Recording, reporting and allegations

Reports and allegations

There are three different types of reports or allegations:

• Complaint: a complaint is a 'grievance' or 'dissatisfaction' about the way that a child is being looked after by a foster carer. A child could make a complaint or someone connected to them, like a family member or social worker, could make a complaint.
• Standards of care concern: this is a concern raised by the children’s service or fostering service about any aspect of the care provided by a foster carer which does not appear to be meeting the standards set.
• Allegation: when someone states that the foster carer, or someone who lives with the foster carer, has (or might have) behaved in a way that has harmed a child. This could mean that a criminal offence has been committed against a child. It might mean that someone is unsuitable to care for, or work with, children.

How reports and allegations are dealt with

Complaints: All complaints are dealt with via the Lancashire County Council complaints procedure.

Standard of care concern: This would be explored by the Supervising Social Worker with the foster carer directly. We will always seek to support foster carers to understand if a concern has been raised and offer the opportunity for them to make changes and better meet the needs of the child they are caring for.

Allegations: These are more serious in nature and refer to situations where a child has been harmed (e.g. an injury has been observed), or may have been harmed. A multi-agency meeting would be held where a plan would be determined as to how the fostering service should respond to the allegation, seeking advice from the Police and healthcare professionals.

The local authority are responsible for keeping children safe and as such an allegation could result in children being removed from the foster carer and placed elsewhere whilst an investigation is completed. This is not an indication of 'guilt' but a necessary measure to ensure that children are kept safe where an allegation has been made.

The Local Authority Designated Safeguarding Officer would be involved and the foster carer may need to return to the Fostering Panel for a decision to be made about their suitability to continue fostering children.

Each situation is unique and foster carers would receive independent support from an external agency should an allegation be made about them.

Keeping children, yourself and your family safe

As previously talked about in our Safer Caring three minute briefing there are lots of ways that foster carers can keep children safe and protect themselves and family members from allegations.

Recording information clearly and accurately is a key way that foster carers can evidence how they are looking after children and keeping them safe.

• All records should be kept up-to-date: if an allegation is made and your daily records have not been kept up to date then you will have no evidence to back up your account. Example: A child sustained an injury falling off a bike at the weekend. They attend school on Monday with the injury and state that you (the foster carer) has caused the injury. If you have not completed the daily records and sought required medical attention then you have no evidence to back up your account of how the child sustained this injury. (See three minute briefing 16 on Minor Injuries)
• If you ever feel worried about something that has happened you can telephone or e-mail to share these concerns as they happen (see the three minute briefing on Support Available 8). You can record information in your daily records and e-mail this to social workers so that your concerns are shared in real time.
• By attending the Effective Communication and Written Records you can develop your recording information skills.