Foster carer reviews
Every foster carer's approval must be reviewed within a year of approval and then whenever the fostering service considers this necessary, but there never must be more than year between reviews. (Fostering regulations and guidance NMS 2011). Your first review will be within 6 months of a child being placed in your care.
The fostering review is to ensure that you and your household continue to be suitable foster carers and that Lancashire County Council continue to support you in this role. The importance of the review is that it is held by a Fostering Independent Reviewing Officer (FIRO) who is independent from your fostering service and will be looking at all the evidence presented to them to evaluate if your household continues to be suitable to foster.
The review will take into consideration your views on fostering, any other household members, the children in your care and any social worker who has placed a child in your care.
Early reviews
Early reviews are held if there are a change of circumstances in your household and your SSW feels it is appropriate to come back to review your situation as a foster carer. There would also be an early review if an allegation was made against you.
Before the review
You will be notified 2 months before your fostering review and the relevant paperwork will be sent to you. Your SSW will complete a report and share this with you.
On the day of your review
At the time of writing this we are holding all reviews virtually, so you will receive a telephone call to invite you into the meeting. (It is hoped in the future we can hold some meetings face to face).
The FIRO (fostering independent reviewing officer) will chair the meeting and will have had sight of of the supervising social worker report and consultation documents. The other people present in the meeting will be your supervising social worker and minute taker. Sometimes a manager may also attend.
The agenda for the meeting will cover:
- The SSW report
- Any significant changes to your family in the last 12 months?
- An update on the previous recommendations
- Update from the social worker
- Any children placed with you
- How have other family members found the review period?
- What support have you received?
- Have you attended any training or support groups and how has this impacted on your role?
- Summary and decisions
Outcomes
The outcome of the review can be that you are suitable to continue as a foster carer with Lancashire County Council and there might be some recommendations that will aid your development and support you in your role over the next 12 months.
There are times when the foster carer review decides that you are no longer suitable to be foster carer. If this is the decision of the FIRO then they will let you know and the report from the meeting will return to fostering panel for their consideration.