Safer caring

Safer caring is an umbrella term which covers ways in which foster carers can act to protect and care for children and young people. It looks at two different angles:

  • Keeping fostered children and young people safe
  • Ensuring safety and security of foster carers and their families

Foster carers must keep them and their families safe from any harm that could arise through fostering, including the risk of complaints and allegations. Carers should understand that children and young people in care are vulnerable due to their previous life experiences, therefore carers need to understand and manage particular risks they may face when helping children with their day to day needs throughout their childhood and adolescent years.

The key to good, safer caring is about being aware of the risks involved for particular children and making well thought through decisions, in partnership with the child's social worker and the fostering service. It is all about being "risk-sensible", working in partnership with children and young people, their birth parents wherever possible, in order to develop the right safer caring plan for the child.

Safer caring policy

A safer caring policy takes into consideration children's rights, in particular that foster children have a right to have their views taken into account, depending on their age and understanding. Safer caring is fluid and should be adapted to differing needs of children and changing household circumstances. It should be specific for each child in your care and will change as per care planning and developmental needs for the child.

Topics which should be covered in the safer caring plan:

  1. Names used: The carers will encourage all young people to call them by their first name.
  2. Showing affection: Any physical affection should be initiated by the child first, carers can hug or put their arms around the child or young person if this is what the child would like. Carer can also show affection by verbal praise and positive language.
  3. In the bathroom: Assistance in the bathroom will be dependent on the child's age and ability. The carer should always respect the child's privacy when supporting them in the bathroom.
  4. The way people dress: All members of the household are aware of the need to dress appropriately and use dressing gowns when moving from bedroom to bathroom.
  5. Playing: The carers should play activities that are age appropriate. The carers will not enter into any play which involves physical contact such as play fighting etc.
  6. Foster carer's bedroom: As a general rule young people placed with the carers do not have access to their bedroom nor would they enter their bedroom particularly when the carers are in bed. Children should knock on the bedroom and wait for the carer to come out.
  7. Children's bedroom: This will differ depending on the age of the chid. The carers will knock on the child's bedroom door, they will not enter the bedroom when the young person is getting dressed or changing, unless it is a younger child who needs assistance.  If the carer is in the room with the young person the door should be kept ajar. 
  8. Bedtime: Depending on the age of the chid, the carer may enter the room to settle the child into bed i.e. bed time story but should avoid spending long periods of time in the room with them.
  9. When you go out: It has been agreed by the Local Authority that the carer should only leave the child in the care of a trusted adult from your support network. This should always be considered in terms of whether the child feels safe, settled and secure in your care before leaving them in the care of another person.
  10. When they go out: Foster carers should encourage the child to integrate and have friends in the community. However, boundaries should be put into place to ensure safety.
  11. Travelling by car: Carers must be using age appropriate car seats. Seat belts must be worn at all times. They must also ensure that they have appropriate insurance cover for their vehicle.
  12. Taking photos and videos: Carers will take photos and videos at events, family occasions and for the purpose of life story work.
  13. Family pets: All family pets are risk assessed.
  14. Mobile phones and internet: Parental measures and safety should be put into place to ensure young people cannot access inappropriate websites. If a young person has access to internet on their phone, the carers should ensure that there are boundaries in place to ensure safety.

Expectations

Foster carers will be provided with a safer caring policy when a child is matched or placed in their care, this will be completed by the fostering service.  Foster carers and their household members are expected to follow this document.