6.25 Guidance on Social Worker Visits to Looked After Children |
SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER
This chapter should be read in conjunction with the Social Work Visits Procedure.
This chapter refers to carers and this means both foster carers and Residential Care Workers
Contents
1. Visits to the Child and Carers
The first few weeks of any placement are crucial to its stability and success. The child or young person's social worker should visit within the first week of placement and see both the child or young person and carers to discover what initial settling in or practical issues have emerged. Often, because the child or young person is unlikely to be at ease yet, s/he may need help or representation in explaining concerns to his/her carers (and indeed occasionally vice versa).
Whilst some children or young people will have a "honeymoon" period, others will make their presence felt with a bang and it is important that neither the child or young person or the carers are left feeling uncertain and isolated during this period. Frequency of subsequent visits should be negotiated with the child and young person and carers if this has not already been recorded in the placement plan. Ideally, visits should be frequent until the placement is well established. They should occur at times that are convenient for the child or young person and carers and normally by appointment. If one foster carer is working outside the home, arrangements should be made to see him/her from time to time.
The child or young person should be seen on their own at each visit unless this is not practicable or not in his/her best interests. If appropriate s/he should be seen away from the placement from time to time. It is a statutory duty to see the child or young person on his/her own and this should be explained to carers who find this threatening. However, it is normally appropriate to give the carer some feedback from these meetings with the child or young person. Occasionally a child or young person will share with you confidences which they do not wish the carer to know. Whilst this may sometimes be appropriate, it is important that children and young people know that there are some important things that you must share with their carers.
If the child or young person is being involved in some specific therapeutic or preparation activity away from the placement (e.g. life story work, fostering, preparation groups, therapy for sexual abuse, etc.), it is important that carers are aware of the actions, method and process so that they can be supportive to the task and can be tolerant and sympathetic if there is a temporary deterioration in the child or young person's behaviour.
2. Purpose of Placement Visits for the Child or Young Person
The primary purpose of the visit is to safeguard and reassure the child or young person. The Social Worker should ensure that the child or young person's health and development are appropriate and that the child or young person has the opportunity to express their wishes and feelings freely.
The Social Worker also forms a crucial bridge between the child or young person and his/her natural family and opportunities to explore and develop feelings and views concerning his/her family should be afforded.
Social Workers should be mindful that the frequency of their visits is not misconstrued and that they avoid over involvement in a child’s life by visiting too often.
The Social Worker should ensure that the physical accommodation remains appropriate for the child or young person. Foster carers should inform the Social Worker if they intend to change the sleeping arrangements and the Social Worker should satisfy him/herself that the sleeping arrangements are adequate and appropriate. (See Children’s Bedrooms Procedure)
The Social Worker should monitor and evaluate with the child or young person and carers the achievement of goals, established in the Child’s Plan.
The Social Worker should monitor and evaluate with the child or young person and carers the family contact arrangements.
Carers will have a wealth of observations concerning the child or young person's progress and difficulties. These may form part of a formal assessment process or purely be information by which the Social Worker measures the child or young person's progress and development. The Social Worker will wish to discuss with the carers whether any particular steps need to be taken or services provided which will enhance the child or young person's progress or diminish their difficulties. Services available to children or young people in the community will also be available to children who are looked after where they meet the eligibility criteria (Section 22 (3) (b) of the Children Act (1989)).
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