews of theirfoster and shared care carers and make any concerns they may have about theircarers known to managers.• Work together with the allocated social worker from the Area Children and FamilyTeam or Hospital Social Work Team to ensure that the child or young person'sviews about their foster or shared care placement are listened to and taken intoconsideration when decisions are made especially when there is a Looked afterChild Review• Work together with the Aspire Team to enable children and young people infoster care to maximise their learning and educational skills and opportunities,and achieve the best standards of health care and health awareness• Work together with the Leaving Care Team to ensure that young people aresupported as they make the transition from foster care to independent living andgain from training and employment opportunities• Train foster carers and post-approved carers to a very high standard by currentfoster carers and social workers. They will be assisted by a skilled TrainingCoordinator.23

Foster a FutureStatement of Purpose• Enable carers to participate in a wide range of training opportunities, and whereappropriate, to undertake NVQ Level 3 Caring for Children and Young People.• Support foster and shared care carers in providing the highest possible care tochildren and young people are the priority of the Fostering and Shared CareService. Every carer will have a social worker allocated to them from the Fosteringand Shared Care Service as their personal supervising social worker.• Additionally support carers by having a 'duty worker' available from the FosteringService during the day also the services of a resource worker. The Emergency DutyTeam will offer support and assistance at the weekend and every evening.• Work in partnership with Fostering Under Newcastle (FUN) the foster carer groupin its support of carers. Also to extend the range of support services and worktogether with the Executive Committee and the finance and education subcommitteesof Fostering Under Newcastle to include the views of carers in theplanning and running of the Fostering Service.• Promote the partnership between the Fostering Service and the children andyoung people in foster placements through a range of activities and groups• Work closely with the Children and Young People's Listening Officer NYAS Serviceand foster carers to include the views of children and young people in all aspectsof their care and the services provided by the Fostering Service• Keep abreast of research developments and implement suggestions for goodpractice and a better quality of service based on local and national researchfindings• Strive to provide a level and quality of service that meets the National MinimumStandards and achieves excellence• Employ highly qualified, well-motivated staff who are dedicated to therecruitment, training, assessment and support of foster carers and be solelyfocused on the needs of children and young people who are cared for in fosterplacementsPrinciples and Standards of CareThe Fostering and Shared Care Service will deliver a service to children, young peopleand their foster carers or shared care scheme foster carers, which complies with theNational Minimum Standards requirements of the Fostering Services Regulations2002 issued by the Secretary of State for Health under sections 23 and 49 of the CareStandards Act 2000. The Fostering Service will strive for excellence and to achieve thehigher standards set by the best practice guidance of the UK National Standards forFoster Care 1999.In addition to the aims and objectives set out in this Statement of Purpose, theFostering Service and the Shared Care Scheme will work closely with colleagues toensure that in accordance with Quality Protects and Business Plan targets:• Care Planning is clear and outcome focussed• There is a reduction in the number of looked after children by means of effectiveReunification Planning• Placement stability is achieved by Permanence Planning• Ensure that at least 80% of looked after children across the entire age range willbe cared for in family placements and placement choice extended and monitored.• Placements with independent fostering agencies are controlled to reduce theoverall costs of foster care in line with performance targets set by the Departmentof Health• Black and ethnic minority children and young people are placed with carers whorespect and promote their cultural, racial, linguistic, and religious identities. TheFostering Service will ensure that there are at least two social workers among thestaff with the skills, experience and background to recruit, train, assess andsupport black ethnic minority and dual race foster carers.• Extend the participation of looked after children/young people and carers inservice planning• Ensure the Fostering/Shared Care Service complies with Best Value requirements• Develop effective partnerships with children's services agencies and independentfostering agencies.4 5

Foster a FutureStatement of PurposeThe Facilities and Services Provided by theFostering ServiceFostering PlacementsEmergency PlacementsSome placements are made at times of acute crisis for families or when a child'ssafety can only be achieved by providing foster care. Sometimes the children andyoung people in emergency foster placements are subject to Police ProtectionOrders, Emergency Protection Orders, or Interim Care Orders. These placements arearranged by the Placements Team, and this Team receives detailed information aboutthe personal history and needs of the child or young person from their social workerand then identifies an appropriate foster placement. The Placements Team liaiseswith the social worker, the foster carer and the foster carer's own supervising socialworker from the Fostering Service to ensure the identified foster placement issuitable for the child.Short-term and respite placementsShort-term and respite placements are helpful in enabling families who are caringfor a child or young person to have a short period of time apart while they tackle aserious problem, resolve a crisis, have a health need attended to, or take a break. Inthe same way, children and young people may also need a short break for similarreasons from their usual carer. The benefits of a short term or respite placement areidentified and assessed by the social worker from the Children and Family Team, whothen makes a request to the Placements Service.Both full time foster carers and shared care carers work very hard to meet the needsof the child or young person they are caring for. Occasionally they will also needshort breaks while they attend to their own needs and the needs of their families.Their supervising social worker arranges the break with the Placements Service.Respite or short breaks not only benefit carers, but also children and young peopleas it enables them to experience new people and different situations.Permanent PlacementsChildren and young people are sometimes cared for in permanent foster placements.It may be that they cannot return home to their families for very serious reasons, or,it is not appropriate for them to be adopted. Children and young people inpermanent foster care are usually, but not always, subject to Care Orders.When the Care Plans are being made for a child or young person, the need for apermanent placement is identified. The Fostering Service recruits, trains andapproves some of its foster carers to provide permanent care, and when the need fora permanent placement is identified in the Care Plan, the social worker from theChildren and Family Team makes a referral to the Family Finder of the FosteringService. A referral meeting is held to advise the Fostering Service as accurately aspossible of the child or young person's personal history and individual needs. TheFamily Finder will then strive to identify an appropriate placement for the child.The Family Finder will match a child or young person with the carer who can bestmeet their needs. The Fostering Service uses the forms and assessment format of theBritish Agencies for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) to provide information about thechild or young person and their prospective permanent carers to the Fostering Panel.The Panel is made up of health and education professionals, social work practitionersand managers, foster carers and an elected Member of the City Council. The Panelconsiders the needs of the child or young person, looks at the skills, abilities andexperience of the proposed foster carers and either approves or rejects the match.Community Fostering SchemeThe Community Fostering Scheme works with the child’s social worker to helpmaintain the child in their own family home, or if the child has already been placed infoster care, to help reunify the child with their own family if this is the plan for them.The Foster Carers in the scheme are skilled and experienced at engaging with childrenand their families and in helping them to achieve their goals. The CommunityFostering Scheme ensures that there is always someone there to listen to the childand to put their wishes and choices at the front of any decisions that are made.Foster carers working for the scheme have regular supervision with the social workerfrom the Fostering Service coordinating the scheme, and they also meet regularly forgroup supervision and to share experiences and learning.BME Support Scheme/ Sahara SchemeNewcastle Fostering Service is committed to matching the needs of children withappropriate foster carers and with ensuring that as many children as possible arefostered within the Service and within the boundaries of Newcastle. From time totime it is not possible to place a child from a specific Black minority ethniccommunity with a foster carer from the same ethnicity despite the recruitmentinitiatives of the Marketing and Management Team. When this happens we hope tobe able to provide the child and their foster carer with a trained and qualified fostercarer from the same ethnicity as the child who will visit the child and advise and helptheir foster carer to best meet the child’s needs.Newcastle is one of 11 Local Authorities across the North of England who involvesthe services of the Sahara Project. They provide a black minority ethnic fostering andadoption recruitment, assessment and support service in each local authority. Thisinvolves a close working relationship during assessments of applicants from blackand minority ethnic groups.6 7

Foster a FutureStatement of PurposeSupervision and Review of Foster PlacementsChildren and young people in permanent foster placements, as well as in short-termfoster placements, are visited usually at least once a month by their own socialworker and their Care Plan is regularly reviewed to make sure they are happy intheir foster placement.Each foster carer, regardless of the types of placement they provide or the schemethey are working with, also has a social worker, called a supervising social worker,who makes sure the foster carer is providing the best possible standard of care andsafety to the child. Foster Carers are supervised on a monthly basis using the EveryChild Matters Agenda, recording outcomes under the following headings - StayingSafe, Be Healthy, Enjoy and Achieve, Economic Wellbeing and Make a PositiveContribution. In addition to regular supervision, foster carers are reviewed after sixmonths of becoming foster carers and then every year to ensure they are meetingthe standards required of foster carers by the Fostering Services Regulations 2002.The Manager for Quality Standards manages the Review Officers to ensure that theyare reviewed independently of the Fostering Service.Carer Support ServicesThe supervising social workerFoster carers and shared care carers have a social worker allocated to them from theFostering or Short Break Service. This person is known as the supervising socialworker. The supervising social worker will meet with them usually on a monthly basisand will undertake a detailed supervision meeting with the foster carer to ensure thefoster carer is providing the best standard of care and creating the best outcomes forthe child placed with them. The supervising social worker is a well-qualified and veryexperienced child care practitioner and can provide detailed advice and guidance tothe foster carer on all matters relating to the care of the child.The supervising social worker is usually consulted by the Placements Team when theyare selecting a foster carer for a child, and they are also consulted by the ReviewOfficer during the foster carer’s annual review. The supervising social worker canmake recommendations to the Fostering Panel about changes to the type ofplacements provided by the foster carer. The supervising social worker identifies theon-going training needs of the foster carer and either arranges for the foster carerto attend the relevant training sessions along with other foster carers, or deliverstraining one to one in the foster carer’s home.There are times when the supervising social worker will be away from their base andunavailable to their foster carer, at such times the foster carer can contact the DutySocial Worker at the Fostering Service, and this social worker will help and advisethem, or pass on their enquiry or concern to a manager.Partnership support for Foster CarersThe Fostering Service works in corporate partnership with colleagues from the CityCouncil's Directorates, the Health Services, and with schools and independentagencies to ensure the child benefits fully from their foster care placement and tosupport the Foster Carer.Our main partners are:• ASPIRE: Dedicated Support Services for Looked After Children in Newcastle:ASPIRE is a partnership between services contributing dedicated staff to a multiagency,multi-disciplinary support team for Looked after Children.VisionIts vision is to provide an effective, efficient and well-co-ordinated wrap-aroundservice that supports and empowers children and young people and leads to positiveoutcomes in all 5 areas of the Every Child Matters agenda. In addition to direct workwith young people, ASPIRE seeks to support other services and bring additionally totheir work with this group of vulnerable young people through close collaboration.• Designated teachers - every school has a designated teacher for looked afterchildren• Social workers from the Children and Family Teams - every child or young personin a foster placement has their own social worker• Looked After Children Reviewing Officer's from the Children's Standards Unit -they regularly review the Care Plan to ensure it still remains appropriate and theymake sure that the views of the child or young person are taken fully intoconsideration when decisions are being made.• Independent Visitors - trained volunteers who will visit children and young peopleat their request and advocate on their behalf. National Children Homes (NCH) iscontracted to provide this service.• The Leaving Care Team - preparing young people who are 16 years old and caredfor in foster placements to take the steps towards independence by planning,training for employment or further education. Every young person is allocated heror his own social worker from the team• The Children with Disabilities Team - all children with disabilities who are caredfor in foster placements have their own social worker from the team. Their fostercarers or shared care carers are skilled enough to provide respite, short break,short term or long-term placements. They are recruited and trained by theDirectorate's Shared Care Scheme.8 9

Foster a FutureStatement of Purpose• Foster Carer Reviewing Officers - every foster carer and shared care carer has anannual review to ensure that they are meeting the standards required of them.• Fostering Under Newcastle (FUN) is the foster carer group. Its aims are:- To be in a partnership with Social Services - giving carers a voice- To provide a group for carers to turn to for help, advice and support- To raise awareness of the general public about the work undertaken by fostercarers- To suggest changes to the Fostering Service to benefit carers- To support carers with practical assistance.Fostering Under Newcastle organise social activities for foster carers, children andyoung people, mails a monthly newsletter to all its members, and holds supportsessions for carers. The Executive Committee and the education and finance subcommitteeshave regular meetings with the Head of Children's Services and the Headof the Fostering Unit to plan and make joint decisions.The Directorate part funds the group and provides office accommodation and servicesupport facilities at the Walker Social Work OfficeAdvocacy, consultation, and out of hours helpIn addition to partnership support, the Fostering Service funds an IndependentAdvocacy and Advice Service provided by the Fostering Network. This service willprovide help and assistance to foster carers, and advocate on behalf of foster carers,if they are subject to an allegation of abuse or if they are unhappy with thedecisions of the Fostering Panel.Regular consultation takes place with foster carers/shared care carers to help theFostering Service identify and provide the support foster carers and shared carecarers need.During the evenings and at weekends, foster carers can access support from the Outof Hours Helpline Service, staffed by experienced foster carers from the NewcastleFostering Service. These will advise and assist appropriately, or if circumstancesrequire, contact the Emergency Duty Team to provide qualified social work assistanceor intervention. In addition the service looks closely at matching new carers withexperienced carers with a view to support and mentoring.Placement AgreementsWhenever a child is places with a foster carer, the supervising social worker has theresponsibility of chairing a Placement Agreement Meeting either prior to theplacement being made or immediately upon the placement being made. At thismeeting the Placement Agreement is completed and signed.The Placement Agreement constitutes the contract between the foster carer andNewcastle City Council in respect of the placement and outlines in detail the needsof the child, the services to be provided by the carer and the support that will beoffered by the child’s social worker and the supervising social worker.Management StructureDirector of Children’s ServicesHead of Children’s Social Care and SafeguardingCorporate Parenting ManagerRegistered Service Manager FosteringDeputy TeamManager19 Social Workers2 Resource WorkersDeputy TeamManager10 11

Foster a FutureStatement of PurposeNumbers, Relevant Qualifications and Experienceof StaffRegistered Fostering Service Manager:Michael Dack. Qualifications: BEC (Business Studies); BTec (Leisure Management);HNC (Care Practice); Diploma of Social Work (DipSW) with Commendation; PostQualifying Award Part 1; Post Qualifying Child Care Award (PQCCA): BSc in ChildcareSocial Work; Experience: residential social worker; team leader, residential unit;deputy officer in charge, residential unit; social worker, children and family team;supervising social worker, fostering team; deputy fostering manager, fostering team.Deputy Fostering Manager:Marie Robinson. Qualifications: BSc; Social Administration1981; Hons certificatequalification in social work (CQSW) 1987; Practice Teaching Award (CCETSW) ,PostQualify Award part one (PQ1). Experience: residential social worker; placementssocial worker; supervising social worker, fostering service.Temporary: Deputy Fostering Manager:Helen White. Qualifications: Diploma in Social Work passed with Commendations(DipSW); BTEC Childhood Studies (Nursery Nursing); Special Educational NeedsCertificate; Practice Assessors Award. Post qualifying Award Part 1. Experience:Nursery Nurse working in Primary Educational and Special Education Needs SupportService for children with Autism, Aspergers Syndrome and Emotional, Social andBehavioural difficulties; Parent Support Worker/Nurture Group Facilitator for EarlyExcellence; Social Worker working with Children and Families Team; EducationLiaison Worker/Social Worker for Looked after Children; Supervising Social Worker,Foster a Future.Resource Workers:Fostering Activities and Events CoordinatorHeather Parkin. Qualifications: NVQ level 3 (2000) children and young people. NVQlevel 3 promoting independence, Arts awards trainer. Experience: residential socialworker, residential unit, fostering service. Joined service 2000. Joined fostering 2006Senior Social Work Practitioners:Training Scheme Coordinator and Senior Social Work Practitioner:Sandra Quinnin. Qualifications: BA; BTec (Social Care); Diploma of Social Work(DipSW); British Sign Language (BSL) Level II. Experience: social worker, children andfamily team; assessment social worker, fostering service; training coordinator,fostering service.Community Fostering Coordinator:Graham Clark. Qualifications: ICSA (Institute Of Chartered Secretaries andAdministrators); Diploma of Social Work; Post qualifying Award Part 1.Experience:Youth work, residential social work, residential unit, social worker children andfamily team, social worker leaving care support team, supervising social worker,fostering service. Started in Fostering Jan 2008. Qualified in May 2003. started withCouncil 1987Supervising Social WorkersJohn Walker. Qualifications: Diploma from the Open University in "UnderstandingHealth and Social Care" (2002) "BSc (Hons) Social Work" degree (2007). Experience:residential Child care setting, outreach work, I am a facilitator for the "IncredibleYears" programme. I started with Newcastle city council in 2007 and joined theFostering service in 2008 as a resource worker and became a supervising socialworker in 2009.Leslie-Ann Fawole. Qualifications: MA (Social Work, USA) BA (BusinessAdministration); AAS (Marketing); Certificate of Group and Individual Counselling.Experience: social worker, fostering and adoption team; social worker, children andfamily team; social worker, elderly persons team; social worker, inspection team;residential social worker, residential unit; supervising social worker, fostering service.Ellen Tate. Qualifications: BA (Hons) Dip SW Qualified in 1995; Post Qualifying ChildCare Award (PQCCA); Practice Assessors Certificate. Experience: residential socialworker, residential unit; support worker, mental health; manager, residential unit;social worker, children and family team; supervising social worker, fostering service.Started working with the Council in 2000 and have worked within the Fostering Unitin 2005Brian Proctor. Qualifications: M.Phil (Master of Social Work); B.Ed; BA (Hons); RSATeaching Diploma of Adult Education; Certificate of Qualification in Social Work(CQSW). Experience: residential social worker, residential unit; social worker, childrenand family team; social worker, family support team; social worker, leaving careteam; supervising social worker, fostering service.Lorraine Houston. Qualifications: SRN, Certificate of Qualification in Social Work(CSS) 1991, NVQ Assessor. PQI consolidation Experience: residential social worker;deputy officer in charge, residential unit; social worker, fostering service 1996.Started with Council 1986Angela Hogan. Qualifications: Diploma of Social Work (DipSW) 2004; Completed PQConsolidation module; NNEB. Experience: Residential Nursery Nurse supportingchildren/young people with autism; Social worker within the family support team;Supervising Social worker within the fostering service 2007Started with Newcastle 2005.12 13

Foster a FutureStatement of PurposeDave Pattison. Qualifications: Certificate of Social Services (CSS)1989. Experience:residential social worker, residential unit; manager, residential unit; supervising socialworker, fostering service; assessment social worker, fostering service 2004. Started forCouncil 1983Susan Hamilton. Qualifications: Certificate of Qualification in Social Work (CQSW)1992; Post Qualifying Award Part 1. Experience: social worker for Newcastle CityCouncil starting 1993 in adult care team; social worker, children and family team;social worker, customer service duty team. Moved to Fostering Service 2005 workingas assessment social worker and supervising social worker.Sarah Darby. Qualifications: BSc Social Work Qualified June 2006, Post QualifyingAward Part 1. Experience: Social worker long term team, social worker assessmentand monitoring service. Fostering supervising social worker, residential worker.Started with Council July 2006. Joined fostering July 2008Maureen Taylor. Qualifications: BSc (HONS) Degree in Social Work 2006. Experienceof working with early years, children and families team, fostering service. StartedNewcastle 2006 and joined fostering 2008Jackie Groom. Qualifications: BA (Hons) degree in social work. Experience of workingwithin children and families team and duty teams. I qualified July 2007. I joinedNewcastle Council July 28th 2008 when I joined the fostering team.Amanda Barker. Qualifications: BTec Diploma in social care - Diploma of Social Work2002 (DipSW) 2003 Experience social Worker: Supervising social worker fosteringteam 2008, Paediatric Renal Social worker, social worker children and family team.Diane Carroll. Qualifications: Master of Social Work (MSW) 1997; LL.B (Hons) 1998(Law Degree); Dip LP (Post-Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice) 2000; Experience:CAMHS, Drug and Alcohol Team (both as a student), also some work with homelesspeople. Volunteer work with the elderly. Carer. Started first post as a social workerwith Newcastle City Council 01/10/2007 and began working in a Child ProtectionTeam. Commenced Looked after Children's Team with Newcastle Council one yearlater. Joined Fostering Service within Newcastle Council 30/11/2009.Kathryn Hayes. Qualifications and Commendations : Post Qualification Consolidationof Practice Children and Young People module 2010, B.A (Hons) Social Work 1997;HND Care Practice 2003, NVQ III Promoting Independence 2001; One in a MillionAward Highly Commended in the Category of Childcare Worker of the Year 2006.Experience: Residential Social Worker, Family Support Worker, Child Protection SocialWorker, Supervising Social Worker. Started Fostering service October 2009.Foster Carer Assessment Social WorkersJayne Drew. Qualified as a social worker in 1997. Qualifications; BTec (Social Care);Diploma of Social Work (DipSW). BSc in child care PQ1 and PQ2 Post approvalqualification in social care. Experience; Children and Families team. Newcastlecouncil January 2001, Children with Disabilities team. Fostering Team, January 2001,I currently have responsibility for completing Form F assessments and as a co-traineron the Pre-approval training course for foster carers.Sarah Quinn. Qualifications: BA (History); Social Work MA/DipSW 1996. CompletedPQ Consolidation Module; Experience: social worker children and family team:assessment social worker and supervising social worker fostering service 2008.Business Support StaffDonna Farrell. Senior Admin Assistant - administration of the Fostering Panel,mentoring of Fostering and EAHST Admin Assistants, co-ordination of CRBdisclosures and Records Centre checks for foster carers of other Local Authorities andfostering agencies. Has worked for Newcastle City Council since 2003 and forFostering Services since 2007.Maureen Jackson. Responsible for Personal Education Allowances, and fosteringapplications (both Fostering Council) NVQ level 3 customer service. Started withcouncil and Fostering Feb 2004.Marilyn Macaleese. Support Services Assistant - responsible for word processing,travel bookings, office equipment. Stated Newcastle1994, Fostering Service 2001.Louise Swinburne. Panel Administrator Support Services Assistant – responsible formaintenance of training database Arrangements for taxis for LAC and checking oftaxi invoices. Started fostering June 2008.Carol Pearson. upport Services Assistant- Word processingProcessing of new applications (recording on database/checks on Care First)POPS orders. I started with the Council 6th September 2002 and joined Children'sServices (Foster a Future) 8th January 2009.14 15

Foster a FutureStatement of PurposeShared Care Scheme for Children with DisabilitiesManagerIan Penrose. Qualifications: Diploma of Social Work (DipSW)2001; HNC (ManagingCare) 1998; Certificate of Youth and Community Work 1983 Post qualifying AwardPart 1 2009. Experience: residential social worker, residential unit; deputy manager,residential unit; family finder and supervising social worker, fostering service. Startedwith Council 1983, joined the Fostering Service 2006, and appointed TemporaryManager of Cheviot View April 2010.Social WorkerJulia Ramshaw. Qualifications: B Sc Degree in Childcare (2003) PQCCA (2003) CSS(1980), PQ I (2001) Completed D32, Assessing candidate performance ; D33 Differingsources of evidence; D34 B tech certificate for Internally verifying the Assessmentprocess; Management and Supervision of practice education; Advanced diploma inpractice education and development. Experience: I have worked in Childrens SocialCare Services since 1973 in Residential Units; Children with disabilities since 1991 andShared care Scheme since November 08.Number of Children/Young People in Foster Placementsand Number of CarersChildren and young peopleIn April 2010 there were 532 children and young people looked after by the LocalAuthority.Foster CarersThere are currently 217 Fostering households and 368 Active foster carers.Summary of the Procedures for Carer Recruitment,Training, Approval, Support, and ReviewRecruitmentNewcastle City Council Fostering Service has a commitment to equal opportunitiesand welcomes diversity by valuing applications to foster from all appropriatemembers of the community whatever their race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexualorientation, or disability. It seeks to provide a range of services for children andyoung people by recruiting foster and shared care carers from a wide range ofbackgrounds who can meet the needs of children and young people requiring fosterand shared care placements. The Fostering Service is committed to meeting allplacement needs.Recruitment involves a range of campaigns and approaches including:• Regular advertising in the local/regional/national broadcast and print media andsupport of and participation in national events• Focused recruitment campaigns for particular types of needs.• Advertising in specific publications.• Word of mouth• The Fostering Unit’s interactive web site• Public Relations campaigns• Participation in eventsPublicity material is available in a variety of languages and formats, making itaccessible to all sections of the community.ApplicationThe Fostering Service aims to respond to enquiries quickly and efficiently.An information pack with application form is sent out to enquirers within twoworking days. Once returned an experienced social worker will carryout an in-depthtelephone assessment. If they are suitable, they are invited to begin training. In somecircumstances a home visit may be appropriate.Any applicants who are considered by the social worker to be unsuitable arecounselled as to the reasons why and offered the opportunity of a meeting with theDeputy Fostering Manager if they wish to appeal the decision. If for any reason theapplicant is dissatisfied with this process and feel they have been treated unfairlythey will be advised and assisted to make formal complaint under the corporatecomplaints procedure.16 17

Foster a FutureStatement of PurposeIn general, applicants should be at least 21 years old, in good health and live withinthe North East Region. We welcome people from any ethnic, cultural or religiousbackground; who already have children; who don’t have any children; who aresingle; who are part of a couple; who are lesbian or gay and who are employed orunemployed.Children and young people must be guaranteed the highest standards of safe careand the Fostering Service will undertake police and other statutory checks ofapplicants as well as interview referees.Approval of Foster CarersAfter satisfactory completion of the Training Programme, the prospective foster careris assessed by an assessing social worker from the Fostering Service. This assessment isa legal requirement. The assessing social workers use the BAAF Assessment format.This is the opportunity for the applicant to evidence their potential ability to care fora looked after child. The completed assessment is brought before the FosteringPanel. Only the Fostering Panel can recommend the approval and registration of afoster carer for the service to the Agency Decision Maker, and it is this person(currently the Head of Children’s Social Care) who will make the final decision.Foster carers and shared care carers are approved by the Fostering Panel, whichnormally consists of the following people:• Chair (a senior manager)• Panel Adviser (Fostering Service Manager)• Legal Advisor (Newcastle Law)• Medical Advisor• Panel Administrator• Foster Carer (for another agency)• Elected Member of the City Council• Child Care Social Worker• Team Manager, Education Achievement team• Specialist Nurse, Looked After Children (Also Vice Chair of the Panel)• CAHMS representativeAs well as recommending to the Agency Decision Maker the approval andregistration of a Foster Carer, the Fostering Panel can also recommend furthertraining and assessment prior to approval or further training and assessment afterapproval. The Fostering Panel can also recommend that a foster carer be removedfrom the register and their approval terminated. The recommendations of theFostering Panel can be appealed in writing, in which case the Fostering Panel mustgive consideration to the reasons for the appeal. Following appeal the decision ofthe Agency Decision Maker is deemed to be final. In addition Foster Carers can alsorequest there case be reviewed by the Independent Review Mechanism.Foster Carer TrainingNewcastle City Council takes a competency based approach to valuing the experienceand enhancing the skills of foster carers throughout their fostering careers.The Training Coordinator is a skilled and experienced social worker in the FosteringTeam who leads the training programme for prospective foster carers and also forfoster carers who are already approved. Social workers from the Fostering Service,the Adoption Team and Professionals from other services deliver the trainingprogramme working alongside the Training Coordinator. Some of these professionalsinclude a Consultant Child Psychiatrist, the Specialist Nurse for Looked AfterChildren, and Education Welfare Officers.Training is closely linked to the Fostering Core Competencies and the requirementsof the CWDC Standards for Foster Carers. Applicant’s progress and understanding isreflected in work books, which help to provide evidence towards their competencybasedassessment by a social worker at the pre-approval stage and at post approvalby the supervising social worker. Where carers have a partner, both partners mustcover all training. The pre-approval training programme is a four day training event.All approved foster carers are encouraged to attend identified training events aspart of their progression, or to undertake specific training activities identified bytheir supervising social workers or identified during their reviews.The training programme is fully supported by a range of audio-visual materials and acomprehensive selection of reading materials.Newcastle City Council has a commitment to equal opportunities and all Panelmembers are required to sign a declaration on appointment, which includesobserving the data protection and confidentiality statutory and policy requirements.18 19

Foster a FutureStatement of PurposePre-approval training content includes:Day 1• Confidentiality• Why are children and young peoplefostered?• The Legal Framework• A Case Study• What are the Skills of the FosterCarer?• Fostering Provision – types ofplacement• Valuing Diversity• Identity – What’s in a name?• Equality, Inclusion and Discrimination• Child Development• Remit of the Fostering Role• Competency Based AssessmentDay 2• Health• Education• Staying safe• Disability• Beginning a placement• Attachment, separation and loss• Positive interaction cycle• Life story work• Allegations against foster carersDay 3• Discipline and you• Discipline and foster children• Managing behaviour• Positive approaches to challengingbehaviours• Building understanding• Behaviour checklist• Record keeping• Writing reports• Attending meetings• Making a complaint• Listening to children• Endings – helping the child move onDay 4• Staying Safe• Child abuse• Managing risk• Safe Care Policy• Advocacy and Advice Service• Fostering Network• Networks of support• E learning and the internetPost-approval training content for 2009 – 2010 includes:• Adoption Act• Emotional Well Being andManagingbehaviours• Beating bullying• First Aid• This is me• Safe caring update• Drugs awareness• Resources workshop• Attachment, separation and loss• Moving on• Family learning• Personal Education Plans• Health outcomes• Eating Disorders• Every Child Matters• Drug dependent babies• ADHD• Compassion fatigue• Health and disability workshop• Valuing diversity• Sex and sexuality (answeringchildren’s questions)Foster Carer Support• Soiling (psychological aspects)• Health and hygiene• HIV workshop• Relationships• Life Story Work• Autistic Spectrum DisorderMandatory Training:• First Aid• Managing Behaviour• Safe Care• Health (Comprising: Sexual Health,Mental Health, Nutrition, StopSmoking Service, Alcohol andSubstance Abuse, Physical Activity andAccessing Health Service/HealthAssessments including confidentialityissues.Foster Carers also have access to LSCBTraining Courses whereupon theyattend alongside other professionalsinvolved in the care of Newcastle’sLooked after Children.The Fostering Service values the work of foster carers and recognises that theirs is acomplex, demanding and challenging task. Giving consistent, dedicated andappropriate support to foster carers is, therefore, a high priority for the FosteringService and this is achieved by:• ensuring every foster carer has their own dedicated supervising social worker whowill visit them frequently to provide support, supervision, practical assistance andadvice• Ensuring that in the absence of the supervising social worker the foster carer hasaccess during office hours to the Duty Social Worker and if necessary to theDeputy Fostering Manager or Fostering Manager• ensuring foster carers have access by telephone to support from qualified andexperienced foster carers outside of office hours and can access advice andassistance from qualified social workers from the Emergency Duty Team20 21

Foster a FutureStatement of Purpose• offering frequent training to foster carers throughout the year thereby helping tobuild on skills and providing and opportunity to meet with other carers• enabling foster carers to meet with the Manager of the Fostering Unit to discussany concerns• ensuring foster carers from the Black Ethnic Minority Communities have their owndedicated support worker with community language skills• informing foster carers how to access additional support and advice fromFostering Under Newcastle (FUN) and the Foster Carers Association (FCA).Reviews of Foster CarersThe local authority has a duty to carry out an annual review of all approved fostercarers to ensure that carers and their household continue to provide a suitableservice to children looked after by the social services department.Reviews are undertaken 6 months after approval and annually thereafter carers mustbe re-approved by the Fostering Panel or the Review Panel at every review.The Foster Carer and Shared Care Reviewing Officers are managed independently ofthe Fostering Service to:• Enable the Local Authority to satisfy itself that the care being provided is of anacceptable standard and that children are adequately cared for in placement.• Review all the placements in the foster home to determine whether these havebeen appropriate in terms of the capacity of the carer to meet the needs of eachparticular child or young person• Provide reassurance to the familiesof children and young people incare placements that good carestandards are being maintainedand that the carer's performance ismonitored independently of theFostering Service.Procedures for the investigation of allegations orcomplaints made against foster carersThe local authority has the responsibility for ensuring that children are protected fromsignificant harm as defined by the Children Act 1989, and for the investigation of anyallegation or report of such harm. Foster carers understand the need for children to beprotected from harm and for the speedy and thorough investigation of concerns.The investigation of child protection concerns is conducted in accordance withSection 47 of the Children Act and in compliance with the local procedures of theArea Children’s Safeguarding Board. All child protection concerns are investigatedindependently of the Fostering Service to ensure that there is no conflict of interest.Currently the guidelines suggest that the area Children and Family Team will conductthe investigation, but the local authority may consider other arrangements, such asfor example asking another local authority Social Services to become involved,depending on the circumstances of the case.The investigation may also be conducted jointly with the Police. During the processof the investigation it is important to ensure the safety of the child as of paramountimportance. For this reason the child may be moved from his or her foster carer toanother placement.Statutory Guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children (2006) sets out howorganisations must work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of allchildren. The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) must be informed of allallegations that come to an employer's attention. The LADO and the employer willdiscuss whether the allegation meets the criteria so that the LADO can consultChildren's Social Care or the Police as appropriate. Even what may appear to be 'lessserious' allegations must be followed up and examined objectively by the LADO.The local authority recognises the importance of providing foster carers with anappropriate level of support and advice during the process of a child protectioninvestigation. Arrangements have been made to ensure that the foster carer will beprovided with support and advocacy from an agency that is independent from thelocal authority so that no conflict of interest may arise. The supervising social workerfrom the Fostering Service will continue to liaise with the foster carer but will beunable to support the carer in an advocacy role until the investigation is completed.The support and advocacy service to foster carers is currently provided by FosteringNetwork, and their telephone number and other contact details are available fromthe Fostering Service. Support and advice to foster carers is also provided by FosteringUnder Newcastle (FUN), which is the association of Newcastle’s foster carers.A child or young person may make a complaint that does not fall within the scope ofthe child protection guidelines. All children and young people in foster placementsreceive, if age-appropriate, a leaflet giving details of how to make a complaint usingthe formal Children’s Services Directorate’s complaints procedure. This is a ThreeStage process with an emphasis on early resolution. At stage 1 of the procedure a2223

Foster a FutureStatement of Purposemanager (usually the fostering manager) will investigate the complaint. At stage 2there is an independent investigation and a response from the Head of Children’sSocial Care. At stage 3 the complaint is reviewed by the Complaints Review Panel,which is chaired independently of the local authority. The outcome off anyallegations or complaints made against foster carers will be reported to the FosteringPanel for consideration and recommendation.There is a Children’s Complaints Officer to assist children and young people inmaking complaints, and children in foster carer are provided with the contact detailsfor this officer. The child’s own social worker will also help and advise the child asnecessary, and this is sometimes an appropriate task for the foster carer too. Childrenand young people have access to independent advocacy services.There was one complaint during the period 1.04.09 to 31.03.10 made in respect offoster carers. This was investigated through the corporate complaints procedure andwas not upheld. The Looked after Child in placement was satisfied with the responsefrom fostering at Stage 1 of the complaint.Distribution of this Statement• The Statement of Purpose is provided to all foster carers by their supervising socialworkers• The Statement of Purpose are made available to the parents and family membersof a child or young person cared for in a foster placement by the social workerfrom the Children and Family Team.• Copies are provided to all social workers in the area teams.• Copies are available to those enquiring about becoming foster carers.• Copies are available to social workers, other professional colleagues and tomembers of the public in the area social work offices.• Copies are available from the Fostering Service upon request. Contact details are:Fostering Unit, Children Service Directorate, Sheriff Leas Office Springfield Road,Blakelaw, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tel: (0191) 2772430• A summary of the Statement of Purpose is available on the internet.• A summary of the Statement is available form the Fostering Service in communitylanguages and in Braille.ConsultationNewcastle’s Fostering Service welcomes any feedback you might wish to give afterreading this Statement of Purpose. You can make your views known about theFostering Service by passing them to your social worker. Alternatively, you can writeto or telephone the Manager of the Fostering Unit. Your views are important andwill be taken into consideration when making decisions about the running of theFostering Service.Comments“I lived at Jane’s house for five years. Sometimes I was cheeky and I ran way a fewtimes. Jane helped me and talked to me a lot. She helped me go to school and learnthings. When I was 16 I left Jane and went back to my Mam. Jane gave me lots ofhelp and really cared about me.I am now on a training scheme and it’s good. I still go and see Jane sometimes. I liketo talk to her about things that are going on for me now.”John aged 16“I have been in my placement with Karen for four years. I didn’t know what toexpect when I came in to care. I was very scared and sad but Karen was very good.She listened to me and explained why I couldn’t be with my mam and dad.Karen was always there when I wanted to talk. She helped me a lot.”Adam aged 15“I am going to be with Janice for a long time - maybe ‘til I’m 16. I like being herebecause Janice looks after me and helps me lots.I didn’t know what to expect when I came to live here. I am happy here although Imiss my mam sometimes.”Paul aged 12“When I took early retirement after more than 20 years in teaching, I thought itwould be a shame to let my skills and experiences go to waste. I eventually decidedto foster, as I wanted to try and help children achieve their ambitions and give themthe opportunity to succeed in life.Any little help I can provide gives me great satisfaction and seeing a smile appear ona child’s face is the most wonderful reward a carer can receive. I would strongly urgeeverybody to consider some type of fostering. The skills we acquire throughout lifeare the most important gifts we can pass on to the next generation.”Helen, foster carer and retired teacher, Heaton24 25

FAF Statement of purpose version 2 May 201026For more information please contact us on: 0191 277 2430www.newcastle.gov.ukfosterafuture@newcastle.gov.ukFostering Service, Sheriff Leas Office, Springfield Road,Blakelaw, Newcastle upon Tyne NE5 3DSAll pictures posed by models.