Managing Allegations and Quality of Care Concerns in Fostering

1. Difference between allegations, Quality of Care Concerns and Complaints in Fostering

Allegation:

An allegation is an assertion from any person that a foster carer or other member of the fostering household may have:

• Behaved in a way that has, or may have, harmed a child;
• Possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child; or
• Behaved towards a child in a way that indicates that they are unsuitable to work with children.

Allegations are more serious than general complaints against foster carers, as allegations must be investigated under the local safeguarding procedure. Allegations should be treated differently from concerns about poor standards of care. The public authority (the local authority or health and social care trust) in which the foster carer lives, the fostering service they work for, the authority responsible for any children in foster care and the police will all be involved in deciding exactly how a particular allegation is investigated.

Hertfordshire manage Allegations against Foster carers under Hertfordshire Safeguarding partnership procedures. All allegations are referred to Hertfordshire Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).
For detailed information about how to manage Allegations against foster carers, including process, please refer to: Managing Allegations Against Adults who work with Children and Young People

Quality of care concern

A quality-of-care concern refers to inadequate practice by a foster carer which is unacceptable, but not causing harm to a child. Quality of care concerns can be raised when there are concerns that the level of care to a child/young person does not meet expected standards of fostering, examples of unacceptable standards of care may involve issues of sanctioning a child in foster care (for example grounding/punishing them over a minor issue), not caring for them properly (for example saying there is no need to brush their teeth), or not co-operating with contact arrangements/family time. Quality of care concerns are dealt with by the fostering service initially, as an internal matter. See sub chapter Managing quality of care concerns.

Complaint

A complaint may be made by a child, a parent or anyone with a legitimate interest in the child. For example, a child complaining that they are not allowed to participate in a favourite leisure activity, or a parent complaining that the child’s culture or religion is being ignored. Children’s social care services and fostering services are required to have procedures in place for dealing with complaints, and these always involve feedback to the person who made the complaint a parent complaining that the child’s culture or religion is being ignored. Children’s social care services and fostering services are required to have procedures in place for dealing with complaints, and these always involve feedback to the person who made the complaint.

In Hertfordshire informal complains are initially dealt with by the Fostering service and involves discussing the matter with the Foster carers and social workers involved and providing feedback to the person who made the complaint after their findings.

If this is not deemed satisfactory or if the complaint is of a more complex matter, the complaint may be investigated as a formal complaint under the Hertfordshire complaint procedures.

2. Managing Quality of Care Concerns in Fostering

Where a concern is raised about the quality of care provided by a foster carer or member of the fostering household to a child or young person, the Fostering Service has a duty to manage the concerns.

The Supervising social worker should always alert the Fostering Team manager of any concerns raised about the quality of care provided to a child who is placed with a Hertfordshire Foster carer and a plan of action to be agreed.

All Quality of care concerns and Allegations raised about foster carers are recorded on the Allegation and Quality of care form on LCS. Service manager is informed of all allegations and Quality of care concern and involved in decision making.

Foster carers should always, without delay, be informed about any concerns raised about the level of care they provide to a child.

Depending on the situation, the fostering service will make a decision on appropriate actions when a quality of care concern is raised:

For less significant concerns:

1. Concerns are addressed with carer and carers responses and reflections are clearly recorded on LCS with a clear action plan. A meeting will be arranged as soon as possible with the Foster carer to discuss the concerns raised and to get an understanding of the Foster carer’s perspective and reflections of the concerns raised.
   
   The concerns and the carers responses are recorded in the Foster carer’s next annual review. Service manager and Team manager make a decision whether the Foster carer review should be referred to an Independent reviewing officer for an IRO review.
   
   Consideration to be made to what support is required for the foster family, including carers and child.
   
   For more significant concerns:
   
   
2. Concerns are addressed with carer and carers responses and reflections are clearly recorded on LCS with a clear action plan. A meeting will be arranged as soon as possible with the Foster carer to discuss the concerns raised and to get an understanding of the Foster carer’s perspective and reflections of the concerns raised.
   
   The concerns and carers responses are recorded and a Foster carer annual review will be initiated and referred to an independent Reviewing officer for an IRO review to be undertaken. See Independent Reviews of Hertfordshire County Council Foster Carers Procedure.
   
   Consideration to be made to what support is required for the foster family, including carers and child.

Child’s social worker should be informed about any quality of care concerns raised and will be asked to provide their feedback to the Foster carer annual review.

If the concern was raised by the child, feedback to be provided to the child and discussion between fostering and Child social work team about who how to support the child.

Support to foster carers following allegations and Quality of care concerns:

Hertfordshire offer support to Foster carers during allegations and has produced 2 leaflets for carers with information about what to expect and what support they can access following an allegation and quality of care concern.

Please refer to:

Managing Allegations Against Foster Carers (hertfordshire.gov.uk)

Fostering IRO review leaflet June 2022 (hertfordshire.gov.uk)