Parent and Baby Foster Placements: Roles and Responsibilities

1. The Foster Carer

1.1 It is good practice for the foster carer to meet and introduce herself, and outline her family circumstances to the parent before a placement commences. Ideally if a placement has been able to be identified at an early stage and the parent is accepting of the care plan a visit for the parent to the carers should be organised prior to placement. It is important that the parent has by then already had the opportunity to read the information booklet on Parent and Baby Placements (PDF).

1.2 The foster carer will need to work alongside the parent and the child’s social worker and be involved with all relevant professionals from the outset, and be invited to any of the Child Protection Conferences. The foster carer will also need to be aware of the Care Plan and be told of the other assessments which are being sought, and any prospective court dates.

1.3 It is essential that all relevant background information relating to the placement is provided prior to any Parent and Baby placement being made. The Fostering Service will provide the original duty referral which incorporates the risk assessment. The social worker for the child must complete the Background Information Record, plus provide for the carer other pertinent background information such as the most recent case conference minutes which would give an overview of the parent’s previous parenting history and their family network. The Placement Plan should contain all of the above together with information on the future care for, and management of, the child and her/his parent. The foster carer needs to be aware of the impact of any past parenting experiences, and its likely impact on a parent’s current parenting capacity. All foster carers are required to have a safe storage place in their homes for confidential documents.

1.4 The foster carer will be expected to offer guidance and assistance to the parent in managing the care tasks for the baby. This may include direct instruction, responding to questions, or offering practical support such as accompanying the parent to parent/baby groups, health visiting clinic, shopping etc. This could include appropriate modelling of behaviour and demonstrating of techniques.

1.5 The foster carer will be expected to have knowledge of attachment issues and how to promote attachment between the parent and child placed. The primary attachment the baby needs to make is with his/her parent.

1.6 Some parents in parent and baby placements are teenagers and the carer will need to have some knowledge and understanding of working with teenagers. In addition, for some placements there needs to be an understanding of how drug and or alcohol misuse will impact on a parent’s ability to parent.

1.7 The foster carer will need to have a good knowledge of child development. The foster carer can access additional advice from the Children in Care Health team.

1.8 The foster carer will need to be familiar with recent guidance relating to the care of babies covering areas such as weaning, changes in bottle feeding; and the more recent research about cot deaths, which stresses the need to avoid any bed co-sharing at night.

1.9 For the first 2 weeks of a placement it is usual practice for the carer to provide a very high level of supervision. This will usually mean the parent remaining with the carer apart from when the parent attends a pre arranged professional meeting. The detail of such an agreement needs to be clear from the outset of the placement.

1.10 The foster carer will be expected to keep a daily record, noting observations of the parent’s ability to respond to their baby’s needs including capacity to meet their physical and emotional needs,manage the routine and the practical tasks of washing, shopping, budgetingetc.

1.11 Such observations will need to be passed on to the parent on a daily basis so that a parent is kept up to date with their progress and the plan for the work with the parent adjusted accordingly and kept under review. It is also important that the parent is aware of the assessment and advice of the carer and able to respond to any changes that are needed as well as be informed of the progress that is being made.

1.12 The daily recording will focus on a parent’s basic physical care of the baby, and the quality of the parent/child interaction i.e. has the parent ‘emotionally connected’ to the child. Equally important though to record is the parent’s ability to respond to the advice and support the carer is offering. A parents’ ability to budget, the maintenance of their bedroom and their physical presentation and actual amount of ‘time out’ of the placement are also important areas to record.

1.13 The foster parent will need be open and honest about accurately commenting and recording a parent’s strengths and difficulties. Such observations need to be constructive with the foster carer looking for any changes and areas of a parent’s improvements, as well as any problems and areas for additional support in their parenting. The foster carer will need to stand back and be objective. The foster carer must observe and advise the parent in a non-blaming manner. It is important the carer is not collusive.

1.14 Recording will initially be on a daily basis and later move to a weekly cycle as the placement progresses. All such recording needs to be emailed to the child’s social worker and the supervising social worker for the carer on a daily basis or weekly basis as agreed for court purposes. Thus all parent and baby foster carers should possess appropriate I.T. skills, and carers without such skills will be supported to attend relevant training.

1.15 The foster carer needs to at all times prioritise and promote the welfare of the child, over and above the welfare of the adult parent in placement. The carer will need to identify and intervene if a baby/child is felt to be at risk, where a child remaining in a parent’s care would be detrimental to its welfare. Any such intervention would need to be immediately passed on to the child’s social worker, and her supervising social worker.

1.16 These placements have a clear child protection remit, and thus the carer will also be expected to challenge a parent in specific circumstances if there are specific safeguarding concerns. The nature of such circumstances should have been outlined in the initial Set up Meeting.

1.17 Foster carers need to provide 24 hour support when required, and transport parent and baby when appropriate and as agreed. A foster carer will offer to baby-sit for one night a week, with an agreed amount of notice if that is agreed as part of the placement plan and will also babysit when a parent has to attend professional appointments.

1.18 The foster carer will provide a fully furnished, reasonably sized bedroom complete with bed and cot linen, and ensure the parent has use of a sitting room with home entertainment (this may be the family communal living room) The foster carer will make available and provide full use of baby/child toys and equipment for inside/outside home.

1.19 Once a placement is made, the foster carer and her supervising Social worker will complete and provide a specific Safe Caring plan in relation to the individual parent and baby placement, which will take into account all the members of its family. Such a plan will also outline the household’s rules. There need to be clear consideration of the role of any birth children to prevent any collusion or unhelpful alliances.

1.20 It is important that such a Safe Caring plan should also outline the specific matching process (the positives and any issues of concern that need to be focused on within the placement). If a parent and baby have been placed alongside another foster child the supervising social worker for the carer and social worker for the other child in placement needs to have been fully consulted about the match.

1.21 The foster carer will periodically check on the care and safety of baby/child in placement, and therefore must have access to the child at all times whilst it is in the home environment. This may need to be highlighted at the initial Set Up meeting, where there may need to be a discussion about amount of unsupervised time in the day a parent is allowed to have in their bedroom with their baby.

1.22 The carer should on a regular weekly basis also check on the parent’s bedroom as part of the assessment of the parent’s ability to provide a suitable environment for the baby. The carers’ supervising social worker and the child’s social worker likewise need to ensure such regular room checks are made and recorded for evidential purposes.

1.23 The foster carer will always seek medical advice/treatment for any accident or injury a baby/child has sustained. Any accident or injury should be fully recorded. A report to the child’s social worker and her supervising social worker must then be made as soon as possible.

1.24 The foster carer will respect and give recognition to the importance of a parent and child’s ethnic origin, cultural background, religion, language, gender, sexuality and disability. These issues will need to be considered as part of the initial set up meeting and additional support and advice will be provided to the carer is that is required.

1.25 The foster carer will attend pre-placement meetings, reviews, core group meetings and any other planning meetings as required. There is an expectation she will be invited to the Child Protection conference, as this would ensure she is aware of the role of all the other professionals working with the birth parent.

1.26 The carer will also need to attend the 6 weekly Network Meeting organised by her supervising social worker, which will take place in the foster home. Such meetings will include the parent, the child’s social worker and the assigned health visitor, and will review the initial placement’s expectations, and levels of supervision and recording requirements. Good links with the local health visitor from the onset should ensure the parent receives a consistent health advice about her child.

1.27 A foster carer needs to identify someone in their network, who has an Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check, who could step in to provide additional support or cover for the carer should the need arise.

1.28 A foster carer is expected to attend their bi-monthly Parent and Baby training and support group.

1.29 The need for a separate respite Parent and Baby placement, should the carer[s] have a pre-arranged holiday, must be discussed at the Set Up meeting, so that all parties are aware there may be a brief break in the continuity of the placement. No other respite provision would normally be provided, unless there were exceptional circumstances.

1.30 Financial arrangements and expectations need to be discussed and agreed at the set up meeting and kept under review as required. It is usual practice for the foster carer to provide one evening meal, and for the parent to provide everything else for the baby.

1.31 In line with the Memorabilia policy, the foster carer must from the start of the placement use a ‘memory box’ for any baby placed. She must record for example all significant milestones and ensure at least weekly digital photographs are taken. This should be discussed with the parent in placement and arrangements made for copies of all the information and photos to be kept for the parent.

2. The Parent

2.1 The Parent will need to be provided with the Parent and Baby information booklet prior to initially meeting the carer pre placement or attending the Set Up Meeting. The Parent needs to be aware that there will be an initial period where there will be high levels of supervision.

2.2 The Parent will be expected to care for their baby/child at all times unless there has been a specific agreement for the carer to take over aspects of the baby’s care for a specific limited period of time.

2.3 The Parent will be expected to manage the day/bedtime routine, which needs to fit in with the foster carers’ household. When a parent is settling their baby into its bedtime routine, it is their responsibility to check on the child throughout the evening until they retire to bed. If it is felt that a baby monitor should for various reasons be initially used, this may need to be discussed and agreed at the Set Up Meeting.

2.4 The Parent will be expected to shop, budget, and cook for themselves and baby/child and attend to all the requisite washing and ironing. The Parent will keep his/her room tidy, and leave the communal kitchen/bathroom in a tidy/clean condition after use.

2.5 Personal clothing and belongings must be kept in parent’s own room, as the foster carer cannot be responsible for property or articles that are lost or damaged in placement.

2.6 The Parent will contribute to the wellbeing of everyone in the foster carer’s home and in public by demonstrating non-aggressive/non-threatening behaviours.

2.7 As part of the assessment process, the foster carer may make occasional room checks to ensure the safety of parent and child, and therefore all bedroom doors must be kept unlocked. Issues of privacy will be acknowledged and discussed at the set up meeting.

2.8 The parent will be provided with the daily record sheets prepared by the foster carer. The parent will be asked to include their own comments to the recording sheets and sign the records. If there are any differences of opinion these should be discussed ideally initially with the carer, or with the social worker for the child, and these differences be recorded.

2.9 The parent will be informed about the detail of the safe caring agreement which will have been completed by the social worker for the foster carer and the foster carer.

2.10 Parents will be informed that smoking is not permitted anywhere inside the foster carer’s home, but may be allowed in their garden if the parent needs to smoke. From 01 October 2015 it is illegal to smoke inside a car when any person under 18 is in the car. This should be discussed at the set up meeting, and the parent must be made aware of the impact of all aspects of active and passive smoking on children. No alcohol is to be consumed or kept by the parent in the carer’s home.

2.11 Parents will be informed that no involvement with any illegal substances is permitted in the foster carer’s home. However, it is recognised some parents may be supported in a parent and baby placement when a parent is part of a substance misuse treatment programme. Specific arrangements for storing of medication or for example prescribed methadone has to be discussed at the set up meeting. The carer in turn will need to ensure that the medication is used on the basis it is prescribed.

2.12 The Parent needs to inform the carer and child’s social worker of any appointments/assessments etc and check if childcare cover is approved.

2.13 Parent’s mobile phone usage needs to be compatible with living in a family home. Any issues relating to the use of mobile phones will need to be discussed at the Network Meetings.

2.14 A Parent’s circumstances/history is strictly confidential to the named foster carers and not their families/friends. Parents can feel reassured that no discussions will take place about their circumstances between a carer and their family members or friends.

3. The Fostering Supervising Social Worker

3.1 The FSSW needs to ensure full parental and child information is passed on by child’s social worker to the foster carer prior to the placement commencing. Such paper work would include any recent CP conference minutes and the Background Information report.

3.2 A fostering duty social worker needs to ensure that the duty referral has been emailed [or posted] to the Parent and Baby carer. The duty worker also needs to remind the referring social worker about the Parent and Baby Informational booklet, which is stored in each field work office.

3.3 The FSSW needs to attend any Set Up meeting prior to a placement or immediately following placement, and ensure there is a full discussion about the expectations of the placement and the envisaged time scales. In particular this meeting needs to examine and clarify any concerns of a child protection nature which have been raised, looking at how such risks could be managed by the carer in placement.

3.4 The FSSW at this meeting needs to ensure all parties are aware of any training commitments the carer may have, and their need to attend their bi-monthly Parent and Baby support group.

3.5 The FSSW needs to take the lead in completing the Placement information Record which is usually discussed and the end of the set up meeting. The FSSW will ensure that the foster carer has a copy of the PIR.

3.6 The FSSW will also need to take a copy of the recording template and prompt sheet to this meeting, and discuss with the field work team any areas of concern that need to be added/or any parental issues about which there needs to be an additional focus.

3.7 The FSSW will be responsible for drawing up an initial Safe Caring policy which covers all family members and their roles. If there is another foster child in placement any specific issues that would have been highlighted within the matching process needs to be detailed within the specific safe caring agreement.

3.8 The FSSW will visit in the first week of placement and at least three weekly thereafter to provide supervision and support as well as weekly phone contacts. The FSW will also need to undertake unannounced visits.

3.9 The FSSW should arrange to read and discuss with the carer her recorded observations and provide additional advice as required.

3.10 The FSSW needs to arrange a series of 6 weekly Network Meetings with the carer, the parent, the child’s social worker and herself. At such a meeting the placement’s progress will be discussed and any salient issues aired. The FSSW with the social worker for the child will decide when the carer’s initial high levels of supervision is decreased, and when the carer’s daily recording switches to a weekly cycle.

3.11 The FSSW will check with foster carers that they have researched/accessed groups or courses available (if appropriate) for the parent and baby in the local area.

3.12 The FSSW is responsible for monitoring, supporting and supervising all aspects of the management of the placement.

4. The Child’s Social Worker

4.1 The social worker needs to ensure that the parent has an Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check (or PNC check in the interim) if the Parent is over 16.

4.2 The Child’s social worker needs to ensure the foster carer has all the relevant information/paperwork at the outset of the placement. This will include any recent Child Protection minutes, and the Background Information record. The fostering team will be forwarding the carer the duty referral.

4.3 It is important that all potential placements and referring field social workers have a copy of our Parent and Baby information red booklet, which are stored in each area office. The parent may need help in understanding not only the purpose of the parenting assessment, but also what such an assessment will entail.

4.4 The child’s social worker will need to discuss the financial aspects of the placement and ensure if appropriate the parent is making/can make a single claim for Income Support prior to be placed.

4.5 The Child’s social workers should inform benefit agencies (child benefit, housing benefit) of the parent’s situation.

4.6 The Child’s social worker must visit during the first week of placement and thereafter maintain a high level of visiting to ensure the placement remains focused and that there is no delay in resolving the permanence plans for the baby. There should be very regular liaison with the FSSW.

4.7 It is absolutely essential to ensure that plans are put in place to ensure the parent(s) will have suitable accommodation to move on to. The Child’s social worker needs to be proactive in resolving any accommodation issues for the parent. Plans for rehabilitation for the child with their parent in the community should not be held up due to accommodation difficulties.

4.8 The child’s social worker needs to be aware that once the placement is made, the foster carer and her supervising Social worker will complete and provide a specific Safe Caring plan, which will take into account all the members of its family. Such a policy will also outline the household’s rules.

4.9 The Child’s social worker should undertake room checks as required.

4.10 The Child’s social worker needs to attend the 6 weekly Network Meetings, which the FSSW usually arranges. The focus of such meetings will be ensuring the placement’s expectations are being met and agree any changes that are needed, and to discuss/resolve any problems that may have arisen.

4.11 Should a dispute arise within the placement, joint visits should initially be undertaken by FSSW and the child’s social worker The child’s social worker may then arrange a meeting to include the parent, FSSW, carer and the area Practice Manager if the dispute has not been resolved.

4.12 Should the Set Up Meeting agreement be breached, it is the Child’s Social worker’s responsibility to organise a professionals’ meeting to discuss what this may mean in relation to the court proceedings.

4.13 The Child’s social worker will also need to organise a later Placement Rehabilitation meeting to discuss and plan for a parent and child’s rehabilitation in to the community. Such a meeting will need to focus on the detail of the support that will be needed for this move to occur.