(Created 25/02/2025)
| Purpose of policy |
The policy sets out how as an agency we work together with Foster Carers and other key professionals to promote and maintain the stability of all placements for children and young people.
It also sets out expectations for the agency and for Foster Carers when a young person’s placement becomes unstable or is at risk of breaking down. Specifically, it emphasises that all reasonable steps must first be taken to support the child and the Foster Carers with placement disruption being seen as a last resort.
Relevant Legislation, Standards, Regulations and Policies
Standards and Regulations
Fostering Services National Minimum Standards (England) 2011: Regulation 13
- Standard 3 – Promoting positive behaviour and relationships
- Standard 6 – Promoting good health and wellbeing
- Standard 20 – Learning and Development of Foster Carers
Guidance for Training and Development and Support Standards
- Standard 1: Understand the principles and values essential for fostering children and young people
- Standard 2: Understand your role as a Foster Carer
- Standard 4: Know how to communicate effectively
- Standard 5: Understand the development of children and young people
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018:
- Outlines how organisations and agencies must work together to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.
- Emphasises the importance of adhering to the Children Act principles, particularly the paramountcy of the child’s welfare.
Other related policies are:
- The Supervision and Support of Foster Carers Policy
- The Foster Carers agreement
- Placement End Reflection Policy & Procedure
| Core Principles |
Placement breakdowns have significant emotional consequences for children therefore all efforts should be made to stabilise placements for children and young people before any decision to move a child is considered.
Building a positive working relationship between Foster Carers, supervising social workers, children’s social workers and other key professionals is key in providing ongoing support to foster families.
A structured support process, involving supervision, intervention, additional resources and support meetings should have been considered and implemented before a decision is made that a young person’s placement should end.
It is imperative that full consideration is given to the child and young persons’ pre-care lived experience when discussing their presenting behaviours and deciding what support is needed.
| Expectations on the agency |
Consideration of appropriate support for the child/young person and the Foster Carers should start before a child is placed at the matching and referral stage and this should be subject to regular review at supervisions and other meetings.
Foster Carers should always be provided with the child/ young person’s placement referral form before a decision is made about a match between a child and Foster Carers. The referral form is sent to Foster Carers by the Referral Response Team.
Once a decision is made about a match, the Foster Carer should be provided with as much information about the child/ young person as possible.
The Placement Planning Meeting must be held as soon as possible after a child/ young person is placed – no later than 7 days – and should consider the support needs of the child/ young person and Foster Carers.
‘The agency will provide Foster Carers with all available information about a child before placement’ and ‘A placement plan will be developed outlining the child’s needs, daily care arrangements, and agency expectations’- – point 10 and 16 of the Foster Carers Agreement.
SSW should offer advice and support to Foster Carers and the children placed in their care as detailed in the Supervision and Support of Foster Carers Policy.
| Expectations on Foster Carers |
Early Communication is key. If a Foster Carer has concerns about a child or a young person in placement then as detailed in the Foster Carers agreement, they must communicate these to their supervising social worker (SSW) at the earliest opportunity. Carers should not allow concerns to escalate to crisis point without seeking help.
Foster Carers must keep the agency and the child’s placing authority informed about a fostered child’s progress and notify them immediately of any significant event affecting the child’ and ‘Raising any concerns about the child’s wellbeing through the appropriate channels, ensuring they receive the necessary support’ – point 10 and 16 of the Foster Carers Agreement respectively.
When difficulties arise, Foster Carers are expected to fully engage in all Placement Stability meetings at which the presenting issues will be discussed and intervention and support aimed at addressing these will be identified.
Foster Carers are expected to approach stability meeting with an open mind and be willing to accept and try any support/intervention offered.
Foster Carers should allow time for support interventions to take effect and should follow all action plans agreed at Stability meetings.
Foster Carers are expected to demonstrate commitment and resilience in supporting children through difficulties.
| Placement Stability Meetings |
There are often warning signs before a young persons’ placement reaches the point at which a breakdown may occur. When there is an imminent risk of placement breakdown, immediate support will need to be considered, additional home visits, for example. The urgency should always be dictated by how fragile the situation is.
Placement Stability meetings should be held at the earliest opportunity and, if possible before a crisis occurs, by bringing together the Foster Carer and relevant professionals involved to discuss what can be put in place to support the child/young person and the foster family as a whole.
A Placement Stability meeting can be requested by Foster Carers, the fostering service or child’s social worker at any point during the time the child lives in a foster family.
The meeting should ideally be arranged by the SSW and, unless the Local authority have specifically requested to chair the meeting, the meetings are usually chaired by the Fostering manager. It is important to have a flexible approach to who should be attending the meetings, to ensure the meeting is purposeful and takes place without delay.
Consideration should always be given to whether it is appropriate to invite children and young people to the meeting and, any decision not to invite a child to stability meeting must be a shared professional decision. If the child/ young person does not attend the meeting, then the child’s social worker should obtain the child’s views in advance and should ensure that they are considered and recorded at the meeting.
| Outcomes of the Stability Meetings |
Support may come from a range of services and be provided directly to the child, the Foster Carers or both.
These can include some of the following:
- Additional training and guidance for Foster Carers on managing specific behaviours.
- Therapeutic support or practical interventions for the child.
- Extra visits from social workers to assess the situation and provide advice.
- Joint visits with the LA SW and the SSW.
- Bespoke ‘agreements’ to address specific issues for older young people.
- Adjustments may be made to routines, expectations, or placement arrangements.
- Respite arrangements and/ or day care to provide the Foster Carers or the child/young person with a temporary break.
- Practical support to be given to the Foster Carers when there are specific needs.
- Buddy support, peer support and/ or increased attendance at support groups for Foster Carers.
- Wider Multi-agency meetings to explore additional support.
The outcome of all Stability meetings is that actions are set. These should be regularly monitored and subject to review at supervisions, subsequent review stability meetings and, where appropriate, CLA meetings
If necessary, Stability meetings can be held on a regular basis to review the effectiveness of on-going support.
| Placement Stability Minutes |
The SSW is responsible for minute taking and should ensure that the minutes are added to the base. These are added under General recordings, in the ‘contact type drop down box’ and are to be recorded under Placement Stability Meeting Minutes
Foster Carers and attendees of the meeting should be sent a copy of the Fostering support minutes electronically within 5 days of meeting taking place.
| Placement Breakdown – Managed Transitions |
Unfortunately, there are occasions where despite targeted intervention and support, decisions are made that the placement of the child or young person should end. The expectation is that this is a shared professional decision based on the best outcomes for the child or young person. ‘Placement ends are based on the child’s best interests’ – Point 14 Foster Carers Agreement.
As detailed in this policy, it is hoped that Foster Carers will not feel it necessary to give notice on the placements of children and young people in their care. On the rare occasions however that this does occur, we would expect Foster Carers to give a minimum of 28 days’ notice in writing to their agency SSW unless there are exceptional reasons which have been discussed and agreed in advance with the SSW and the relevant LA.
In all instances, as far as possible a planned transition will be arranged with the objective that the child or young person is involved in the process as much as possible so as to minimise emotional harm.
Carers are expected to work with professionals to ensure a smooth, compassionate transition. Point 14 of the Foster Carer agreement states that ‘Foster Carers must also actively support transition plans to ensure that the child experiences a smooth and stable move to their next placement, whether returning home, moving to another foster home, or transitioning to adoption or independent living. This includes working in partnership with the agency, social workers, and any new Foster Carers to provide relevant information, emotional support, and practical assistance to the child during the transition period’.
