Placements with a Relative or Friend (Connected Persons)

This policy sets out procedures to be followed when placing a Looked After Child with a relative or friend who is not an approved foster carer. Regulation 24 allows for and regulates the possibility of an immediate placement of a looked after child with a relative or friend, who has not been previously approved as a foster carer via the usual processes.

The making of a placement under Regulation 24 will be appropriate where a Local Authority is satisfied that the immediate placement of a child is necessary and in that child's best interests. For this to be the case an evidence-based judgement will need to be made which identifies that the benefits and safeguards offered by the usual foster carer assessment process are outweighed by the benefits to a child of immediate or planned placement and/or the damage which may result from not making that placement. Intrinsic to this judgement will be the child's relationship with/to the proposed carer(s) and a placement under Regulation 24 can only be made with carers who are known or related to a child.

Children who are the subject of Regulation 24 placements will usually be on Care Orders (Interim or Full) or section 20 of the Children Act 1989 rather than under S36 (6) of the Children Act 1989.

Where a child is at risk of becoming accommodated (Section 20 Children Act 1989), and the child's parents are unwilling or unable to continue to care for their child, all options for placing with family or friends should be explored. Where the department is involved in the making of such a placement, the child will be regarded as accommodated. If the placement is privately arranged by the child's parents, with a friend rather than a relative and is likely to go beyond 28 days, then it should be regarded as a Private Fostering arrangement and the relevant procedures followed. (See Private Fostering Procedure).

Where workers are in doubt, as to the appropriateness or not of regarding a child as being accommodated, they should consult with their manager as to appropriate and seek legal advice.

Prior to a child being placed a viability assessment must be completed by the children’s social worker. This will be required if a referral to the Family and Friends Fostering Team is considered in the future.

Authority to agree an immediate placement rests with the responsible Children's Service Manager or an equivalent covering Service Manager. In agreeing such a placement this manager needs to be satisfied that:

1. The proposed carer is a relative, friend and/or is known to the child;
2. The proposed placement is the most appropriate placement for the child.

Children’s Group Manager must record agreement to unregulated placement and financial assistance on Mosaic if the child is to be placed prior to referral to the Family and Friends Fostering Team.

In completing a viability assessment the child social worker should consider:-

1. The willingness and suitability of the proposed carer, the suitability of all other persons aged 18 and over who are members of the household in which it is proposed that the child will live. Mosaic and Police Checks, outside local authority checks must be undertaken. The suitability of the proposed accommodation (including the proposed sleeping arrangements for the child should be considered with reference the bedroom sharing policy of the local authority). The child's social worker should also give the prospective carer as much information about the child as is practically possible, preferably in writing;
2. Their capacity to care for children and, in particular in relation to the child (or children) concerned, to provide for his / her physical needs and appropriate medical and dental care; to protect the child adequately from harm or danger including from any person who presents a risk of harm to the child' to ensure that the accommodation and home environment is suitable including where relevant an initial risk assessment of any pets, together with the environment in which the pet is kept; in relation to the child's age and developmental stage, to promote his / her learning and development; to provide a stable family environment which will promote secure attachments for the child, including promoting positive contact with parents and other connected persons, unless this is not consistent with the child's welfare;
3. The significant and immediate needs of the child and the prospective carer's skills, parenting experience and potential to meet those needs;
4. The views and wishes of the child and the child's parent/guardian, about the proposed placement, wherever possible;
5. The Family and Friend’s Part 1 assessment report should be sent to the Children's Service Manager for authorisation and then sent to e to the Family and Friend’s Nominated Officer for decision making.

After completion of a positive viability assessment a referral is completed through Mosaic via the family and friend’s viability assessment work step. If appropriate a supervising social worker will be allocated to undertake a part 1 assessment with the child social worker. This work step will be commenced after agreement for referral is agreed by the fostering team manager. An applicant must be informed of the expectations of acting as a foster carer for the department to support their decision making in order to progress with the fostering assessment process.

The part 1 family and friends’ assessments are to be completed jointly by the child social worker and supervising social worker. The child social worker has responsibility for sections 1-8 with the supervising social worker needing to complete section 9. A joint recommendation is to be made in section 10 as to the suitability of the applicant to foster. The care plan and placement of the child remains the responsibility of the child social worker.

1. Within the part 1 works step the outcome of initial reference checks should be references as followed by the child social worker:
   1. Police check;
   2. Mosaic system checks if the carers reside in the Nottinghamshire local authority area;
   3. Outside local authority checks if the applicants reside outside of Nottinghamshire or have lived elsewhere previously.

If there are positive disclosures received from the police check, then a risk and impact assessment must be completed by the supervising social worker. This will need to be read and countersigned by the child social worker, child social worker team manager, fostering team manager and fostering service manager. This will assess the applicant’s ability to act as a foster carer for the department by analysing all information available and needs to be uploaded in Mosaic.The fostering service manager should record their decision on mosaic on the applicants file.

If the applicant smokes and the child is aged under 5 years of age a smoking exemption must be completed and needs to be uploaded in Mosaic by the supervising social worker and agreed by the fostering service manager. The fostering service manager should record their decision on mosaic on the applicants file.

A bedroom sharing assessment must be completed jointly if the child is sharing a bedroom, unless they are aged under 2 years and are sharing with the carers. The bedroom sharing assessment should be agreed by child social worker team manager, fostering team manager and fostering service manager and needs to be uploaded in Mosaic. A pet assessment should be completed by the supervising social worker if applicable and financial assessment should be completed by the applicants along with all other relevant fostering forms.

The completed part 1 assessment should be sent to the Children's Service Manager, Children’s Team Manager for authorisation and then sent to e to the Family and Friend’s Nominated Officer for decision making. If a positive recommendation is agreed, then this is the point that Reg 24 placement commences. The fostering team manager will notify placements team, notification placements and payments team.

Visits should be made to the child at minimum of weekly intervals by the childcare social worker prior to Regulation 24 agreement. Unless this is otherwise agreed and recorded on mosaic by child social worker team manager.

Delegated authority needs to be completed and shared with the applicants by the child social worker team at the earliest opportunity.

The fostering team manager will be responsible for supervising the assessment, monitoring its progress.