Foster Carers' Charter

We recognise that foster carers have skills and expertise that makes the biggest difference to the everyday lives of children we care for.

We must:

• Value foster carers’ skills and expertise equally to those of other professionals;
• Recognise that foster carers are the people who live with children every day and have valuable insight to the childs needs;
• Include foster carers in all meetings that affect you and the children you care for;
• Ensure that the Fostering Service will comply with fostering regulations and guidance;
• Treat foster carers without discrimination and respect you as part of the team around the child;
• Respect confidentiality.

We know that information is vital so foster carers can provide care that meets the child’s need.

We will:

• Share information we have about the child in order to care safely for them;
• Provide this information in writing prior to placement, or as soon as possible in the case of emergency placements;
• Provide foster carers with information on all financial matters including tax, allowances and additional entitlements;
• Provide foster carers with full details of all relevant policies and procedures.

We recognise that fostering can be an isolating and challenging task and that appropriate and timely support makes all the difference to the fostering family and to the child in your care.

We will:

• Ensure there is a robust training pathway to meet the needs of all carers;
• Respond positively to requests for additional support, including respite/short break support and out of hours support;
• Provide foster carers with regular supervision and phone contact;
• Give foster carers honest and open feedback;
• Provide foster carers with access to 24-hour support from people with fostering expertise;
• Pay foster carers’ allowances, expenses and fees in a timely manner;
• Support foster carers when facilitating contact with birth families;
• Recognise and champion the contribution foster carers and their families make to fostering;
• Have a clear complaints procedure.

We believe that foster carers need  learning and development opportunities throughout their fostering career.

This will ensure they have the skills and knowledge they  need and allow them to develop their practice in order that they can help transform the lives of the children they foster.

We will:

• Ensure all foster carers have an individual annual training plan; all foster carers must attend the mandatory training every 3 years;
• Provide a clear training pathway for other carers;
• Provide foster carers and their family with appropriate, accessible and relevant training by trainers who understand fostering;
• Support foster carers to develop meaningful relationships with the children in their care and the other members of the team around the child;
• Continue to provide all foster carers with development opportunities which make the best use of their skills and expertise, such as mentoring or providing training or support;
• Provide wellbeing sessions to support your own mental health.

We recognise that foster carers have a right to be treated fairly, no matter what the circumstances.

We will:

• Consult with foster carers before changing any terms and conditions;
• Ensure honesty and openness in all of our discussions and communications with foster carers;
• Ensure that you are treated with respect, kept informed and provided with emotional practical and independent external support should you be subject to an allegation;
• Ensure that you know the arrangements for the payment of fees and allowances in the event that you are not able to foster while the subject of an allegation.

We believe that open and honest dialogue is the key to a good relationship.

We will:

• Ensure that we consult with foster carers in a meaningful way on matters that affect you;
• Give foster carers timely feedback from consultations;
• Provide clear information on how foster carers can give us feedback and report concerns.

Foster carers will demonstrate a high standard of care and conduct.

Foster carers will:

• Make all decisions within the best interests of the child;
• Demonstrate expertise and make use of skills to the best of carers’ ability;
• Provide children with a positive experience of family life;
• Attend meetings about the children and young people that carers care for;
• Work with the individuals and agencies involved with the child such as the child’s social worker, Fostering Service, school and health and religious bodies;
• Work with birth parents, wider family and other significant people in a child’s life positively;
• Meet the standards set out in fostering regulations and guidance and follow policies and procedures;
• Inform your supervising social worker about factors that impact on fostering including changes in household; for example: to your health, family circumstances etc.
• Inform your supervising social worker about any difficulties that arise for you and your family that will impact on your ability to foster or meet the child’s needs in your care;
• Inform the child’s social worker about any concerns we have related to the child;
• Respect confidentiality;
• Adhere to the Foster Carer Agreement;
• Maintain an open and honest dialogue with the Fostering Service.

Every child and young person should be respected as an individual and be supported to meet their needs and achieve their aspirations and potential.

Foster carers will:

• Keep a child they care for safe and meet all their needs emotionally and physically;
• Listen to the child and hear what they are communicating through their behaviour;
• Develop a meaningful relationship with the child - understand their needs, support their growth, become an advocate and champion for them, and endeavour to remain in touch with them when they move on;
• Care for the child in a manner that recognises and respects their identity - including their ethnic, religious, linguistic and cultural heritage;
• Afford the same level of protection and care to a child as foster carers would their own child;
• Support the child to make decisions regarding their own lives, as appropriate to their age, understanding and ability;
• Support the child to inform the development of the services which affect their care, as appropriate to their age, understanding and ability.

Foster carers will access learning and development opportunities and update their mandatory training every 3 years throughout their fostering career in accordance with the needs of the children they are caring for. This will ensure they have the skills and knowledge they need and allow them to develop their practice in order that they can help transform the lives of the children they foster.

Foster carers will:

• Be willing and able to develop their skills throughout their fostering career;
• Attend mandatory and relevant training;
• Be willing to attend and contribute to support groups.