Long Term Fostering

1. Long Term Fostering Policy Statement

Hertfordshire County Council believes that all children have a right to grow up safe and free from harm, with opportunities to maximise their potential to develop and grow and to feel secure. Hertfordshire County Council will provide services to promote and secure the upbringing of children by their birth families wherever possible and when in the best interests of the child.

Hertfordshire County Council believes in the fundamental right of every child to belong to a family which can meet its needs during childhood and beyond, family and Connected Persons need to be considered first. If no family or connected persons deemed suitable, the preferred option for all children is adoption, especially for under 10's but if not possible, SGO's and long term fostering should be the alternative option.

The child's welfare, safety and needs will be at the centre of this procedure.

The child's wishes and feelings will be actively sought and taken into account in the implementation of this procedure.

Any individual needs of a child with a disability or additional needs will be taken into account when decisions are made in connection with this procedure.

2. Placement Options for Permanence

When birth parents are unable to look after and bring up their children, they may be able to make secure suitable arrangements for them through Private Law applications, (for Guardianship or Child Arrangements Orders) (See Private Law Applications (including Section 7 and Section 37 Reports) Procedure), or through adoption within the family, or by an informal arrangement with another family member.

In these circumstances the child will not become Looked After and this procedure does not apply to those children.

Where a child has become looked after by Children's Services (Social Care), it may become clear that the child will need alternative care which will last into adulthood and beyond.

A safe and sustainable plan which removes the need for the child to be Looked After long term will usually be the preferred care option for the child.

For most children who become looked after returning to the birth family will be the preferred pathway to permanence. Proactive case management and working with birth parents is crucial for successful reunification. Any return home must be planned and well managed. Before and after the return there needs to be:

• Evidence of improved parenting capacity including measurable improvements in the areas of original concern;
• An evidence based risk assessment;
• Provision of services to support the plan;
• The views and wishes of the child must form an integral part of the plan.

Wherever possible this will be sought and identified within the wider family in a Connected Person arrangement, and will be achieved through the making of an Adoption Order, or more probably a Special Guardianship Order or a Child Arrangements Order (refer also to Placements with Family and Friends/Connected Persons Policy and Placement Procedure (Including Regulation 24 Placements), Special Guardianship Orders Policy and Procedure, and Child Arrangements Order Policy and Procedures). When the Friends and Family or Connected Person Foster Carers become the long term foster carers, the arrangement does not need to be considered at the Fostering Panel re: Matching as such issues will have been addressed at the Fostering Panel re: Approval.

When placement within the wider family is not an option, the child's needs for legal and emotional security (permanence) may be obtained through adoption by adopters not known to the family (see Part 10 of this manual, Adoption and Permanence).

Foster carers may also seek a Child Arrangements Order or Special Guardianship Order in order to share Parental Responsibility for a child or young person they are caring for and to end the period of being Looked After for the child.

(Hertfordshire County Council can offer financial support to current foster carers for a child who wish to share Parental Responsibility in this way where it is clearly in the child's best interests. See Part 10 of this manual, Adoption and Permanence and Special Guardianship Orders Policy and Procedure for further guidance).

However it is understood that for some children none of these alternatives will be available, for any of a number of reasons, and they will remain Looked After by the County Council.

Security, continuity and stability may be provided for these children through a long term fostering arrangement which can meet their needs into adulthood. Potential long term foster carers will be made aware of HCC's Staying Put Policy and be prepared to consider this if it becomes appropriate to do so.

In order to maximise opportunities for these arrangements to be sustained and secure for the child/young person they must be well planned. The strengths and vulnerabilities of both the child and the proposed long term carers must be assessed with particular regard to their ability to manage the relationship between the child and the birth parents safely and any support needs of the child or the carers must be explicitly addressed.

In order to provide the best options for children and to maximise the use of potential resources the needs of children and potential long term foster placement with carers will be considered on a county wide basis.

This means there will be a 'pooling' of potential carers in order to help identify the most appropriate likely resource to meet the needs of a named child.

When considering how best to provide a sense of permanence for a young person, plans must take account of the strengths of existing relationships, the young person's sense of identity, views about themselves and their preferences, and how best to provide continuity as well as permanence.

In instances where the adoption plan has been reversed and the child / young person's plan changes to Long Term Fostering, authorisation needs to be obtained from the Agency Decision Maker (ADM) before this occurs.

See also: Permanence Planning, Placement Strategy and Guidance Procedure.

3. Criteria for Long Term Fostering

Long term fostering will be the preferred placement option where:

• A Family Group Conference (See Family Group Conferences Procedure) has been held and assessments of family members have not been successful in identifying potential carers to meet the needs of the child or young person. A permanency planning meeting has looked at the options for the child's best interest and concluded that long term fostering is the best option having ruled out the alternatives i.e. adoption, connected persons and SGO's;
• The Permanence Plan must recommend that placement within the family is not possible;
  
  or
  
  
• A child or young person has had a previous adoption placement which has disrupted;
  
  The Permanence Plan must recommend that further attempts to place for adoption are inappropriate;
  
  The adoption agency decision maker must be asked to re-consider the suitability of the child for adoption;
  
  or
  
  
• A child is over the age of 10 years;
  
  The Permanence Plan has recommended that adoption is not appropriate;
  
  or
  
  
• A child is under 10 years old, has frequent contact with family members and has a strong sense of identity with the family;
  
  The Permanence Plan must have recommended that adoption is not appropriate for a child in this situation;
  
  or
  
  
• Where a child is under 10 years old and adoption has been agreed by the adoption agency decision maker as the most appropriate plan for the child, but all reasonable attempts to identify potential adopters for the child have failed, both within the county and externally;
  
  A revised Permanence Plan must recommended that further attempts to place for adoption are inappropriate (delay in securing permanence);
  
  The Adoption Panel must be asked to re-consider the suitability of the child for adoption;
• Some children will be long term fostered by children with Friends and Family/Connected Persons Foster Carers, who have already been approved as a match with the child. The preferred Permanence Plan for such children is SGO or Adoption.

Whatever the circumstances, the statutory review for the child must endorse the plan for long term fostering as the appropriate Care Plan for the child, and a review should be brought forward if necessary to avoid delay.

Where there is a sibling group of children who are Looked After, planning decisions about long term placement of choice will be made on a case by case basis, considering the needs of each child individually and making decisions about best possible outcomes for each child.

Workers should use the Sibling Checklist as a tool in assessing relationships within sibling groups and how best to maintain important sibling relationships which can increase resilience for children.

Placement Plans for Long Term Fostering must be prepared and:

• Sets out how the placement will meet the child's needs;
• Ensures the child's well-being is safeguarded and promoted;
• Ensures the child's wishes and feelings are included;
• Evidences that the IRO has been consulted;
• Evidences the child's family were consulted (where appropriate).

4. Long Term Fostering

Decisions about long term fostering will be made in order to meet a child's physical and emotional needs and to provide a sense of permanence and identity, which are crucial to the development of the child's sense of self-worth and ability to form satisfying relationships in the future.

It is intended that a long term fostering placement will last throughout childhood and into adulthood, including Staying Put, as appropriate for that young person.

'Long term fostering' as a term will be restricted to care planning for permanence.

The plan for long term fostering can be decided at the initial stages of permanency planning, or it can be the result of a change in plans at a later date. For example, if the plan to return home has changed and a young person does not wish to be adopted.

Regardless of whether the placement identified as long term is within their current placement or a new placement, the placement will be formally identified as a long term placement in accordance with The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review when the following steps have been taken:

• Long term foster care is the 'plan for permanence' and is recorded in the child's care plan;
• The foster carer has agreed to act as the child's foster carer until the child ceases to be looked-after; and;
• The responsible authority has confirmed the arrangement with the foster carer(s), the birth parents and the child.

In instances where children / young people are residing in placements indefinitely, the placement will not be considered a long term placement until the above measures have been completed.

A child under 14 years old will be considered for long term fostering unless circumstances dictate otherwise. Where this is not appropriate the care plan needs to clearly record the reasons why and be documented on the child's LCS profile.

For children age 14 and over, the decision for Long term Fostering may be ratified outside of the Fostering Panel by the IRO at a CLA Review.

Decisions regarding agreement for Long Term Fostering must be clearly recorded on LCS by:

• Completing the Work Flow Pathway that identifies long term fostering;
• Ensuing long term fostering is chosen as the option under the tab for 'CLA Placement Type';
• Completing a case record to include the date the decision for long term fostering was made and by whom, and any actions are required;
• Notifying the panel administrator and team manager of the decision.

5. Procedure for Long Term Fostering

This section does not apply to children placed with Friends and Family/Connected Persons Foster Carers.

The recommendation for long term fostering as the placement option of choice for any child will be made as part of the Permanence Plan or a revised Permanence Plan. This should be attended by the fostering team, the child's social worker, the current foster carers and or family finder if available.

The recommendation of the Permanence Plan for long term fostering must be confirmed at the child's CLA review as it may represent a change in the Care Plan. The review should be brought forward if necessary to avoid delay in implementing the plan.

In some circumstances the agency decision maker may need to be asked to re-consider their recommendation.

However, in order to avoid delay, work can commence associated with identification of a long term placement.

Where this is the case, the potential family carers should have a speedy but robust viability assessment to establish whether a fuller assessment of their capacity to meet the child's needs in the long term is appropriate.

In order for the Long term fostering stability team to start the process of identifying a long term family for a child, the following process must be followed

5.1 Referral process

When long-term has been agreed as a child’s care plan (Permanence planning meeting decision), a Placement referral form will need to be made by the child’s social worker on the PRF and ensure that the long term option on the PRF is selected, and reassigned to the Long-term fostering LCS tray.

Once completed, a case note on the child’s record to confirm the referral has been made.

The referral is picked up by the Long-term fostering team, who will acknowledge the referral has been received and the name of the child is added to the Long-term fostering tracker.

Once the referral is made, an initial search will be done with foster carers who have a vacancy for a child long-term.

Once the profile is completed, the profile will be sent out to all Fostering teams, discussed in team meetings and shared and discussed with foster carers who could potentially be a long-term match for the child.

The profiles are sent out approximately every 3 weeks.

The profiles for children waiting for a long-term foster home, will also be shared at the long-term fostering evenings where carers who would like to care for a child long-term will be attending. These events happen about 3 times a year.

5. 2 Matching

When a long-term family is identified for a child, the child’s social worker needs to ensure that the Placement Referral Form (PRF) is updated and a long-term profile (CS025218) of the child with the potential carer.

In addition to this, the SSW will share the foster carer matching profile and child friendly profile with the child’s social worker.

Prior to the meeting, the current carers will complete the Information gathering questionnaire (day to day life of the child, including likes/dislikes, routine, behaviours, things important to the child etc). This is to be shared with the potential carers. Both sets of foster carers to exchange contact details and to share any further information without the child present. The potential long-term carers need to fully understand what it is like to care for this child.

If it is agreed between Fostering and the child’s social worker that this is a good match, then the child’s social worker and Supervising social worker will plan to visit the Foster carer in their home, so that the foster carer and social worker can meet, the social worker can see the carer within their home environment, find out more about the carer, answer any questions and identify any support needs. If this is positive, then the matching process can begin.

There should be no delay in making this decision and no more than 1 month from when a carer has been identified until a decision is made about the match.

For all children who move to long-term fostering, fostering aim to complete a trauma line which is shared with new carers before or as soon as the child has moved in order for the new carers to be able to get a full understanding of the child’s past experiences and how this may impact on their current presentation.

6. Transition Process

Hertfordshire’s transition model is based on the principles of the UEA model which is currently being used by the Adoption service as it is recognised that this supports both the child, and both sets of carers.

Principles of the model

1. Opportunities for the FC and Adopters to build a positive relationship should be promoted in the early stages of the moving process as this is helpful to the success of the move (Adults build a relationship);
2. The Child and the new carers should be given opportunities to become familiar with each other through play and observations prior to the new carers undertaking any care giving tasks (Getting to know each other);
3. All arrangements and timescales should focus on the needs of the child (Child focused and lead);
4. The Child’s feelings about the move should be held in mind and responded to sensitively (Attunement);
5. Some continuity of the foster family relationship and the environment will support the child in managing the loss of their previous foster family and building trust in their new foster family (Trust building/Managing loss (grief));
6. There should be flexibility in the planning in consultation with the child, the families and the social workers to allow for emerging circumstances and needs (Flexibility to change).

There are 3 main stages of the model:

STAGE 1: Getting to know each other

Purpose of stage 1:

Stage 1 will allow for both sets of foster carers to meet without the child to build trust and provide opportunities to think about providing continuity for the child.

Getting to each other will promote working partnership between the carers and social workers involved.

Current and new foster carers will meet in meetings, but also have informal contact via mobile phone, WhatsApp, emails, photographs etc.

This will enable children to become more relaxed and familiar with their new carers before care giving tasks begin.

Information sharing meeting:

If CLA and Fostering agree that the match should be progressed following the visit to the potential long term family, an introductions meeting should be held as soon as possible and will be organised and chaired by the CLA manager and include both sets of foster carers, both SSW’s and the child’s SW.

The purpose of the introductions meeting is for both sets of carers to meet with involved social workers, to look at the overview of the child’s journey, sharing of information and starting to think about possible support if the match is to go ahead.

Virtual schools may need to be invited if this is felt appropriate and need to be made aware if the move means a change of school.

Both sets of carers to arrange informal meetings, phone calls etc, to start to build a relationship.

Transitions meeting:

Following the information sharing meeting (ideally within 10 working days), the Supervising social worker will arrange a Transitions meeting. This meeting is chaired by the Fostering team manager of the child’s new carers (long-term carers) and attended by both sets of foster carers, Supervising social workers and the child’s social worker.

The purpose of this meeting is to agree on a Transition plan for the child moving from their current foster home to their new long-term home. It is important that both sets of carers are involved in making this plan to ensure that the plan fits with both families involved and the transition is in the child’s best interest.

We always need to make sure that a child’s wishes and feelings are considered as part of the plan, and if appropriate be involved in putting the transition plan together.

The format of the transition plan will be similar to the plans used in adoption and should include the carers getting to know each other, meetings away from the house for the carers to observe the child and then observe the child’s routine in the current carers house.

The length of transition always needs to be child led, however ideally the plan should be over a period of 6 weeks, this includes the chemistry period, the transitions and the time after the child moves.

A Transition plan review will be agreed for approx. halfway through transitions but can be changed at any time if needed.

STAGE 2: Making the move

Purpose of stage 2:

To provide the child with reassurance that their new carers will meet their needs, and that they have not been rejected by their current carers. It will support the child to understand that they will remain in contact with their current carers after the move.

Visits:

Generally, a transition plan will involve new foster carers initially meeting the child in their current home and observing the child’s current routine.

Next step will be for the child to visit the new home with their current carers.

Gradually, when child is ready, the child will go to visit carers without their current carer present, i.e. tea visits etc.

The transition plan will always have to be child led and will need to be flexible and adaptable depending on how the child manages the transitions.

The potential carers will start to become more involved in the care of the child during the transitions plan and stay for meals, bedtime routines and attend appointments if and when appropriate.

Stage 2 ends on the day when the child moves to their new foster family.

When a child moves to a long term family, the child’s social worker needs to inform Brokerage so this placement can be added to LCS.

STAGE 3: Staying in touch

Purpose of stage 3:

Child is supported to build trust in their new foster carers and manage loss of their previous foster family.

The ongoing, gradually reducing presence of the attachment figure (foster carer) softens the impact of the move.

The new carers are reassured by the previous carers continued support after the move.

Ideally, all children should remain in ongoing contact with their previous foster carers after their move.

The initial staying in touch, will be covered as part of the transition plan, with arranged visits by the previous foster carers in the first 2 weeks after the move, gradually becoming less frequent. Previous foster carer remain in contact on phone with new carers including video calls, text messages, photographs etc.

7. Needs matching process to ratify long term arrangement

This section does not apply to children placed with Friends and Family/Connected Persons Foster Carers.

In order for the long term fostering arrangement to be formally ratified, a needs matching meeting will need will be held to discuss the child's assessed needs and how the proposed long term foster carers are able to meet the child’s needs long term. 

This usually takes place within the first year of the child moving to their prospective long term foster carers. There should be no delay in the matching meeting taking place.

7.1 Needs matching process for children who are placed with Hertfordshire approved foster carers.

People attending the Needs matching meeting should include:

• The Foster carer(s)
• The child's social worker;
• The Team Manager for the child’s social worker;
• The supervising social worker of the child’s foster carer(s);
• The Fostering team manager of the foster carers;
• Where appropriate, others who can help with the decision making and planning for the child.

The 'needs and matching' meeting will be chaired by the Fostering Team Manager of the foster carers.

During the Needs matching meeting process, a Needs matching report is completed to consider the child’s background, presenting and future needs and how the foster family is currently meeting the needs of the child and their assessed ability meet the needs of the child long term and offer stability into adulthood.

The Needs matching report will be completed on CS0252F50 Child's Permanence Needs and Matching Report - Herts CC.

Section 1 of the report is completed by Child’s social worker prior to the Needs matching meeting.

Section 2 and 3 will be completed by the supervising social worker during and following the needs matching meeting.

The report will be signed off by the Fostering manager chairing the Needs matching meeting.

For children aged 14+, ratification of the long term arrangement is made via the IRO review process following the Needs matching meeting process outlined above.

For children under the age of 14, the recommendation of a long term match is presented to Agency decision maker together with a Foster carer annual review for a change of approval from short to long term (Change from short to long term option within the LCS Foster carer annual review form).

Paper work required for Agency decision maker to make a decision on a long term match;

When a long term match is ratified by Agency Decision maker, the child will be sent a personalised letter to confirm the long term match. The Supervising social worker will draft the letter sent from the Agency decision maker to the child.

Foster carers are encouraged to celebrate the long term match in whichever way is best for the child in their care. Some foster families celebrate with a special celebration party, or doing a fun activity, however this will always need to be led by the needs of the child.

7.2 Needs matching process for children who are placed with Independent fostering agency Foster carers

Process

Where the current short term carers for a child are approved by another agency, and there is evidence that the placement is the most likely to meet the long term needs of the child the carers must be encouraged to become Hertfordshire County Council carers. If the carers do not agree to become Hertfordshire County Council carers, PARP (see East and West Practice and Resources Panel PARP Procedure) permission to be sought from PARP regarding funding and movement.

Where it is agreed that the child’s current carers provides the best care and placement option for the child, the carers must be approved as long term carers by their own agency panel.

A 'needs and matching' meeting will be held to discuss the child's assessed needs and consider how their current short term carers can meet their long term needs and to be able to offer secure and sustainable care into adulthood.

People attending the meeting should include:

• The agency Foster carers;
• The child's social worker;
• The Child’s social worker Team Manager;
• The foster carers’ supervising social worker from the Agency;
• An inhouse fostering manager or Consultant social worker.

The 'needs and matching' meeting will be chaired by an inhouse Fostering Team Manager/Consultant social worker.

Section 1 of the Child's Permanence Needs and Matching Report CS0252F50 will be completed by the Child’s social worker prior to the meeting and Section 2 and 3 of the report be completed by the Agency Supervising social worker for the foster carers following the meeting.

The Needs matching meeting and report will form a recommendation of whether the agency foster carers are considered to meet the child’s long term needs.

The Long term match between the child and their foster carers will presented to Fostering panel who will make a recommendation and the final decision is made by the Agency Decision maker.

When appropriate and in agreement with the child’s social worker, the child will be invited to attend Fostering panel when the long term match is presented. The child will be supported by their Social worker and foster carers to prepare to attend panel.

It will be a condition of approval as long term carers that no other child will be placed without the prior knowledge and agreement of Hertfordshire County Council.

No short term placement should be made within the first year of a long term placement decision, and after that period none should be made without Hertfordshire County Council having an opportunity to assess any likely impact on the child /young person in long term placement.

This undertaking needs to be made explicit and written into contracts prior to commitment to long term funding.

Paperwork required for fostering panel for a long term match for a child with independent foster carers:

Fostering panel will make a recommendation and final decision about the long term match will be made by the Agency decision maker.

When a long term match is ratified, the child’s social worker who knows the child, will draft the letter sent from the Agency decision maker to the child. Fostering panel will make this request to the child’s social worker once the ADM decision is made.

Foster carers are encouraged to celebrate the long term match in whichever way is best for the child in their care. Some foster families celebrate with a special celebration party, or doing a fun activity, however this will always need to be led by the needs of the child.

8. Approval of New Carers

Where the preferred prospective long term foster carers are not currently Hertfordshire County Council carers, they will have to be assessed as new carers for the county and be approved a long term carers by Hertfordshire's Fostering Panel.

When the Friends and Family or Connected Person Foster Carers become the long term foster carers, the arrangement does not need to be considered at the Fostering Panel re: Matching as such issues will have been addressed at the Fostering Panel re: Approval.

This assessment will follow the assessment process for all applicants; will include attendance at 'Skills to Foster' workshops, evidence of competencies etc. Their assessment and training may be focused around the specific needs/experiences and behaviours of the particular child.

When the selected carers have been approved as long term carers by the Fostering Panel, formal 'matching' with the child can be presented to Fostering Panel for consideration.

The approval as long term carers and matching can take place at the same Panel meeting, so long as carers are recommended for approval before any recommendation for matching.

9. Prospective Adopters being Approved as Foster Carers

If prospective adopters request to be approved as foster carers, see Fostering for Adoption Procedure.

10. After the ADM Decision

It is considered good practice to mark this event in the life of the child.

The agency decision maker will be invited to send a letter to the child/young person, foster carer(s) and parent(s) confirming the long term placement decision. Panel office will send a draft letter to the Child’s social worker and ask that they personalise the letter for the child, which is then sent out by the Agency decision maker.

Foster carers are encouraged to celebrate the long term match in whichever way is best for the child in their care. Some foster families celebrate with a special celebration party, or doing a fun activity, however this will always need to be led by the needs of the child.

A placement planning meeting should be convened as soon as possible after the recommendation for 'matching'.

For more information regarding the Panel Recommendations and ADM decision process, see the Fostering Panel Procedure.

11. Long Term Fostering Flowchart

Click here to view the Long Term Fostering Flowchart.