Delegated responsibility for foster carers – normalising the experience of young people in foster care

The Fostering Network Campaign Together for Change “..foster carers must have the authority to make every day decisions without unnecessary delays and restrictions.”

Care Matters - Time for Change The complex and fragmented parenting arrangements for young people in foster care. The implications of this for the quality of young people’s day to day lives and on placement stability. The necessity of children’s and fostering services making more refined and child focussed decisions about who can agree what for fostered children. The role and significance of the placement planning and review processes.

What this is about: Reducing children’s sense of difference Reducing contributors to delay More productive and thoughtful thinking about who is best placed to do what Discussion and forward planning re agreement and consent issues Inclusivity and viewing foster carers as part of the team around the child Clarity and transparency Better use of existing processes and roles

What this is not about: Blanket responses and approaches Fashions and fads in childcare Foster carers ‘going it alone’ Excluding parents or encroaching on their rights Excluding social workers Foster carers being exposed and punished when things go wrong Reducing attention to assessing risk

England Project Funded by DSCF to run Consult young people, foster carers, parents, social workers and IROs Produce and pilot a range of materials to increase awareness and increase social worker confidence in discussing and delegating a wider range of responsibilites and consents to foster carers Design training for foster carers and social workers in relation to the delegation of responsibility.

Materials Information for social workers and foster carers about PR and what delegation is possible Aids to decision making in respect of delegated responsibility DVD for training and awareness raising Information sheets for corporate parenting boards, education and health services about delegated responsibility.

Website links Project managers