Health & Safety – keeping every child safe, every day
Positive Aspirations Group places the legal duty for day-to-day health-and-safety squarely on the foster carer: you are the adult in the home who must anticipate hazards, minimise risks and act fast when something changes. The agency’s Health & Safety Policy spells out the minimum standards, and your Supervising Social Worker (SSW) audits compliance at approval, at least annually and also during unannounced spot checks.
1 | Routine safety checks
A full inspection is completed before you are approved, then every twelve months with the Health & Safety Checklist. Smoke alarms must be tested monthly; the date is written on a sticker beside each unit. Gas appliances require an annual GasSafe certificate (email a copy to your SSW) and you should open the first-aid kit each term to be sure plasters and child-dose paracetamol are still in date. Vehicles used to transport children must be road-worthy and fitted with the correct restraints; an MOT pass alone is not enough if tyres or car seats are worn.
2 | People, pets, projects – notify us before they happen
A new partner moves in, an exchange student arrives, the loft is converted, you rescue a second dog: each of these alters the risk landscape. Tell your SSW in advance so DBS checks, a Pet Checklist or a fresh safer-caring plan can be completed. Failing to declare changes can trigger a Standards-of-Care investigation and may jeopardise placements.
3 | Everyday do’s and don’ts
- Keep exits clear and practise a fire-escape drill twice a year (“get out, stay out, call 999”).
- Never overload your car: every passenger needs their own seat-belt or child seat.
- Store medicines, cleaning fluids, tools and vaping liquids in locked or high cupboards.
- Supervise all internet use for younger children; older children need clear time-limits and privacy rules.
- Talk openly about road safety, stranger approaches, online scams and basic first aid—knowledge reduces fear.
4 | CCTV and smart devices
Outdoor security cameras and video doorbells are welcome, but everyone in the household—including children—must know they record. Indoor cameras (baby-monitors, hallway cams) require written consent from the child’s social worker and your SSW, must never be covert and may cover only entrances, not bedrooms or communal living areas.
5 | Firearms & shotguns – extra safeguards
Sporting firearms are permitted only under the strict rules in the agency’s Firearms & Shotgun Policy. You must hold a current police licence, store weapons and ammunition in separate steel cabinets bolted to brick or concrete, and show the licence and storage at each SSW visit. No weapon may enter a room where children are present—even for cleaning—and no handling demonstrations are allowed. Lapse of licence, loss of a weapon or unauthorised access must be reported to the police and the Registered Manager within two hours; placements may be paused while risks are re-assessed.
6 | If something goes wrong
Treat the injury or remove the hazard first, then report:
- Minor accident – record in your health log; mention at next supervision.
- Serious injury or near-miss – seek medical help, phone your SSW or the on-call manager the same day, and file an incident form within 24 hours.
- Unfixable hazard – isolate the area (lock the shed, fence the pond) and call your SSW for guidance.
All actions and dates go in your weekly recordings so auditors can track how and when issues were resolved.
7 | Continuous learning
Risks evolve—e-scooters, smart-home devices, lithium-battery fires. Complete the agency’s annual online refresher or attend the face-to-face update within three months of your review date; it covers emerging hazards, first-aid updates and lessons from recent incident reviews.
Key message: A safe home depends less on rules than on habits—checking alarms, locking cabinets, noticing loose stair-carpet, telling your SSW before the new lodger arrives. When vigilance becomes routine, children relax and thrive, knowing the adults around them have already thought about “what if…”.
