(Last reviewed 02/05/2025)
Children move on from foster placements for many different reasons, whether it be rehabilitation, adoption or placement breakdown. The agency recognises the impact these endings may have upon foster carers and the fostering household. Therefore, we place importance on reflective practice and recommend that where children move on, placement reflection is completed with foster carers.
The aim of placement reflection is to:
• Consider the child’s relationship within the placement and reflect on the reasons why the child moved on.
- If the placement broke down, reflection gives foster carers and their ssw the opportunity to consider the factors that led to the breakdown and discuss what they could do differently in the future.
• Consider learning needs which may have arisen.
- Training and development are an ongoing aspect of foster care and the placement end reflection allows for the supervising social worker and foster carer to consider any training needs which have arisen from the placement ending.
• Consider successes and achievements for foster carers.
- Reflection gives the space to discuss what has gone well in the placement, consider the child’s journey through their time in placement and progress since their arrival.
- Consideration can also be given to positive outcomes for children and exploring the carer’s part in ensuring this has been achieved.
• Ensure that foster carers and their household feel supported after placements end.
- When children move on, a fostering household can go through stages of loss and it is important to provide an opportunity to reflect on these feelings and for the carer to feel supported after a child moves on.
• Support following an allegation
- If a placement ended due to an allegation being made, the reflection session gives an opportunity for the supervising social worker and the foster carer to consider the recommendations from panel and the agency decision maker and how these will be followed through.
• Consideration for future Matching
- Information from the reflection discussion can positively influence future matching by taking into consideration areas of learning, development and reflections on how the child fitted into the household.
Every placement end will have a different impact on the fostering household, some may have very little impact and, in such cases, there may be no matching considerations or training identified for the carers and this should be noted with the reasons why.
Placement end reflection will not be required for the following:
- Respite placements
- Overnight stays
- Placements which have lasted less than 4 weeks. However, if there was a disruption during the first four weeks, it may be helpful to hold a reflective session to consider why the placement disrupted so quickly
*SSW should refer to the SSW Placement End Reflection Procedure
