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4.2.4 Placements with Family and Friends - Connected Persons

AMENDMENT

This chapter was updated in June 2011 to take into account the new regulations which came in to effect in April 2011 in the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 (Care Planning Regulations) and Associated Guidance .Regulations 24 and 25 set out the arrangements for the temporary approval of a Connected person. As with any other placement Ealing Borough Council must be satisfied that the placement is the most suitable means to safeguard and promote the child's welfare (section 22).

See Regulations, Guidance and National Minimum Standards April 2011 Quick Reference Guide


Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Responsibilities for Undertaking Assessments of Family and Friends - Connected Persons
  3. Before a Child can be Placed with a Connected Person the Following Must Occur
  4. Statutory Checks
  5. Financial Support
  6. Carers Should be Informed
  7. Guidance for Presenting Cases to the Fostering Panel
  8. Referrals to the Kinship Team
  9. Appendix : Children's Services Agreement Form


1. Introduction

1.1

This guidance only applies to placements of looked after children with a Connected Person where the carers are not already approved as foster carers.

A Connected Person is defined as "A relative, friend or other person connected with a child.  The latter is someone who would not fit the term 'relative or friend', but who has a pre-existing relationship with the child.  It could be someone who knows the child in a more professional capacity such as (for example) a child-minder, a teacher or a youth worker."

Relative is defined as "a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt (whether of the full blood or half blood or by marriage or civil partnership) or step-parent."

The procedure sets out the checks that need to be made before such a placement can be made.

It also covers the procedure to be followed to carry out the required assessment and approval of the Connected Person as short term foster carers if the placement is to last longer than 16 weeks.
1.2 This guidance does not apply to children who are not looked after, to placements with parents or others who hold parental responsibility, privately fostered children or emergency placements with approved foster carers.


2. Responsibilities for Undertaking Assessments of Family and Friends - Connected Persons

2.1 The child's Social Worker should undertake an initial assessment jointly with a Deputy Team Manager or in his or her absence another experienced Social Worker.
2.2 If there is capacity in the Kinship Team a social worker from the team will undertake a joint visit with the child's social worker.  This should be requested via the Kinship Team Manager.
2.3 The child's Social Worker is responsible for taking the completed initial assessment to the Fostering Panel.
2.4 Once the initial assessment is completed the case should be referred to the Kinship Team who will complete the full assessment of the relative or friend as a short term foster carer.


3. Before a Child can be Placed with a Connected Person the Following Must Occur

3.1 The Social Worker must visit the proposed carers' home in order to assess their suitability.  The assessment is likely to require more than one visit, which may occur after the child is being placed in order to provide sufficient information to the Fostering Panel.
3.2 This assessment must be recorded on Part One Record of Key Information and Part 2 Assessment of Family & Friends Carers. These forms should be fully completed. Guidance on the areas to cover within your assessment accompanies Part 2.  This form is available from the Kinship Team.  It will shortly be available on the intranet.
3.3 Information should be obtained about all persons living in the household and any regular visitors, including their full names, dates of birth, any previous involvement with social services or in criminal activity.  Their identity must be verified by seeing, for example their passport or driving licence.
3.4 All household members over the age of sixteen should be interviewed.
3.5 The Social Worker must inspect the accommodation paying particular attention to issues of health and safety, and the proposed sleeping arrangements.
3.6 The names of three referees and their contact details should be obtained and recorded on the form Part One Record of Information.  Two of these referees should not be family members.
3.7 The Carers must sign a written agreement prior to the placement of a child.  This is attached to this guidance and also available on the Intranet.
3.8 In order to place a child with Family and Friends -Connected Persons  the agreement of the Operations Manager of the service is required. This agreement and the date it is given must be recorded on Part One Record of Key Information.


4. Statutory Checks

4.1

The child's Social Worker must before a child is placed;

  • Check whether the carers, any members of their family living with them or regular visitors are known to Children's Services. 
  • Contact the Police Child Abuse Investigation Unit to ascertain whether the carer and any adult members over the age of 16 living in the household have any criminal convictions that might place the child at risk of suffering significant harm if placed with them.
  • Details of all  these checks must be recorded on Part One Record of Information


5. Financial Support

5.1 Once the child is placed all family and friends' foster carers are entitled to receive a weekly allowance for the child.  This is based on the Fostering Network's minimum recommended levels to meet the needs of the child and should be spent on the child or saved for him or her.  Details of the allowance that is payable is available from the Kinship Team.
5.2 These payments can only be made by the Kinship Team. Therefore whenever a placement is made the Kinship Team Manager must be notified by e-mail of the placement and they will ensure that payments are set up once the carer's bank details are received.
5.3 In order to ensure that payments can be set up the child's Social Worker must obtain the carers bank details, scan these and send them by e mail to the Kinship Team Manager.  This form is attached to this guidance and is also available on the Intranet.


6. Carers Should be Informed

6.1 Their assessment will need to be taken to the Fostering panel in order to obtain approval of them as foster carers specifically for the child in their care
6.2 That once the child is placed the carer will receive support through a supervising Social Worker from the Kinship Team and that the assessment process will continue.
6.3 A copy of the completed assessment must be sent to the carer and the child's Social Worker should record on the child's file that the agreement to proceed has been given or the reasons why it has been refused.
6.4 The requirements for statutory checks to be undertaken should be explained and carers asked to give their written consent to these checks.  Every household member over the age of 16 must undergo full CRB checks.   Applicants must complete a full medical assessment and Local Authority, housing, environmental health, OFSTEAD must be undertaken on the applicants.  These checks will be undertaken by the Kinship Team apart from the CAIT and SSD check, which should be completed by the area team prior to placement.


7. Guidance for Presenting Cases to the Fostering Panel

7.1 On completion of the assessment the child's social worker will book the case into the Fostering Panel.  This must occur within six weeks of the child being placed.
7.2 Details of panel dates are available from the panel administrator or the Kinship Team.
7.3 The child's Social Worker should contact the panel administrator on extension 5043 and ask that the case is booked into the next panel.  The child's Social Worker will be asked to complete the panel front sheet giving brief information about what the panel is being asked to consider and the assessment can be e mailed to the administrator.  The administrator will notify you of the time the case will be heard by the Fostering Panel and the venue.
7.4 The child's Social Worker and their supervisor must attend the Fostering Panel to present their assessment.
7.5 The panel may give approval for a specified period, whilst the kinship team undertake the full fostering assessment.


8. Referrals to the Kinship Team

8.1

A referral to the Kinship Team will only be accepted when the following documentation is received by the Kinship Team Manage

  • Part One and Two completed and sent to Kinship Team Manager
  • Area Team to specify what assessment they are seeking e.g. STF
  • Bank details to be scanned and e mailed to the Kinship Team Manager so payments can commence and be back dated as required (bank detail form is attached to this guidance)
  • Signed Family Friends - Connected Persons placement agreement scanned and e mailed to the Kinship Team Manager.
8.2 The kinship Team will complete a full assessment of the family and friend carer as short term kinship foster carers and present to the fostering panel for approval as short term foster carers.


Appendix: Children's Services Agreement form

Click here to view Children's Services Agreement form

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