(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 each child’s journey contributes meaningfully to their life story and helps to create a coherent narrative that supports identity, belonging, and emotional security throughout their childhood and adolescence.
A trauma-informed approach to recording children’s progress recognises that progress is not always linear. It is influenced by the child’s prior experiences, attachment patterns, and recovery needs. Therefore, Progress Summaries (PS) must be written with compassion, curiosity, and sensitivity to each child’s unique story and circumstances.
Purpose of the Report
The Progress Summary report must evidence that children and young people are being supported in ways that promote healing, stability, and growth, enabling them to make meaningful progress in their emotional, social, and educational development. The purpose of the report is to:
- Monitor the progress of looked after children, considering their starting points and experiences when they were first placed (the initial baseline report).
- Show attainment and progress in health, education, independent living skills, emotional regulation, social relationships, and other developmental areas, which can be shared with all professionals involved.
- Evaluate and evidence how the foster placement is meeting the child’s needs holistically — including their safety, emotional wellbeing, cultural identity, and sense of belonging — and how it supports them to make progress across all areas of development.
- Identify any emerging needs or difficulties early, enabling timely, compassionate, and collaborative intervention that centres the child’s voice.
Timeliness and Responsibilities
Suggested deadlines for PS completion appear on the SSW task list on the Base system. This should be checked regularly and discussed in SSW supervision with the Team Manager to ensure oversight and support.
• However, these deadline dates are guides only. The PS must be completed before each statutory review, as that date takes priority over the suggested Base deadline.
• Supervising Social Workers should approach these summaries as reflective, supportive tools — not just compliance tasks — ensuring they accurately reflect the child’s experiences and achievements.
Initial Progress Summary
The SSW is required to complete a child’s first PS by the time of their first statutory review, and certainly within 28 days of placement.
• The initial report should sensitively record the child’s presentation, initial experiences, and any identified needs or concerns regarding their development, wellbeing, or adjustment.
• It should outline how these will be monitored and managed collaboratively with the foster carer, the child, and the Local Authority Social Worker (LASW).
• The report must be shared with the LASW and Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) prior to the review meeting, so that any concerns or plans for support can be discussed together.
Subsequent Progress Summaries
SSWs must complete a PS at the time of each statutory review — which occurs three months after the initial review and every six months thereafter.
• Each subsequent PS should clearly describe the child’s progress (or challenges) since the last report, highlighting resilience, achievements, and any ongoing support needs.
• This process continues throughout the duration of the placement, providing a consistent and reflective record of the child’s journey.
• Reports must be analytical, using trauma-informed reflection to explore patterns, progress, and context rather than judgmental or deficit-based descriptions.
Collaboration with Education Consultant and Others
The SSW should liaise regularly with the Education Consultant, who will work alongside them, the child’s school, and the Virtual School to ensure educational progress is supported and recorded accurately.
• During the month before the PS due date, the Education Consultant will add feedback on the child’s educational progress to the report.
• Where appropriate, the SSW should also gather input from the foster carer, health professionals, and — most importantly — the child or young person themselves.
Submission and Managerial Oversight
SSWs must submit the PS via the Base system, which automatically notifies their manager when the ‘send to manager’ button is pressed.
• The manager will receive an email containing a link to the report and must add comments reflecting oversight, support, and additional perspective on the child’s progress.
• Once completed, the manager will press the ‘submit to system’ button, uploading the report to Base.
Child’s Voice and Feedback Process
When the report is submitted:
• An email will be generated to the SSW containing a unique link for use when meeting with the child. This link leads to a child-friendly summary of the report, designed to support an empowering and open conversation.
• The discussion with the child should take place in a calm and emotionally safe setting, using language suited to their age and understanding. The SSW should reassure the child that their views are valued and that the summary reflects their voice as well as adult observations.
• The SSW should record the child’s feedback via the link. Upon submission, an email will be generated containing a PDF of the child’s feedback. This document must be uploaded to Base with the same date as the PS.
• Do not edit the original PS to insert the child’s feedback; the separate record preserves authenticity and transparency.
Sharing and Integration
Copies of the completed PS should be shared with the LASW and IRO before the statutory review meeting, so the child’s achievements, needs, and reflections are included in review discussions.
• The SSW should ensure the foster carer is aware of key messages within the PS and that both the carer and child understand any plans arising from the review.
• All discussions should reinforce stability, empowerment, and the child’s sense of safety and belonging.
