Permanence in Fostering

The authority has a commitment to ensure the child's needs for a permanent home is addressed and a permanence plan made at the earliest opportunity. The aim is to ensure that each child has an agreed permanence plan in place by the second Looked After Review (see Looked After Review Procedure).

The expectation is that all children under the age of 16 will have a permanency plan; this can range from an eventual return home, a long term placement with a foster carer, a Special Guardianship order, a Child Arrangement Order or adoption. For those 16 years plus, the expectation is that their permanency will be addressed through a pathway plan.

Permanence Process

Where a child has made significant and strong attachments to their current carers, it may well be that those carers are best placed to provide a permanent placement for the child. However, no assumptions should be made that existing foster carers or other parties requesting to become permanent carers for the child are necessarily best placed to do so, and no requests should be made directly to foster carers to consider becoming a permanent carer for a child. 

Where this is deemed appropriate, this should first be discussed with the foster carer's supervising social worker, who can explore this option with the foster carer. If it appears to be a viable option, then the foster carer will undergo an assessment as a potential permanent carer for the child. This process may take place alongside assessments of other applicants.

If a child is placed with a connected person, discussions regarding permanence should already have been undertaken as part of the viability assessment and subsequent fostering assessment. It is our expectation that in the vast majority of cases a Special Guardianship Order will be pursued and completed within 12 months of commencement of placement. All Special Guardianship orders will have a robust support plan and access to support post order.

If the plan for the child is long term fostering and they are unable to remain with their existing carer, a family finding social worker will be identified from the Fostering Service who will co-ordinate all family finding activity.

If the plan for the child is long term fostering with their existing mainstream foster carer and everyone is in agreement with this plan, then the supervising social worker in conjunction with the child's social worker will complete all necessary tasks, including presenting the match to the Fostering  and Permanency Panel.

If the plan for the child is long term fostering with their existing IFA foster carer and everyone is in agreement with this plan, agreement must be sought from the Head of Service  as to the funding arrangements and Children's Commissioning Officer  must undertake the negotiations with the IFA provider. Once agreed the child's social worker in conjunction with the supervising social worker from the IFA provider will complete all necessary tasks, including presenting the match to the Fostering and Permanency panel.

Identification of Placements

The identification of a suitable placement is a joint responsibility between the child's social worker and the family finding social worker. It will be based on agreed actions to be taken by both parties. As the identification of suitable placements is an ongoing process, regular reviews should be undertaken.

Where it is the case that the most appropriate route to permanence is long-term foster care, the regulations set out the arrangements for making such a placement, including:

• That foster care is the plan for permanence and is recorded in the child's care plan, (Reg 5(a));
• That the foster carer has agreed to act as the child's foster carer until the child ceases to be looked after;
• That the responsible authority has confirmed the nature of the arrangement with the foster carer(s), the birth parent and the child; and
• The child and foster carer have a clear understanding of the support services they will receive to promote the placement.

The assessment and planning process for long-term foster care should address the child's current needs and likely future needs, and the capacity of the foster carer to meet these needs now and in the future. The length of placement will vary according to the child's age and the long-term plan for the child, including the transition to adulthood. These factors must all be taken into account in planning for support and services where long - term foster care has been identified as the plan for permanence for a child.

Before deciding to place a child in a long-term foster placement, (whether or not this means moving to a new carer) the ability of the identified long-term foster carer to care for the child both now and in the future should be assessed. The support and services which will be needed to ensure that the placement is stable, secure and meets the child's needs should be identified taking into account the carers previous fostering or other childcare experience, family configuration (including placement of other children under fostering arrangements), existing relationship (if any) with the child, knowledge and skills and capacity to care for the child long term under a fostering arrangement.

It is imperative that the foster carer fully understands and explicitly agrees to the long term commitment they are making to the child [regulation 22B (2)(f)]. A record of the discussion of these matters including the outcome should be made as part of the assessment/matching process.

The decision to place a child in a long-term foster placement with a particular foster carer should be discussed and recorded as part of the review process. This decision should then be recorded in the placement plan and agreed and signed by the foster carer [regulation 9(3)].

Where it is agreed that the child will be placed in a long-term foster placement, this should be communicated clearly to the foster carer, the child's parents or any other person who is not a parent but has parental responsibility and the child. (Reg 2(1)).

Where the decision has been taken that the plan for permanence is long-term foster care and the child is in an existing foster care placement, it may be that the carer and (where appropriate) the child want the existing foster placement to be the long-term foster placement. Such a proposal should be considered in a reasonable timescale taking into account the existing relationship between the child and the foster carer, the length of time in placement, the child's relationships with the foster carers wider family and community. Consideration should also be given to the progress the child has made in the placement, recorded through the case review process.

There may be circumstances where it is not considered appropriate to assess the ability of the current foster carer as the long-term carer for the child. In these instances, the reasons for this decision should be clearly set out in writing to the foster carer. This decision should also be communicated to the child where it is appropriate to their age and understanding.

Matching Process

Regardless of which permanency option is pursued, the ability of any carer to meet the long term needs of a child must be addressed through a matching meeting and a matching report must be completed: 

• For children under 15, all permanent matches must be approved by the Fostering  and permanency panel;
• For children aged 15 plus, their permanence plan will be agreed by at their Statutory Review;
• For fostering matches, the following papers must be supplied to panel or the IRO;
• Family's Form F or PAR, completed or updated within the last 12 months;
• The Child Permanence Report, completed or updated within the last 6 months;
• Matching report, based on the outcome of the matching meeting;
• LAC Review minutes where decision made to support the placement as long-term (only if presenting to Fostering and Permanency Panel).

Disruption of a long term placement

Once the Fostering  and Permanency panel has recommended a match for a child and the Agency Decision Maker has decided this is the most appropriate plan for a child, the placement will become long term. 

In the event of a disruption resulting in the child having to leave their long term placement, an urgent foster carer review will be conducted within 2 weeks.