3.6.2 Safe Caring for Lewisham Foster Carers and Preferred Providers

Fostering National Minimum Standards (2011) for the provision of fostering services state clearly the important principle that:

The child’s welfare, safety and needs are at the centre of their care.

All Lewisham foster carers receive intensive training and supervision in ensuring safe caring practice is followed. We expect and check that Preferred Provider Independent Fostering Agencies used by Lewisham Children’s Social Care adhere to safe caring practices.

All carers upon approval must enter into a written Foster Care Agreement that stipulates:

Not to administer corporal punishment to any child placed with the foster parent.

Fostering National Minimum Standard 3 (Promoting positive behaviour and relationships) states as its outcome:

Children enjoy sound relationships with their foster family, interact positively with others and behave appropriately.

Key expectations set out for foster carers to achieve this outcome include the following:

Foster carers provide an environment and culture that promotes, models and supports positive behaviour. (NMS 3.2)
Children are encouraged to take responsibility for their behaviour in a way that is appropriate to their age and abilities. (NMS 3.4)
Foster carers respect the child’s privacy and confidentiality, in a manner that is consistent with good parenting. (NMS 3.5)
Foster carers have positive strategies for effectively supporting children where they encounter discrimination or bullying wherever this occurs. (NMS 3.6)
Foster carers receive support on how to manage their responses and feelings arising from caring for children, particularly where children display very challenging behaviour, and understand how children’s previous experiences can manifest in challenging behaviour. (NMS 3.7)
The Fostering Service’s approach to care minimises the need for police involvement to deal with challenging behaviour and avoids criminalising children unnecessarily. (NMS 3.10)

Central to these matters is the outcome demanded from Fostering National Minimum Standard 4 (Safeguarding Children):

Children feel safe and are safe. Children understand how to protect themselves and are protected from significant harm, including neglect, abuse, and accident.

This requires that:

Children’s safety and welfare is promoted in all fostering placements. Children are protected from abuse and other forms of significant harm (e.g. sexual or labour exploitation).
Foster carers actively safeguard and promote the welfare of foster children.
Foster carers make positive relationships with children, generate a culture of openness and trust and are aware of and alert to any signs or symptoms that might indicate a child is at risk of harm.
Foster carers encourage children to take appropriate risks as a normal part of growing up. Children are helped to understand how to keep themselves safe, including when outside of the household or when using the internet or social media.
The Fostering Service implements a proportionate approach to any risk assessment.
Foster carers are trained in appropriate safer-care practice, including skills to care for children who have been abused. For foster carers who offer placements to disabled children, this includes training specifically on issues affecting disabled children.
The Fostering Service works effectively in partnership with other agencies concerned with child protection, e.g. the responsible authority, schools, hospitals, general practitioners, etc., and does not work in isolation from them.

Foster carers are actively encouraged to receive the training and development they need to carry out their role effectively. The Fostering Service ensures that appropriate training on safer caring is provided for all members of the foster household, including young people of sufficient age and understanding, and ensures that foster carers understand how safer caring principles should be applied in a way which meets the needs of individual children.

Both Lewisham foster carers and those from Preferred Providers are appraised to make sure they have a clear programme of training and development in place to address learning in this area and this is used as the basis for assessing foster carers’ performance and identifying any ongoing training and development needs.

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