The National Minimum Standards (8) for fostering state:
7.1) Children develop their emotional, intellectual social, creative and physical skills through the accessible and stimulating environment created within the foster home. Children are supported to take part in school based and out of school activities.
7.2) Children pursue individual interests and hobbies. They take part in a range of activities, including leisure activities and trips.
The Positive Aspirations Group Initiative seeks to inspire its staff, Foster Carers, foster children and birth children to achieve (and encourage others to achieve) in a way that is meaningful to them. Positive aspirations are not only about achieving well academically, it is also about recognising the seemingly small things that can be achieved by a person to enable them to have self-belief.
The goal is to ensure that everyone within the agency is aware of the importance of positive aspirations and seeks to promote this within every stage of the fostering process – from the initial call all the way through to long term placements.
Objectives:
To encourage a healthy lifestyle
To ensure that every family is safe both physically and emotionally
To inspire ambitions in a fun and meaningful way (mindful this may not always be academic)
To endorse making a positive contribution in communities
To promote the achievement of economic wellbeing
Plan of Action:
- SSW to ensure Foster Carers are briefed on the sparks initiative and encouraged to work with the young person to find and achieve their spark.
- Foster Carers will receive bi monthly newsletters with national campaigns, local resources or agency information from the Positive Aspirations Taskforce
- SSW’s to discuss with Foster Carers and encourage them to share with children
- The Positive Aspirations Taskforce hold regular activities that are themed or targeted to specific sparks.
- SSW’s to encourage Foster Carers to attend with children
- The PAT meet monthly to discuss children individual spark, activities and resources
- SSW to make sure the SPARKS tracker is always up to date to aid the PAT
- The PAT have a weekly positive news email that is shared with all staff
- This is aimed at keeping PAT present but also keeping a positive view and reminder of the good work as inspiration for others.
- SSW to email PAT positive news or outcomes regarding their children.
- The PAT arrange competitions to encourage children to think about their spark and also work on areas within the 5 outcomes
- SSW’s to encourage Foster Carers to help children take part
- SSWs must speak to children and young people and record what their SPARK is
- There is a section on the Progress Summary which feeds into a spreadsheet
- The SPARKS tracker can be updated at any time via Base using the drop-down menu from the Positive Aspirations tab.
- Where children do not have a SPARK we aim to provide opportunities to engage in activities that they might not ordinarily get the opportunity to – this exposes child to new and hopefully inspiring environments
- SSW to encourage the Foster Carers to organise activities and experiences for the child
- The PAT will explore children without a spark to look for patterns and trends to provide more targeted support for children without aspirations – this may be liaising with Sue, referring to specialists (education/advocacy/medical/psychological) or discussing concerns with the professional circle of support.
- SSW to make sure that the maximum amount of info is recorded about the child to help this process
