The following procedures must be adhered to unless agreed by the Team Manager. Any agreement which is not in line with the procedures below must be clearly recorded on the Foster Carer’s file and on the Supervising Social Worker’s (SSW’s) supervision records.
Purpose:
The aim of this procedure is to ensure that all Foster Carers and the children in their care receive consistent, meaningful, and trauma-informed support through regular contact with their Supervising Social Worker. The frequency and quality of visits are designed to ensure safety, stability, and emotional well-being while promoting trusting relationships between all parties.
• Supervising Social Workers must visit their Foster Carers and their families at least once every four weeks, alternating between structured supervision visits and less formal supervisory home visits. These visits should be conducted in a manner that supports collaboration, reduces anxiety, and promotes open communication.
• Supervisions of Foster Carers follow a structured agenda, which provides an opportunity for reflection, discussion of support needs, and the celebration of progress. The SSW should use a strengths-based, non-judgmental approach to empower carers and promote resilience.
• Supervisory Home Visits are less formal and focused on observing daily life, relationships, and the overall well-being of the children in placement. Children and young people must be seen and spoken to during these visits in a sensitive and age-appropriate way, ensuring that they feel safe and heard.
• Foster Carers’ own children must be seen and spoken to every eight weeks during supervisory home visits. Conversations should be private, relaxed, and supportive, allowing them to express their thoughts about fostering safely.
• When Foster Carers do not have a placement, the frequency of supervisory home visits should be agreed with the Team Manager, unless there is ongoing work being completed with the birth children. Any adjustments should continue to promote connection and inclusion, even when no placement is active.
• Foster Carers taking a break from fostering may not require regular supervisions; this must be agreed by the Team Manager. However, mandatory visits such as unannounced and health and safety visits must continue to ensure ongoing compliance and readiness to return to fostering. These expectations should be explained clearly, with empathy and transparency, to support understanding and reduce anxiety.
• For Foster Carers with staying put arrangements and no additional fostering bedrooms, visits may occur at a frequency agreed by the Team Manager. These visits should continue to offer emotional support and guidance to both the young adult and the carer, acknowledging the transition from fostering to adulthood.
• Newly approved Foster Carers should be visited more frequently during their first three months, regardless of whether they have a placement. This allows time to build confidence, develop a working relationship, and clarify expectations. Where there are two approved Foster Carers, both should ideally attend supervision sessions.
• The above timescales represent minimum expectations for settled placements. New, complex, or disrupted placements should be visited more frequently to provide additional support, reassurance, and early intervention.
• Supervising Social Workers must visit within 72 hours (or sooner) of a child being placed. This applies to weekends and bank holidays. The purpose of this visit is to ensure the child’s immediate safety, comfort, and sense of belonging. The introductory visit does not count as a supervisory or home visit.
• During the 72-hour visit, the SSW must check the fostering bedroom and speak with the child/young person sensitively, ensuring privacy and emotional safety. Conversations should focus on how the child is feeling and adjusting, not just on logistics.
• Following the 72-hour visit, the SSW must complete the record on Base, ensuring that all sections are fully answered and reflect the child’s voice and emotional well-being as well as factual information.
• Following the placement of a child, the SSW or the Out of Hours Worker must have telephone contact with the Foster Carer and the young person (if they are comfortable engaging) within 24 hours. This call is an opportunity to provide reassurance, emotional containment, and problem-solving support.
• Supervising Social Workers must complete two unannounced visits per year. Foster Carers should be reminded of this requirement periodically, with an explanation that the purpose is to ensure safety and provide genuine oversight rather than to catch carers out. These visits should include a general health and safety observation but can also be used to strengthen trust and transparency.
• Unannounced visits are recorded on the SSW’s task list, and each visit should include a general environmental check and identification of any potential hazards or areas needing attention. These visits are separate from the full health and safety inspection and should be recorded via the Health and Safety App.
• When a child or young person is in respite care, the SSW for the Foster Carer providing the respite must visit within 72 hours, unless otherwise agreed by the Team Manager. All respite placements must receive a visit during the respite period. An unannounced visit should be carried out if the respite period lasts a week or more. Where respite care is provided by the Enhanced Support or Foster Carer Support Network, an unannounced visit must also occur during the respite period.
• Supervising Social Workers must arrange and attend an Initial Placement Agreement (IPA) Meeting within seven working days of a placement starting. This meeting should include the child’s social worker, the Foster Carer(s), and—where appropriate—the child/young person. The child should be offered the opportunity to attend or to have their views represented in another way if attending would be uncomfortable.
• The IPA must address matching considerations, support any identified gaps, and confirm how these will be met by the Foster Carer and agency. It should also include discussion of the Health Passport and other health needs, ensuring all parties understand their roles.
• Supervising Social Workers should attend and contribute to all Local Authority meetings regarding children in their placements. If attendance is not possible, this must be promptly discussed with a Team Manager to ensure an alternative representative is arranged, maintaining continuity and advocacy for the child.
• When a new Foster Carer has their first placement, an unannounced visit must occur within eight weeks of the placement starting. The aim is to offer reassurance, assess how the family and child are adapting, and identify any support or training needs. This visit is in addition to the two annual unannounced visits already scheduled.
