Bep van Sloten Independent Consultant, The Netherlands 6 December 2012; Prague

 Types of foster care in The Netherlands  What do we want for our child when placed in foster care?  Support and supervision: the International Guidelines  Tools: Family Support Plans based on family mapping  Questions: whenever you have a question, ask!

The family being the fundamental group of society and the natural environment for the growth, well-being and protection of children, efforts should primarily be directed to enabling the child to remain in or return to the care of his/her parents, or when appropriate, other close family members. The State should ensure that families have access to forms of support in the caregiving role. From: Guidelines for the Alternative Care for Children (UN 2009)

 120. Special preparation, support and counselling services for foster carers should be developed and made available to carers at regular intervals, before, during and after the placement.  121. Carers should have, within fostering agencies and other systems involved with children without parental care, the opportunity to make their voice heard and to influence policy.

Around placements a year  Specialised foster care organisations (NGO) ◦ Trained foster care workers ◦ Trained kinship care workers ◦ Recruitment, assessment, support, supervision and evaluation of foster parents and children in foster care ◦ Contact with biological families and reunification services and support ◦ Extended family first but not always the preferred option: depends on needs of child

 Crisis intervention: 6 weeks (2 x extension possible)  Temporary Care: treatment and return home or to other permanent solution  Permanent Care: child stays with foster family until 18 +: permanent family member  Respite care: weekend/ holiday foster care

 With consent of parents/ caregivers ◦ Orphans (mainly kinship care) ◦ Educational or behavioural reasons  Without consent of parents/ caregivers ◦ Abuse and neglect ◦ Family violence ◦ Alcoholism, drugs ◦ etc.

Support and Supervision With consent  Foster Care Contract  Care Plan Child  Support Plan Family  Foster Care Grant Without consent  Court Order  Care Plan Child  Support Plan Family  Foster Care Grant

 To keep from failing or sinking; to assist; to encourage; to defend; to support the courage or spirits.  The act of overseeing; inspection; oversight; superintendence. It is like watching where you are going while riding a bicycle; you can adjust as you go along and ensure that you are on the right track

 Contract or Court Order  Individual Care Plan?  Support Plans to families?

Training of Foster carers: Family history book: families describe their history and family situation and test of competences Matching based on family profile  Family support folder describing what they can expect from their foster care organisation; where to turn to for assistance; rights and responsibilities  Family support plan based on competences family and needs for support with particular child

Support  Contact with social worker at least once in six weeks: phone, , home visits  Video interaction Support (VIB) Supervision  Home visits and questionnaires to follow developments of child in the family.

Support  Individual Care Plan: aims of placement and objectives for support.  We-Box: information of the foster family, their home, animals, food, school etc  Life books for each child  Individual meetings Supervision Individual meetings with child to discuss placement.

 Children at the moment and first period in foster care are feeling alone  Transition and how this is done is extremely important  Building an emotional bonding with the new family is crucial for the development of the child in the long run and the success of the placement  Preparation of the placement crucial

Getting up in the morning  Who “calls” who? How? (ie knocking on bedroom door; physically shaking)  When are beds made, who makes them?

 Who sees whom off?  How do you say goodbye?  How do you get there?  Do you eat lunch together?  Where?  Light snack or main meal?  Who chooses the menu?  Who makes school lunches?

 Who goes first?  Do you use the bathroom individually?  Do you lock the door?  Do you use bathrobes?  Do you get dressed in the bathroom?  Do you insist on privacy when you use the toilet?  Who makes it?  What’s on offer?  Does your family all sit together?  Where do you eat?  Are you all washed and dressed?

 How much telly?  Who chooses channel?  Other activities?  Do you have times set aside for chatting/discussions?  Homework routines?  Do you have supper?  Playing out – what age, where?  How do you say goodnight?  When and where do you undress?  Does your family use nightwear, pyjamas?  Bedtime drinks? Stories/reading?  Do you leave lights on?  Bedroom doors open?