Appendix 8

DERBYSHIRE FOSTERING FOR ADOPTION (FFA) PLACEMENT PLAN

When a child has been linked with FFA carer(s) / potential adopter(s) and the Nominated Officer has agreed that link, there will be an FFA Placement Planning Meeting. The meeting will confirm the plan but the social worker for the child should prepare the plan, in discussion with the FFA carer and their worker(s) prior to the meeting.

After the meeting the confirmed plan will be signed by all present and copies given to all. If this is not possible it should be produced at the earliest opportunity and sent to all participants. It MUST be sent to the FFA carer(s) BEFORE any introductions to the child begin. If there are any subsequent changes to the plan they should be put in writing to the FFA carer(s)

The FFA carer(s) must have confirmed, in writing to the Local Authority that they wish the placement to proceed before the child can be placed with them. They must have also signed the Foster Carer Charter, Safe Care Policy and Placement Agreement before the placement of any child.

Please note this FFA plan encompasses the following documents:

  • Foster Carer Charter
  • Placement Plan for Fostering Placements including delegated authority decision support tool.
  • Placement Agreement for Child or Young Person
  • Safe Care Child Profile (Fostering) CAYA
  • Safe Care (Adoption) plan
  • Medical Consent Form for Child or Young Person in Placement

Contents:

Section A / Factual details / contact information
of those involved in preparation of this plan.
Section B / The child
  • Personal information
  • Educational (including when next PEP will be arranged)
  • Medical information including medical consent.
  • Faith and religious observance

Section C / Contact
  • Current arrangements
  • Proposed future arrangements
  • Clarifying if FFA carers and birth relatives are to meet.

Section D / Legal considerations
  • Statutory notifications and responsibilities
  • Existing Court Orders and Orders to be sought
  • Child’s name / FFA carers’ names
  • Parental Responsibilities of FFA carers now and proposed future legal parental responsibilities.
  • Foster Care Charter

Section E / Preparation of child and FFA carers
for placement to occur:
  • Life story work, sharing of welcome book, etc.
  • Written information shared
  • Verbal information shared
  • Future information to be shared and by when?
  • Safe Care policy completed?

Section F / Support Plan
  • Included here should be the support plan.
  • It should include therapeutic, social work and other support available.
  • Financial considerations including fostering allowance payments should be included.

Section G / Introductions
  • Plan outlined and SW identified to be present at first meeting between child and FFA carers
  • Review of introductions meeting date identified.
  • Proposed handover day identified and SW confirmed who will be in attendance.
  • Placement Plan and Agreement
  • Handover of Foster Carer file

Section H / Social Worker Visits
  • Outline visiting pattern of child(ren)’s social worker including first visit.
  • Outline visiting pattern of FFA carers’ social worker/Fostering Support worker including first visit.

Section I / Looked After Child / Child In Care Review planning
  • Confirmed date of planned Review meeting following placement.
  • If appropriate, outline timescales for adoption planning including proposed Adoption Panel date.

Section J / Miscellaneous Considerations
(if required)
  • Insert any other relevant information that has not been discussed previously within this report.

Section K / Signature page
Section L / Appendices

Fostering For Adoption Placement Plan

for (child’s name)

and (2nd child’s name when appropriate)

with (FFA carer’s name)

and (2nd FFA carer’s name when appropriate)

Present:

Role / Name / Attended / Phone Number
FFA carer
FFA carer
FFA Fostering SW
FFA Carers SW
(from Adoption Service)
Child(ren)’s Social Worker
Current Foster carer(s)
(if applicable)
Current Foster Carers
Social Worker
(if applicable)
Role / Name / Attended / Phone Number
Any other persons present
Social Work Manager / Lead Practitioner (Chair of Meeting)
If the above are unavailable the new carers may contact:-
In office hours:
  • Fostering Duty worker
  • Children’s Duty worker
  • Adoption Team Duty worker
/ 01629 532271 /532280
Or, in an emergency Out of Hours / Out of hours Social Care Worker
01629 532600

Personal details

Child’s name
Date of birth
Ethnicity
Religion
Current address
Fostering For Adoption placement address

Sibling’s details

Child’s name
Date of birth
Ethnicity
Religion
Current address
Fostering For Adoption placement address

Education

The child’s current school / nursery is:
Their future school / nursery is:
The people responsible for the necessary liaison are:
Please describe any special educational needs the child has:
Is there an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP)?
Who will be responsible for ensuring that any relevant records are forwarded to the appropriate Education Authority and/or school?
Will a PEP be arranged and if so, when?
Any other information to consider in relation to the child’s educational needs?

Medical information

The child’s / children’s current GP is:
Name / address / tel no
The child’s / children’s future GP is:
Name / address / tel no
Who is responsible for registering child at future GP and by when?
Dentist details: (FFA placement)
Name / address / phone number:
Opticians details: (FFA placement)
Name /address / phone number:
Who will be responsible for registering child will dentist and opticians and by when?
If the child has/children have special medical needs has the necessary liaison taken place between the GP/ health visitor / specialists? / N/A / Yes / No
And between family and specialists as appropriate? / N/A / Yes / No
*If not who will be made responsible for relevant contacts
Name
Designation/agency

Medical Consent

Authority for medical treatment and any special needs:

Please note that any treatment requiring surgery or anaesthetic must be authorised by the relevant Local Authority manager / persons with parental responsibility.

Either:
The local authority has the authority to consent to treatment on behalf of the child/ren and will give written authority to the FFA carer/s to agree to the following:
Urgent treatment
Preventative / routine
e.g. immunisations
Specific conditions (named here) / Tick if applicable


Or [in cases where the birth parents are consenting]
The birth parents will be asked to give the FFA carer/s authority to consent to treatment as follows:
Urgent treatment
Preventative / routine
e.g. immunisations
Specific conditions (named here) /
If authority to consent to treatment is not delegated to the FFA carer/s , state who must give the necessary consent:
Name
Designation/agency / Team Manager / Persons with Parental Responsibility
Address
Telephone
Emergency telephone

Medical Consent

Has a formal medical consent form (appendix 1) been completed and given to the FFA carer/s? / YES / NO
If not, this must be completed by the child’s social worker prior to the child being placed. Please confirm the date that this document will be provided to the new carers.

Faith and Religion

Will the FFA carers be following the birth parents’ wishes regarding faith / religious beliefs?
If not, who (with legal parental responsibility) has authorised this change? / YES / NO
Will the child be attending a place of worship?
If so, who (with legal parental responsibility) has authorised this?

Section C – Contact

CURRENT CONTACT ARRANGEMENTS

(Whilst an FFA placement)

Name of Person / Relationship to Child / Form of Contact / Contact Frequency
Who is responsible for organising the contact arrangements?
Who is responsible for organising the transportation to / from contact?
What are the arrangements for this?
Who will supervise the contact sessions?
Who will ensure that child’s wishes and feelings are ‘heard’?

Proposed Contact Arrangements

(If placement becomes permanent)

NB: Workers must consider the likelihood of any existing relationship continuing and the value of it to the child. Contact may be with people who are not related to the child, e.g. current carers, birth parent’s partners etc.

Name of Person / Relationship to Child / Form of Contact / Contact Frequency

Meetings / contact between birth relatives & FFA carers

Are the FFA Carers and birth relatives to meet? / Yes / No
If not, please explain reason for this decision
If yes, is this at Child in Care Review meetings, etc. / Yes / No
If not, please explain reason for this decision

Section D – Legal Considerations

Consent for placement

Full name of oldest child (for whom this plan is made)
Is this placement being made with:
* the agreement of the birth mother?
* the agreement of the birth father?
* the consent of the Court?
Date of Nominated Officer decision
Full name of 1st sibling being placed (if applicable)
Is this placement being made with:
* the agreement of the birth mother?
* the agreement of the birth father?
* the consent of the Court?
Date of Nominated Officer decision
Full name of 2nd sibling being placed (if applicable)
Is this placement being made with:
* the agreement of the birth mother?
* the agreement of the birth father?
* the consent of the Court?
Date of Nominated Officer decision

STATUTORY NOTIFICATIONS / RESPONSIBILITIES

Date birth parents notified of Nominated Officer’s decision:
Name of person providing support to birth parents:
If placement is outside of Derbyshire County Council, have appropriate notifications been undertaken and by whom?

Foster Care Charter

Has the Foster Carer Charter been read by the FFA Carers and understood?
Re appendix 2
Are there any issues arising from the Charter that the FFA carers and / or Fostering Social Worker wish to discuss further?
Has the Foster Care Charter been signed by the:
FFA Carers
Child’s social worker
Fostering social worker
and a copy provided to the FFA Carers?

As this is a foster placement, the birth parent(s) retain legal parental responsibility and therefore FFA carers must be known to the child by their first name.

Section E –Information for child and FFA carers

If a sibling group is being placed, please answer for each child using a separate sheet where necessary. It is essential the FFA carers has received /will be given the following information.

Information regarding the child(ren)

Item / From Whom / Format of Information
(re examples below and delete / add as appropriate) / Date received
Family/Care History / Child’s Permanence Report (CPR)
Medical information - current and historical including any special needs / Looked After medical /
health plans
Red book?
Specialist assessments / Verbal summary of relevant information
Details of routine / Meeting child’s current carer
Written Child’s Portrait
Educational information / PEP report
Meeting Child’s SW
Meeting child’s current carer
Visiting child’s school / nursery
Advice on management of behaviour / Current foster carers – if appropriate
Horizons
Social workers / Via introductions and informal discussions
Consultation Meeting
Safe Care Policy and advice as required.
Other (eg Passport) / At time of placement

Information regarding fostering role

(All of below should be completed and copies given to FFA carers prior to placement commencing.)

Item / From Whom / Date received
Placement agreement
Financial payments
Foster carer manual
Safe care child profile / policy
Re appendix 3

Preparation of child for FFA placement

What preparation has been undertaken? / By Whom / Date
Child’s receipt of FFA carers “Welcome Book”
Life story work
Other (e.g. ‘bump into’ meeting)

Introductions

The child/ren will first meet theFFA carer(s) on:

Programme of Introductions

Introductions should start with a brief (approximately 1 hour) visit in the child/ren’s current home and build up gradually. Initially their current carer will need to be with them and the contacts need to be in their current home. As the child/ren gains more confidence in the FFA carer(s) the focus of the introductions should change to the home of the FFA carer(s)). However the current carer should continue to be involved. It is essential that there should be a review meeting half way through the introductions to confirm that they are going at the right pace. THE INTRODUCTIONS MUST BE DONE AT THE CHILD’S PACE AND WITH THE CHILD’S BEST INTERESTS TAKING PRECEDENCE. The introduction plan should include opportunities for the FFA carer(s) to get involved with the child and their routine. It should also include time for the child to say “goodbye” to their current community, friends etc as well as their current carer’s family. There also needs to be opportunities for the child to visit their new nursery school, see the new neighbourhood etc.

Date / Venue and Activities

Date of child’s social worker’s first visit:

Date of fostering social worker’s first visit:

Date of FFA carers’ social worker’s first visit:

The child’s social worker will visit weekly for the first 4 weeks (or until the date of the first review).

The fostering social worker and / or FFA carers’ social worker to visit at least monthly.

Important Information For The Future

Details of the Arrangements for Review of the Placement, Until Permanence For the child is legally Secured

There will be a Review meeting within 28 days of placement (unless FFA was the agreed plan at the previous Review), and within 3 months of that Review. Thereafter Reviews will be held at 6 monthly intervals until the child/ren is/are rehabilitated to birth relatives’ care or the child is placed under adoption regulations with prospective adoptive parent(s).

Name of Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO)
Address
Telephone Number
E-mail
Proposed location of review
Date of review

Any participants can request further meetings at any time. Any changes to the plan including contact, support etc. should be put in writing to all parties including the FFA carer(s).

All workers undertake to keep each other informed at regular intervals of the progress of the placement and any changes required.

Signatures

We have discussed the plans for this placement and agree to the decisions recorded.

Designation / Name / Signature / Date
FFA Carer
FFA Carer
FFA Social Worker
FFA Fostering SW
Foster Carer
(if applicable)
Foster Carer
(if applicable)
Fostering Social Worker
(if applicable)
Child(ren)’s Social Worker
Manager / Lead Practitioner /
Chairperson
Any other party

Name and designation of worker responsible for distributing copies of this form:

1

Appendix 8

Appendix 1.

Medical Consent Form for Child or Young Person in Placement(Part 1) / This form must be fully completed and a signed copy provided to carers at the point the child is placed in their care; and a signed copy should be uploaded to the case record of the child / young person /
Child/Young Person Name: / Person ID: / Date of Birth:
I/We Consent to Medical Treatment: / Enter the name(s) of parent(s), or other person with Parental Responsibility or Young Person if giving own consent. If not known enter Derbyshire County Council
Agree to Derbyshire County Council arranging the following surgical, medical and dental procedures or treatments for child/young person named above; whilst she/he is looked after by them, if the child/young person is not deemed able to give his or her own consent by an appropriately qualified health professional.
Please indicate agreements below
Health information sharing- consent given for:
  • access to my child’s health record and the maternity record, including important health information in my family;
/ Yes / No
  • confidential sharing of health information between health and other professionals planning my child’s care;
/ Yes / No
  • agreement to relevant information being shared with my child at suitable times in the future.
/ Yes / No
Routine screening and treatment- consent given for:
  • routine medical and dental examinations or treatment, including immunisations, orthoptics (eye check), audiology (hearing) and paediatric review, deemed to be in the best interests of my child by an appropriately qualified health professional.
/ Yes / No
  • the administration of non-prescription medicines e.g. paracetamol.
/ Yes / No
Planned treatment- consent given for:
  • planned surgical intervention/treatment deemed by an appropriately qualified health professional to be in the best interests of my child
/ Yes / No
Emergency treatment- consent given for emergency surgical, medical and dental examinations and intervention (including anaesthetics) / Yes / No
Additional agreementsand consentsmight be required for children and young people with specific needs such as mental health. They are also used to in relation to children with complex health needs and the use of specialist procedures and/or equipment by trained staff.
Description of additional agreement 1: / Yes / No
Description of additional agreement 2: / Yes / No
Signature(s) of a parent/person with parental responsibility or a young person giving own consent
acknowledging that they have received information and understand the nature of the consents they are giving
Please indicate agreements below
  • The nature of consent to medical treatment has been explained to me:
/ Yes / No
  • I understand that these permissions will be delegated to the named carers looking after me/my child and these names will be updated if carers change:
/ Yes / No
Signature: / Date:
The signatures on this section of the form should reflect the PR holder(s) named at the top of this page. Where the Local Authority is the named PR holder, this form should be signed by the District Manager, in their absence this should be signed by
  • A Service Manager, and in an emergency where neither is available it can be signed by the Social Worker.
  • At the earliest opportunity a subsequent copy of this consents section should be counter-signed by the District Manager, this should be scanned onto the documents screen of the child’s record on FWi and this updated copy provided to the Carer.

Additional information/comments from parents, persons with parental responsibility or a young person giving own consent. For example and allergies, conditions or treatment for the child or young person.
Medical Consent Form for Child or Young Person in Placement (Part 2) / Consents and Additional Agreements Delegation of Responsibility /
  • Consents for medical treatment as agreed for the child named on part 1 of this form, has been delegated to the carers/professionals detailed below *:

Name: / Position: / Date:
Name: / Position: / Date:
Name: / Position: / Date:
Insert the name and position of the person the authority has delegated the responsibility for giving consent to medical treatment i.e. foster carer, unit manager

Appendix 2