Early intervention and managing standards of care in fostering
A NAFP online seminar with a focus on how we can support foster carers to undertake their caring role to children as safely as possible
Following requests from members we are facilitating an online seminar with a focus on how we can support foster carers to undertake their caring role to children as safely as possible.
Standards of care enquiries or reviews are often an accumulation of worries that have built up over time, that impact the carer, the fostering family and will certainly have an impact on children’s lives.
It is important to consider how we recognise the stage before standards of care concerns; the point when carers seem to be struggling or need us to be there for them; how to support and help modify their practice; meet expectations of their role as a foster carer; and ensure that children’s needs can be developed, met and exceeded. We should expect better than “good enough parenting”.
Our time together during this conference is to encourage practitioners and managers to consider how we can prevent standards of care concerns by being more proactive, transparent and supportive.
22.10 NMS (England) - Fostering services ensure that a clear distinction is made between investigation into allegations of harm and discussions over standards of care. Investigations which find no evidence of harm should not become procedures looking into poor standards of care - these should be treated separately.
Together we will consider:
- Identifying what is a “standard of care concern” and how we consider early intervention
- The different approach in relation to “standards of care” and “allegations”
- Practice issues, including thresholds of standards of care and the “grey areas”, the “niggles
- Identify themes and patterns and knowing for when to intervene
- Transparency, a supportive action plan (where appropriate
- Serious concerns in relation to Foster Carers and consequences
- How undertaking a reflective case review which will help
- The framework / legislation, policy and guidance
(this event will be hosted on Zoom - accessibility; delegates will be emailed details of how to join a few days beforehand)
