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3.10.8 Permanent Fostering

Where a child's proposed placement with a foster carer is to become permanent, the following must occur in order to obtain the necessary approval:

  1. If the foster carers are not already approved to take long-term placements, it will be necessary for the Supervising Social Worker to conduct an assessment to obtain such approval from their Fostering Panel, i.e. Lewisham Fostering Panel for Lewisham foster  carers or the agency’s panel for Preferred Provider IFA's.
  2. An assessment of the suitability of the match of the long-term foster carers with the child or children in question should  then be conducted. 
  3. The child's Social Worker and Supervising Social Worker work together to produce a matching report. This will apply to all children, irrespective of whether they are placed with Lewisham or Preferred Provider IFA carers.
  4. The matching report should be presented to the Lewisham Fostering Panel, who may recommend to the Agency Decision Maker that the matching be approved or not.

The Matching Report should be accompanied by the following information:

Decision taken for child’s permanence plan (whether at Adoption and Permanence Panel and/or LAC Review):- include minutes.
The Form E/CPR if previously presented to Adoption and Permanence Panel: - with updates if necessary.
Minutes and Ratification from previous presentation to Panel (where applicable).
Where no Form E/CPR has been previously required then the current Core Assessment and most recent LAC Review report.
Any other relevant report/information: - school, CAMHS report, information from foster carer etc.
Child’s Medical Report: - most recent.
Family’s Form F (if first approved within the last 3 years) Fostering Panel minutes and latest Annual Review.

Confirmation of status of registration.

Ensure that they are properly approved as long term foster carer/s and for the numbers and ages of the child/ren for whom they are caring. Check any exemptions.

Confirm that CRB's and medicals are current.

Give dates for most recent and ensure health recommendations (if any) have been carried out. These checks should be brought to panel by the agency.

Information and dates of any other child/ren in placement and their record of fostering.

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