Fostering 

What foster carers do 

• Support for Carers 

  We appreciate that fostering can be a demanding task and are committed to providing our carers with the support that they need.

  We are talking to our current carers and redesigning our support services to ensure that they are what carers want.

  We are also redesigning our training package to ensure that they are relevant to the work that foster carers do and are working toward all foster carers obtaining a Nationally recognised NVQ qualification in childcare.

  Once approved all foster carers are allocated a dedicated fostering social worker whose task is to support carers with individual placements and to help them identify their learning needs.

  As part of a team we welcome ideas for improving support and training from foster carers.

  Payments
  Whilst money is not everything we are committed to ensuring that our foster carers are paid enough to cover the costs involved in looking after a child.

  The amount paid to each foster carer is calculated on an individual basis according to the age of the child.

   

• Types of Foster Care 

  Long term placements
  Many foster carers have a definite interest in providing placements for children or young people or sibling groups on a long term/permanent fostering basis, usually for the remainder of a child's or young person's minority.

  Bridging placements
  This generally forms part of a longer-term plan for a child or young person. In these cases, foster carers work with the children or young people to prepare them for joining adoptive or long term/permanent fostering families or for moving to semi-independent or independent living arrangements.

  Assessment placements
  These usually last up to 3 months during which time a detailed assessment is made of the needs of the child or young person and the specific support services they require.

  Short term placements
  Foster carers work with the child or young person and their families for up to 6 weeks after which the child will either return home or move on.

  Private fostering
  Private fostering is an arrangement a parent makes for their child to live with someone who is not a close relative or guardian, for longer than 28 days.

  Emergency placements
  Foster carers are able to accept unforeseen emergency placements for individual children or sibling groups, 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

  Parent and child placements
  Placements for mothers and/or fathers and their child, where foster carers can provide guidance to parents and help them develop parenting skills.

  Solo placements
  Provide a higher level of support, supervision and care for children and young people whose needs are very specific and complex.

  Enhanced placements
  These placements are intended for children and young people with care histories that include a variety of previous foster placements.

  Day foster care
  This involves specially trained foster parents or carers who provide care for a child on a daily basis. This takes place in the home of the foster parent and this child returns to his or her home each night.

  Short break foster care
  Very short term care for disabled children in order to help support a family. This may mean looking after a child, or sibling group for anything from a couple of days, weekends, to a week or 2 at a time.

   

• Private Fostering 

  If your child is living with someone else you may have a private fostering arrangement.

  What is private fostering?
  It is an arrangement a parent makes for their child to live with someone who is not a close relative or guardian, for longer than 28 days.

  A close relative or guardian is defined as a step-parent, grandparent, sibling, aunt or uncle, or someone who has parental responsibility.

  If you care for someone else's child, who is under the age of 16 years (or 18 years if disabled) for 28 days or more, at any one time, and you are not a guardian or close relative, you are privately fostering.

  It is estimated that approximately 20,000 children in the United Kingdom live away from home in private fostering arrangements. However, less than 50% of these arrangements are registered.

  What do you need to do?
  Both the parent of the child and those providing the child's care must inform the council of the arrangement at least 6 weeks before it begins.

  If you are currently caring for someone else's child, and you have not informed the local authority, you must do so immediately.

  Why do I need to inform my local authority?
  Although it is a private agreement between parents and care providers, there are now regulations about how a privately fostered child is looked after. The local authority has a duty and responsibility to check these regulations are carried out.

  Caring for someone else's child is a big responsibility. You need to love and care for this child, work in partnership with the parents, regardless of where the parents live, and be able to 'let go' of the child when their time with you comes to an end.

  The local authority will offer you support in meeting these commitments, as well as offer you advice if you are considering privately fostering someone else's child.

  Who do I contact in my local authority
  You can contact the Duty and Assessment Team on 020 8227 3882, 020 8227 3852 or 020 8227 3860.

  Someone will arrange to visit you to talk about the circumstances and how they can best support you and the child.

  If you are the child's parent, we will help you to make sure your child is kept safe and cared for, during the time you are unable to have your child with you.

   

• Pitstop Project: Be part of a winning team 

  What is the Pitstop Project?
  The Pitstop Project is a short-term fostering service for young people, aged between 7 and 11, who have complex difficulties in terms of challenging and difficult behaviour, and need to be cared for away from their own families.

  These young people need special intensive care and support on a 'one to one' basis.

  You will be part of a multi-disciplinary team, which includes a clinical psychologist, and together you will help to shape the child's development through a variety of learning and behavioural models.

  How does the Pitstop Project work?
  The Pitstop Project is a specialised form of foster care, known as Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care. It is based on Social Learning Theory, and was developed in Oregon, United States of America.

  The model is made up of different elements including:

  • Intensive support and training for foster carers
  • A programme of support for the child
  • Liaison with schools by the Education Worker
  • Family therapy with the child's original family

  What kind of people are we looking for?
  As a Pitstop Project carer you must be:

  • Flexible, calm, positive, patient and resilient
  • Willing to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team
  • Able to fully commit to a child for between 9 to 12 months
  • Committed to working with both the child and their family

  We welcome applications from couples, and also single households (as long as you have access to a strong support network); in either case you must be contactable and available to the child at all times. If employed your work arrangement must be flexible, so that you are able to provide care outside of school hours and can respond to any need during the day.

  It is also preferable for you to have previous experience of parenting a child or working with children and young people.

  Do you get paid?
  Yes. As well as receiving a standard fostering allowance to provide the child with food, clothing and other essentials, you will also be paid a salary in recognition of the work you are doing with the child and the team.

  How can you get more information?
  The best way to get more information is to call us for an informal chat about the project. This initial conversation will help you to decide if this project is something that you would like to get involved in and will help us to assess if you are suitable.

  However, if you don't want to call us just yet a leaflet has been produced which has more detailed information about the Pitstop Project. This includes information about how the project works, the type of people we are looking for, the children who need placements and the application process.

  What to do next
  If you want more information or are already interested in becoming a Pitstop Project carer, the first step in the application process is to have an informal chat with us. So please call us on 020 8227 5802 or 020 8227 5822.