Fostering Service Statement of Purpose

The aim of the Family Placement Team is to provide high quality, diverse family placements, which meet the needs of children and young people. Our goal is to ensure that children enjoy a safe, healthy childhood, built on happy memories and loving relationships, where they are encouraged and given every opportunity to achieve in all areas of their lives. Where appropriate, children will be encouraged and supported to remain with their foster carer under a Staying Put arrangement, once they reach adulthood.

The Fostering Service Objectives

• proactively recruit, prepare, assess and train foster carers from a diverse range of backgrounds, who can meet the holistic needs of children
• where possible, place children with carers who are connected to them by virtue of being a family member or friend. These foster carers will be assessed, trained and supported by workers who have specialist experience of working with connected carers. The connected carer will receive the same level of supervision and support as an unrelated foster carer
• listen to children and consider their views when planning for their care
• where possible, and where it is consistent with the child's best interests, place siblings together
• consider a child or young person's age, gender, ethnicity, religion, culture, disability and language as well as their personal experiences when identifying placements and matching children to carers
• promote family time for the child or young person with his or her birth family throughout their placement
• work in partnership with professionals and other significant people in a child's life to identify, maintain and support the child in placement
• offer to all foster carers regular supervision, support and opportunities for training and development
• ensure foster carers make children and young people aware of their rights and the complaints, compliments and advocacy process by providing the relevant information
• work in partnership with independent fostering agencies to identify suitable placements for children
• value our foster carers and celebrate and recognise their ongoing contribution to the Family Placement Service
• ensure that all practice promotes equal opportunities for all and values diversity of both looked after children and carers regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ethnic background, age, religious beliefs, disability or marital status
• ensure that any decisions are transparent and fair, that any concerns are addressed and information about the complaint's procedure is made available to all
• provide a seamless service for foster carers who go on to offer 'Staying Put' arrangements to young adults, previously in our care
• promote team and personal development and training for staff