(Last reviewed 12/01/2025)
Policy Statement
Fostering can be demanding, and the legislative framework recognises the need for structured, formal support.
Positive Aspirations Group recognises that Foster Carers may need time to rest and restore their emotional capacity when caring for children with complex needs, and will make every reasonable effort to arrange alternative care when requested.
However, the child’s needs and whether the arrangement may unduly disrupt the child will be carefully considered.
This includes considering whether the Foster Carer’s own children will also be cared for by others; for example, if the carers’ children are going on holiday, it is expected that fostered children will also go on the holiday.
If respite is unavoidable, Positive Aspirations Group’s policy is that, wherever possible, children should be cared for by a familiar and trusted person identified from the Foster Carer’s support network (referred to as an Enhanced Support).
Positive Aspirations Group encourages Foster Carers to identify at least one person or family who can look after a child for extended periods.
This individual may be a friend, neighbour, or relative who knows the child through regular family contact.
The person identified should be someone who is unlikely to go on holiday with the Foster Carers.
If Foster Carers are unable to use a member of their support network for respite, the agency will, whenever possible, identify another Foster Carer within the agency to provide support.
Such arrangements will only occur when they meet the child’s needs and when the child’s placing authority has given consent.
Definitions
Respite means a period of time (from 1 night to 28 nights) during which a fostered child is temporarily cared for by someone other than the main Foster Carer.
Support network refers to the group of people who assist the Foster Carer in various ways, including emotional and practical support, general babysitting, and childcare. Members of the Foster Carer’s support network will undergo checks by Positive Aspirations Group and may provide respite after additional checks.
An Enhanced Support is a person or persons identified by a Foster Carer (either during assessment or after approval) who can care for fostered children for periods ranging from one night to up to 28 days (different Local Authorities may have different rules on duration).
Respite can occur either within the main foster home or in the Enhanced Support’s home.
Another Foster Carer approved by Positive Aspirations Group (or in some cases the Local Authority) can temporarily care for a child when the Foster Carer cannot use their Enhanced Support or another person from their support network.
Objectives of this Policy
- To ensure that Foster Carers are offered support and rest when needed and to promote placement stability. These breaks often help maintain placements during demanding times.
- To ensure that the agency supports Foster Carers when the child’s agreed care plan recognises the need for regular respite care.
- To ensure that the correct procedures are followed so that an Enhanced Support can care for fostered children. Every situation must be assessed based on the circumstances of the respite, the child in placement, the location of the respite, risk assessments, and Local Authority agreement.
Vetting of the Enhanced Support
All Enhanced Support will be fully vetted by the agency, including an Enhanced DBS and Local Authority check. In some circumstances a medical or other check may also be required depending on the situation.
Enhanced Support must complete the following mandatory training:
- Paediatric First Aid
- Positive Parenting
- Safeguarding and Safer Care
- Health and Hygiene (caring for the whole child)
- Health and Safety in the fostering home
When Foster Carers receive frequent support from their Enhanced Support, they should also attend Skills to Foster. Additional training may be necessary depending on the situation and will be identified on a case-by-case basis.
Whenever possible in respite situations, children should remain in their foster home to reduce disruption to their routine. If it is necessary for the child or children to be cared for in the Enhanced Support’s home, a health and safety check and report must be completed there before care is provided.
Financial arrangements will be agreed between the main Foster Carer and the Enhanced Support without agency involvement.
Enhanced Support – Key Points to Consider
- Foster Carers have access to a variety of support from the fostering service, including formal supervision, regular contact with their Supervising Social Worker, peer support, out-of-hours support, respite care services, and independent support.
- A Foster Carer’s personal support network is crucial and will usually be discussed with the family by the assessing social worker during assessment or by the family’s supervising social worker after approval.
- The agency must be kept informed of any changes or incidents within the support network; for example, Foster Carers must tell their supervising social worker about any offences committed by, or serious illnesses affecting, a member of their support network.
- A Foster Carer must always inform their supervising social worker when they plan to use their Enhanced Support for periods over 24 hours or overnight (termed Respite).
- In addition to the child’s Safer Caring Policy, a separate Respite risk assessment must be completed and provided to the child’s Local Authority social worker for agreement. If this is agreed, the supervising social worker is responsible for ensuring the Enhanced Support has completed mandatory training and fully understands the child’s Safer Caring Policy.
- The supervising social worker must visit the home where the child is staying during the respite period and, depending on the duration, carry out an unannounced visit.
Using another approved Foster Carer to undertake respite
When the services of another approved Foster Carer are needed, the Placement Officer must be involved as soon as the supervising social worker becomes aware of the need for respite.
The Placement Officer is aware of other respite arrangements, holidays, pending placements, and risks, and can therefore make an informed choice of a suitable Foster Carer.
Foster Carers must not arrange respite between themselves without informing the agency.
Where Foster Carers have become friends and know each other’s children, this is generally a good choice for respite. However, approval terms and regulations limit the number of children allowed in one foster home, so this is not always possible.
When respite is provided by another Positive Aspirations Group Foster Carer, the fostering fee and child allowance will both be paid directly to the Foster Carer providing the respite.
The main Foster Carer will not be paid during this period.
Following requests from Foster Carers, the respite allowance was added to the fostering fee; therefore, Foster Carers should set aside funds each week to cover costs in case respite is needed.
This policy must be read alongside the Respite Procedure and Respite Risk Assessment.
