De-Registration
As foster carers, details and information relating to their approval status are kept in the form of a register. When a person or a couple are approved as foster carers, they might give notice to terminate their approval and to leave the fostering agency which requires that their names be de-registered by their Agency.
The Fostering Agency might also decide to terminate a Foster Carer’s approval which will also require de-registration.
Difficult behaviour
Children can sometimes exhibit behaviour that can be difficult to manage all Fostering Agencies state that physical punishment is never in the carer’s or the child’s best interest. All Agencies have a ‘no smacking’ policy for foster carers and it is made clear that there is an expectation that foster carers should never physically chastise a foster child.
Disability
Foster carers should be committed to the principle that children are children first and that discrimination and disablism needs to be properly challenged wherever they present a barrier to the development and potential of children and young people.
Local Authorities assess the needs of children with disabilities as defined by the Children Act 1989 and ensure that they are living in families or other appropriate settings in the community where their assessed needs are adequately met and reviewed.
Social Workers assess disabled children’s needs working in partnership with children and their families. Ways of meeting needs by should be assessed using local resources that promote choice, independence and inclusion. Local Authorities provide Short Break carers for regular planned short breaks for children with disabilities.
Disabled children are those children with physical impairments, sensory impairments (including deaf children and blind children) children with learning difficulties and some children with emotional difficulties.
Drug Abuse
Drug abuse is an increasing problem amongst young people and all children can be tempted to take or experiment with drugs, no matter where they live, which school they attend, how intelligent they are or regardless of their home circumstances.
If foster carers are concerned that a child placed with them could be using drugs they should contact the child’s Social Worker to discuss these concerns.
Some possible indications of drug abuse:- sudden changes of mood
- unusually irritable
- loss of appetite
- periods of drowsiness or sleepiness
- increased evidence of telling lies or secretive behaviour
- unexplained loss of money or belongings from the home
- unusual smells, stains or marks on the body, clothes or around the house
However, many of these signs are easily confused with those of normal growing up and it is important not to jump to conclusions, foster carers should speak to their fostering social worker and child’s social worker if there are concerns.
Eating Problems
Children vary a great deal in the way that they eat. Some will eat anything offered and others are more particular. These differences are to be expected, and usually should not be a cause for concern.
However, some eating problems can be serious and can have a detrimental effect on a child’s physical and emotional health. The most common of these ‘eating disorders’ are Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia and Compulsive Eating Disorder.
Anorexia Nervosa:- Young people who suffer from Anorexia Nervosa have an extreme fear of what is accepted as normal body weight and feel fat. Even when they have lost so much weight that it becomes obvious to others, they feel overweight.
- They may starve themselves by eating tiny quantities of food. Some young people angrily resist attempts to get them to eat or will pretend to have eaten when they have not.
- Usually affects older people, although adolescents do suffer from it. People with Bulimia go on ‘binges’ and then make themselves sick.
- They may also take large amounts of laxatives. They may not look overweight or underweight, which can make their eating problems difficult to detect.
- People, who eat compulsively, consume much more food than their bodies need over a long period, or use food to comfort or distract themselves.
- They may become grossly overweight, which can lead to serious medical problems.
Eating problems, which frequently show during adolescence, should be taken seriously. As well as having an adverse effect on a young person’s physical health, eating disorders are often a sign that something is troubling them emotionally.
Eating disorders affect many more girls than boys, but it is important to remember that boys also suffer from them. If foster carers are concerned about the eating habits of a child placed with them, they should discuss their concerns with the fostering social worker and contact the child’s social worker.
Education
Looked after children often experience disrupted education due to changes in
their care placements. This directly impacts on their attainment, and children in care do not achieve to the same level as their peers. It is essential that foster carers are proactive and ensure that they work in partnership with schools, social workers and education.
Foster carers play a very important role in the education of foster children. Foster carers need to be committed to a child’s education by expressing preferences for schools and appealing against decisions which they feel will harm the children and young people’s future chances. Foster carers are expected to attend parent’s evenings and sports days.
School is an important part of everyday life for looked after children and it is often the only stable aspect of their lives. Fostered children should receive priority action by all involved to support their education.
Every looked after child is entitled to a Personal Education Plan (PEP)
PEP’sPEP’s should ensure each child receives access and support to services which:
- contribute to stability
- minimises disruption and interrupted schooling
- identifies particular and special needs
- establish clear goals and who is responsible for achieving them
- act as a record of progress and achievement
The PEP should run concurrently with the Care Plan and should be set up in the first instance within 4 weeks of a child coming into care. It should subsequently be reviewed in line with looked after children’s statutory reviews. Foster carers should participate in its completion, as this will ensure that there is regular communication between the foster home and school. Foster carers should be given copies of completed PEPs.
ExclusionsIf a young person is excluded from school for a fixed period it is the duty of the school to inform the foster carers in writing within one day, of the reasons for the exclusion and the number of days the exclusion is for.
Whilst the young person is excluded the school must:- Provide appropriate work for them to do at home
- Put in place measures to try and support the young person to avoid future exclusions.
- Provide carers with the name of a contact person should they wish to appeal the exclusion
- Be clear about the length of the exclusion and the date and time the pupil should return to school
- If the exclusion is permanent the school must inform the carers in writing within one day clearly stating the date that the exclusion took place
- Give details of previous warnings or fixed term exclusions
- Provide carers with the name and number of the Local Education Authority advisor on the exclusion process
- attend parent’s evenings and all foster child related meetings
- encourage where appropriate the natural parent’s involvement
- support the school’s policies on discipline and dress
- taking an interest in the daily activities at school
- complete homework diaries
- support school events
- reward achievement
Emergencies
All Local Authorities and Independent Fostering Agencies have their own procedures, which may have differences. However, generally, if an emergency happens for example, if a foster child or young person has an accident, is missing, is in trouble with the Police, or any incident which requires urgent attention, the foster carer should contact the Local Authority Social Services their foster children were placed by, and their fostering social worker immediately.
During normal office hours foster carers should contact the child’s social worker. If they are unavailable, speak to the relevant team manager. If this is not possible speak to the ‘duty’ social worker. If the area office is closed contact the ‘Emergency Duty Team’. All foster carers will have the EDT contact number.
Endings - Moving on, letting go
It is vital that foster carers help the child or young person feel secure and reassured about moving on, as well as showing their continuing concern for the child’s future. The child’s ability to settle after the move will depend to a large extent on the confidence adult's show in the plan.
Placements can end suddenly, and the child or young person might find it difficult to handle goodbyes. An abrupt ending can leave carers feeling hurt and angry and it may be some time before the feelings of disappointment diminish.
Even when foster carers have not had a particularly easy relationship with a child, they may find that they miss them.
It may not always be appropriate to keep in touch when the child moves on, but photographs can act as important keepsakes.
Exemptions to the Usual Fostering Limit
The limit of children foster carers can look after at any one time is usually three. This does not include own children, any children being child minded or children under the Adoption Agency Regulations, or on a Residence Order.
An exemption is required in the specific situation in which a foster carer is asked to look after more than 3 children who are not all part of a sibling group.
Approval of the local authority in whose area the foster carer lives has to be applied for, usually by the fostering social worker.
Extension (or Variation)
A change of a foster carer’s approval is required when a placement falls outside the foster carer’s terms of approval which might be the number, age or gender, type of foster care or fostering task or the length of the placement.
Print this page 
Top of page 