Social Work Procedures
SSW Allegations and Complaints Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025Supervising Social Workers (SSWs) are required to comply with the Positive Aspirations Allegations and Complaints Policy and Procedure. This policy outlines how we meet our responsibilities in accordance with the National Minimum Standards and Fostering Regulations. Allegations and complaints related to foster care can range from minor concerns to serious issues. This procedure is based...
SSW Allowances for Foster Carers Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025Purpose and Principles Positive Aspirations is committed to ensuring that all foster carers receive fair, transparent, and supportive financial arrangements which recognise both their professional role and the needs of the children in their care.This procedure sets out how allowances are structured, monitored, and reviewed in a way that promotes stability, dignity, and trauma-informed financial...
SSW Availability to Foster Carers Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025Positive Aspirations Foster Carers have access to supportive and responsive emergency assistance 24/7 to ensure they can protect and keep children safe at all times while feeling supported and confident in their role. Supervising Social Workers (SSWs) must ensure that each foster carer is given their direct work telephone number and understands the best way...
SSW Changing Terms of Approval Outside Panel Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025Purpose and Context Under amended guidance issued in July 2013, the decision to change a foster carer’s terms of approval can be implemented immediately if the foster carer provides written agreement to the change and there is a written statement concerning the foster family’s support needs.Reference: Department of Health: Amendments to the Children Act 1989...
SSW Children’s Advocacy Support Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025Legislative and Regulatory Framework The National Minimum Standard (1) for fostering states: “Children know that their views, wishes and feelings are considered in all aspects of their care; are helped to understand why it may not be possible to act upon their wishes in all cases; and know how to obtain support and make a...
SSW Children’s Education Support Procedure
Last Updated: November 17, 2025(Last reviewed 01/12/2023) Statutory and Standards Context (unchanged quotation from the National Minimum Standards) The National Minimum Standards (8) for fostering state:‘The education and achievement of children is actively promoted as valuable in itself and as part of their preparation for adulthood. Children are supported to achieve their educational potential’. Children must continue to receive...
SSW Children’s Health Passport Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025PurposeThe Health Passport is a key document that supports children and young people in understanding, managing, and taking pride in their own health. This procedure ensures that supervising social workers (SSWs), foster carers, and support services work collaboratively to maintain accurate and up-to-date health information for every child. It promotes children’s participation, ownership, and empowerment...
SSW Children’s Progress Summaries Procedure
Last Updated: November 17, 2025(Last reviewed 04/07/2024 — Trauma-Informed Update 16/10/2025) Purpose and Principles It is essential that the Positive Aspirations Group (PA) monitors and understands the progress of all looked after children in our care. This ensures that we can evidence the positive impact of our service on each child’s development, wellbeing, and lived experience. Monitoring and recording...
SSW Concurrent Placement Agreement Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025When a new placement is made and there is already a child or children in placement, RAPT (Placement Team) and the Supervising Social Worker (SSW) must carefully and collaboratively consider whether concurrency (the placement of more than one child or sibling group in the same foster home) is in the best interests and emotional wellbeing...
SSW Contact with Children Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025Purpose and Principles This procedure outlines how Supervising Social Workers (SSWs) build and maintain safe, trusting, and consistent relationships with foster children and with foster carers’ own children. It reflects the Positive Aspirations Group’s commitment to trauma-informed practice, recognising that every interaction with a child has the potential to be supportive and healing. SSWs play...
SSW Delegated Authority Procedure
Last Updated: November 17, 2025(Last reviewed 01/12/2023) This document must be used in conjunction with the Delegated Authority Policy stored on Base, and the Delegated Authority Decisions Template stored on the relevant agency drive in the folder ‘Forms and templates/Fostering Forms’. Every child who has been placed with a Positive Aspirations Group Foster Carer for more than 28 days...
SSW Form F Updates and Re-Assessments Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025This procedure must be read alongside the Assessment of New Partners, Family Members within Fostering Households Policy and Procedure. From time to time, Foster Carers’ Form F assessments will need to be updated, or a re-assessment may be required. There are several reasons for this, but any such decision should always be discussed, explained, and...
SSW Foster Carer Compliancy Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025All Positive Aspirations Group Foster Carers have an Enhanced DBS, Local Authority check and a full AH Health Report completed at the time of approval, which are then renewed every three years. These checks are essential to safeguarding children and ensuring the ongoing suitability and wellbeing of fostering households. The purpose of this procedure is...
SSW Fostering Household Reviews Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025General Information The timescale for a fostering household review is first set following approval at panel. Initially, this is scheduled for 11 months after approval to allow completion within the 12-month statutory requirement. • First reviews are set at 6 months after the first child is placed if that placement lasts for longer than 2...
SSW Frequency of Visiting Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025The following procedures must be adhered to unless agreed by the Team Manager. Any agreement which is not in line with the procedures below must be clearly recorded on the Foster Carer’s file and on the Supervising Social Worker’s (SSW’s) supervision records. Purpose:The aim of this procedure is to ensure that all Foster Carers and...
SSW Health and Safety Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025All Foster Carers have a Health and Safety Check carried out at the time of their fostering assessment. This process is designed to promote the safety, comfort, and wellbeing of everyone living or visiting the fostering household, including the children and young people in placement. The approach taken should be collaborative and respectful, ensuring Foster...
SSW Holiday and Overnight Stays Risk Assessment Procedure
Last Updated: February 18, 2026This procedure must be followed in line with the Positive Aspirations Group ‘Holidays and Overnight Stays’ policy. When a child is placed with Foster Carers, the Foster Carers and the Supervising Social Worker will usually be informed of any reason why the child/ren may not be able to go away and whether extra permissions will...
SSW Incidents Procedure
Last Updated: February 18, 2026Positive Aspirations Group has the responsibility of ensuring that appropriate procedures are in place to safeguard and protect the children and young people in its care. Positive Aspirations Group will ensure that all children and young people are appropriately matched with Foster Carers who are best able to meet their needs and provide a nurturing...
SSW Induction of Foster Carers Procedure
Last Updated: November 17, 2025(Last reviewed 21/05/2025) Legislative and Regulatory Framework The National Minimum Standards (NMS) for fostering state: This procedure must be read in conjunction with the Foster Carers Induction Policy and other relevant policies referenced later in this document. Purpose and Principles The induction process ensures that newly approved Foster Carers receive consistent, structured, and supportive guidance...
SSW Initial Placement Agreement Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025Purpose The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that the initial placement for every child is planned in a way that promotes safety, stability, and emotional security. A trauma-informed approach recognises that the child or young person may be entering a new environment after experiencing loss, uncertainty, or distress. Therefore, all discussions and actions...
SSW Matching Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025Purpose and Principles The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that all children and young people are matched with Foster Carers who can meet their needs in a way that prioritises their safety, stability, and emotional wellbeing. The process must reflect trauma-informed principles of safety, trustworthiness, transparency, collaboration, empowerment, and cultural sensitivity. Every decision...
SSW Mentor and Therapeutic Support Procedures
Last Updated: December 4, 2025Supervising Social Workers (SSWs) can access support from the Mentor and Therapeutic Lead (MTL) in relation to specific Foster Carers, behavioural management issues, or any other situation within a fostering household that has continued or become more complex despite intervention and support from the SSW. The approach of the MTL is fully Trauma-Informed, emphasising safety,...
SSW Missing from Care and Return Interview Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025Purpose and Principles The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that all children and young people are matched with Foster Carers who can meet their needs in a way that prioritises their safety, stability, and emotional wellbeing. The process must reflect trauma-informed principles of safety, trustworthiness, transparency, collaboration, empowerment, and cultural sensitivity. Every decision...
SSW New Foster Placement Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025The Positive Aspirations Group Referral and Referral Response Team are responsible for ensuring that all referrals are carefully and sensitively matched with Foster Carers who are available and suitable to provide a stable and nurturing home. (Please refer to the SSW Matching Procedure for full details on the matching process). When placements are made by...
SSW Parent and Child Assessment Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025Parent and child arrangements (sometimes referred to as mother and baby placements) within The Positive Aspirations Group are an important and growing part of our fostering provision. We are committed to ensuring that both new and already approved Foster Carers are equipped with the knowledge, understanding, and emotional awareness needed to care for and support...
SSW Parent and Child Placement Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025Parent and child placements (sometimes referred to as parent and baby placements) are specialist fostering arrangements that provide care and support to a parent and their child within a fostering household. These placements often occur within the context of care proceedings or to support a parent in learning and developing their parenting skills. The Positive...
SSW Placement End Reflection Procedure
Last Updated: November 17, 2025(Last reviewed 02/05/2025 – Trauma-Informed Edition) Children and young people move on from foster placements for many different reasons, including rehabilitation, adoption, reunification, transition to independence, or in some cases, unplanned endings. Each transition represents a significant moment in a child’s journey and can also have an emotional impact on the fostering household. The placement...
SSW Promoting Positive Aspirations Procedure
Last Updated: February 18, 2026The National Minimum Standards (8) for fostering state: 7.1) Children develop their emotional, intellectual social, creative and physical skills through the accessible and stimulating environment created within the foster home. Children are supported to take part in school based and out of school activities. 7.2) Children pursue individual interests and hobbies. They take part in...
SSW RAG Ratings Procedure
Last Updated: November 17, 2025The Positive Aspirations Group allocates Risk ratings of Red, Amber or Green – RAG on Base to every child for the following categories: • Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) • Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) • Radicalisation/Extremism • Gang Affiliation • Parent and Child Placement • Self-Harm • Missing from Care • Child Trafficking When a child...
SSW Recording Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025At the Positive Aspirations Group, all Supervising Social Workers (SSWs) must ensure records are clear, up to date, saved securely, and contribute to a holistic understanding of the child’s life, experiences, and progress.Good record keeping is central to trauma-informed practice—it promotes transparency, accountability, and trust. It supports children and young people to understand their life...
SSW Resignation and Transferring Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025When a Foster Carer informs a Supervising Social Worker (SSW) or any other Positive Aspirations (PA) employee of their wish to resign or move to another fostering service, the Team Manager (TM) for that Foster Carer should be alerted immediately. This situation should be approached with curiosity, empathy, and respect, recognising that transitions and endings...
SSW Respite Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025SSW Respite Procedure Purpose and Principles This procedure provides clear guidance to ensure that any respite arrangements for children and young people are planned, communicated, and implemented in a way that is consistent with the principles of trauma-informed practice, attachment awareness, and the child’s sense of safety and belonging. Respite should always be considered in...
SSW Risk Assessment Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025Introduction Life inevitably involves risk, and part of providing safe, nurturing foster care is recognising and responding to potential risks in a thoughtful and balanced way. Supervising Social Workers (SSWs), Foster Carers, Team Managers (TMs) and Local Authority (LA) professionals share responsibility for identifying and managing any risks that may be higher than expected, while...
SSW Safeguarding Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025Supervising Social Workers (SSWs) play a central role in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children and young people within the Positive Aspirations Group. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and our approach must always be grounded in the principles of trauma-informed care — recognising the impact of trauma, promoting safety, and responding in ways that reduce...
SSW Safer Caring Procedure
Last Updated: February 18, 2026Household Safer Caring Policy A Household Safer Caring Policy will have been written during the assessment for every Foster Carer Household which seeks to minimise risk and to promote Safer Caring. Child Safer Caring Policy When a child or a young person is initially placed an Interim Child Safer Caring Policy will be created by...
SSW Supervision of Foster Carers Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025Purpose and Principles Supervising Social Workers (SSWs) provide Foster Carers with consistent, compassionate, and reflective support and guidance throughout their approval and fostering journey. Trauma-informed supervision acknowledges the emotional demands of fostering and recognises that providing safe, stable, and nurturing homes for children requires that Foster Carers themselves feel safe, supported, and valued. High-quality supervision...
SSW Supervision of Supervising Social Workers Procedure
Last Updated: February 18, 2026Good quality supervision provides a safe and reliable space for SSW’s to reflect critically on their cases in order to ensure robust analysis and sound judgement and decision making. Additionally, the purpose of supervision is to improve quality of practice in order to improve outcomes for children and young people as well as: These SSW...
SSW Training for Foster Carers Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025The Positive Aspirations Group is committed to creating a safe, nurturing, and empowering learning environment for all Foster Carers. We believe that continuous learning is essential to providing high-quality, trauma-informed care that supports children and young people to heal, grow, and thrive. The staff and leaders of the agency aspire for Foster Carers to provide...
SSW Unannounced Visits Procedure
Last Updated: December 4, 2025The purpose of an unannounced visit is to gain an authentic understanding of family life, observing the home environment, the natural interactions between Foster Carers and the children in their care, and to ensure that the home continues to meet the expected standards of health, safety, and emotional wellbeing. Unannounced visits help Supervising Social Workers...