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Supervision and Support of Foster Carers Policy

7 min read

(Last reviewed 04/02/2025)

Relevant Legislation & Guidance

STANDARD 21 – Supervision and Support of Foster Carers – Foster Carers receive the guidance and supervision they need so they can provide safe, nurturing care for each child placed with them.

Policy Statement

The agency is responsible to local authorities for the quality of care that children in foster homes receive. Directors, supervising social workers, foster-care supervisors, their managers, and Foster Carers share this responsibility. A key way we share and carry out that duty is through regularly supervising and supporting Foster Carers.

Each approved Foster Carer has a named, appropriately qualified social worker who meets with them—this includes at least one unannounced visit each year. Every meeting has a clear purpose: to review the Foster Carer’s work, make sure the child’s needs, wishes, and feelings are heard and met, offer support, and provide a framework to assess and further develop the Foster Carer’s skills. For short-break Foster Carers, meeting frequency is proportionate to the amount of care provided. Foster Carers’ files hold records of all supervisory meetings.

Supervision also focuses on professional growth, identifying any training needs. The supervisor records each session and shares that record with the Foster Carer.

The agency expects supervising social workers to meet with their Foster Carers at least every eight weeks. If more than one Foster Carer lives in the household, all should attend the supervision. Meetings should, whenever possible, take place when children are not present.

The agency supports its Foster Carers so they can give each child care that meets their needs, takes their wishes and feelings into account, and actively promotes safety, health, learning, enjoyment, and preparation for adult life.

Objectives of this Policy

  1. Ensure the agency offers a support service that strengthens Foster Carers and safeguards the welfare of the children placed with them.
  2. Ensure supervising social workers provide supervision and support so that, together with Foster Carers, they promote each child’s best interests in line with the child’s care plan, fostering regulations, and the agency’s policies and procedures.
  3. Ensure the agency works collaboratively with all professionals to reach best-practice standards consistent with the National Standards for Foster Care and relevant legislation.
  4. Ensure both supervising social workers and Foster Carers understand their shared responsibility for the quality of care children receive.

Supervision Procedures

All approved Foster Carers have an allocated, suitably qualified supervising social worker. This worker supervises and supports Foster Carers, giving them the guidance, encouragement, and direction needed to maintain high-quality and safe care. Foster Carers must work within the National Minimum Standards for Fostering and the agency’s policies, procedures, and guidance.

The supervising social worker must also identify each Foster Carer’s training and development needs. Newly approved Foster Carers complete the Training, Support and Development Standards for Foster Carers Workbook.

The supervising social worker will follow these procedures when supervising Foster Carers:

  1. Visit the Foster Carers at least every four weeks, alternating between:
    1a. Supervision visits with a formal agenda.
    1b. Supervisory home visits that are less formal and allow the social worker to meet and speak with the children every eight weeks, helping build relationships.
  2. Ensure both Foster Carers (where applicable) attend supervision and, when possible, schedule meetings without children present.
  3. During supervisory home visits, see and speak with the Foster Carers’ own children every eight weeks.
  4. Arrange supervisory home visits at times when the Foster Carer(s) is at home; if this is not possible, consult the line manager.
  5. Give focused supervision in the early stages of fostering so new Foster Carers quickly learn core expectations; use the agency’s Induction checklist.
  6. Record each supervision session.
  7. Ensure Foster Carers understand and follow the Foster Care Agreement they signed when approved.
  8. Ensure Foster Carers understand and follow agency procedures and guidance.
  9. Ensure Foster Carers keep placement records in the agreed format and review them regularly, raising concerns immediately.
  10. Ensure Foster Carers play their role in carrying out Care Plans, CLA Placement Plans, and Initial Placement Agreements.
  11. Ensure Foster Carers pay appropriate attention to each child’s education and health.
  12. Build professional relationships while keeping clear boundaries. Accepting light refreshments is fine, but any gifts must be declared to the Team Manager.
  13. When an enhanced carer within the Foster Carer’s network cares for a young person, ensure that carer receives full support and, if appropriate, supervision (see the Respite Policy).
  14. Never consume alcohol during core working hours.

Support Provided by the Supervising Social Worker

Post-Approval

  1. Ensure every new Foster Carer completes the induction programme and has their support, development, and training needs met so they achieve TSDS by their first annual review.
  2. Review the Foster Carer Handbook with the new carers.
  3. Provide the Foster Care Agreement: two copies to sign, with one returned for the carer’s file.
  4. Complete the Household Safer Caring Policy with the carer and file a signed copy.

Pre-Placement

  1. Join discussions about potential placements, addressing any worries the Foster Carers may have.
  2. Attend planning meetings and support any induction for planned placements.
  3. Request full information about each child to be placed—including history of abuse or neglect and reasons for the placement—and details of the child’s educational, medical, religious, racial, linguistic, and cultural needs from the placing local authority.
  4. Discuss issues relating to contact with birth parents and other family members.
  5. Help Foster Carers liaise with services such as health and education.
  6. Recommend relevant training, especially for children with complex health needs or disabilities, or who have experienced abuse.
  7. Ask about holiday plans and whether the child can join; if not, the Foster Carer must inform the child’s social worker so alternative arrangements can be made.
  8. Arrange and set a date for the placement-planning meeting.

During Placement

  1. Follow up promptly on any issues that arise and provide real-time support.
  2. Prepare for and attend Foster Carer Review Meetings (see Review of Foster Carers Procedure).
  3. Keep the training programme current and accessible for Foster Carers and their families. Discuss support-group dates and link carers to a more experienced “buddy” where needed.
  4. Visit regularly and make additional support calls as necessary.
  5. Make two unannounced visits per year.
  6. Work with Support Services to update DBS checks every three years for household members aged 18+ and anyone new who moves in.
  7. Update Foster Carers’ medicals every three years or as required.
  8. Visit the foster home within 72 hours of a child’s placement.
  9. Ensure the child receives a Welcome Box that includes the Children’s Guide, then follow up to confirm the child understands how to seek support or make a complaint.
  10. Ensure every Foster Carer has at least one enhanced carer in their support network and that all checks, training, and risk assessments are completed and recorded.
  11. Attend looked-after child reviews, PEP meetings, and all other professional meetings about the child.
  12. Make sure Foster Carers can access all relevant resources to meet each child’s additional health needs.
  13. Refer to the Children’s Advocate when general or educational advocacy is needed.
  14. Escalate any missing or late local-authority documents so Foster Carers have full information about the child’s needs.
  15. Keep carers informed of events, workshops, and support groups for looked-after and birth children, helping children attend.
  16. Check that carers record the accountable allowance for each child as set out in the young person’s IPA, and that any unspent allowance is saved and reported when asked.
  17. Discuss how Foster Carers include foster children in family holidays and ensure all checks are completed.
  18. Support carers in helping young people take part in extra-curricular activities and build independence skills.
  19. Ensure carers maintain memory boxes for each child.
  20. Proactively raise any placement difficulties with the line manager and local authority so joint visits or support meetings can be arranged to stabilise the placement and avoid breakdown whenever possible.

At End of Placement

  1. Provide as much support as possible to Foster Carers during what can be a very emotional time.
  2. Discuss with the carer and their family all factors leading to any unplanned end of placement, identifying learning or training opportunities.
  3. Attend Stability or Disruption Meetings as required.
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