No foster family can (or should) do everything alone. Positive Aspirations asks every carer to build two concentric circles of help:
- Support Network – several friends or relatives who can babysit briefly, school-run while you attend training, or step in during emergencies.
- Enhanced Support – one person or household, fully vetted and trained, able to provide planned overnight or respite care.
Both circles exist to normalise children’s lives—so they experience the same variety of safe adults that many birth children enjoy—while allowing you to rest, learn and meet your own family’s needs.
1 | Building your Support Network
| Requirement | Why | How |
| Identify enough people to cover training days, meetings, sudden illness, etc. | Reliable childcare prevents cancelled appointments and stress. | List candidates with your SSW; think family friends, neighbours, church members, sports-club parents. |
| DBS and LA check for everyone who might supervise children. | Legal safeguard and agency policy. | Request the online DBS link from Support Services; originals of ID docs must be seen by PA Group staff. |
| Wait for clearance before any unsupervised care. | “I haven’t heard back yet” = no childcare. | The agency will email you once each DBS is satisfactory. |
2 | Enhanced Support
- One person / family, chosen for stability (unlikely to join you on holidays) and the child’s existing rapport with them.
- Vetting – DBS, Local Authority check, and, if indicated, medical.
- Mandatory training before first overnight:
- 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 (e.g., epilepsy awareness) 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.
Tip: Involve the child—plan fun get-togethers so respite never feels like being “sent away”.
3 | Delegated authority & risk assessments
Sometimes, particularly in long-term placements, the Local Authority may delegate to you the power to choose short-term babysitters without prior social-worker sign-off—but only when:
- Delegation is written in the Placement Plan.
- Your SSW has completed a risk assessment for that specific scenario.
- It remains an exception, not routine practice.
4 | Age-related guidelines for leaving children alone
| Child’s age | Rule |
| Under 16 | Never left unsupervised, even “just while I pop to the shop,” without explicit social-worker permission. |
| 16–17 | Short periods only, and only if maturity and situation have been discussed with both SSW and LA social worker. |
5 | When life changes
- New boyfriend/girlfriend moving in? Teen cousin now a regular babysitter? Tell your SSW—fresh checks are mandatory.
- Support person moving abroad? Recruit a replacement quickly to keep your safety net intact.
6 | Where to find more detail
- Respite Policy & Respite Procedure – vetting matrix, financial arrangements, hand-over checklist.
- Delegated Authority Policy – decision grids and sample permission forms.
Ask for copies from Support Services or download from the secure portal.
Key message: Your Support Network and Enhanced Support are not optional extras; they are protective factors for both you and the children. Choose them wisely, get the right checks, keep the circle nurtured—and everyone thrives.
