Further information

What checks will be carried out?

As caring for someone else’s child is a big responsibility, by law, we must carryout certain checks, namely:

PVG/Disclosure (Scotland) Check
With your consent we will ask through Disclosure Scotland for you to become a member of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme and to carry out an Enhanced Disclosure Check on each adult over 16 years in your household.  This will inform us of any convictions you have had in Scotland or elsewhere.  If you have a criminal conviction it does not necessarily mean that you may not care for other people’s children, but it does mean that we will have to discuss your convictions with you.  If you do have any convictions then it would be best if you mentioned them to us during our initial discussions.

Medical References
Your General Practitioner will be asked to provide us with a medical report.  If you have been seeing a Health Visitor recently we will also get in touch with them.  Please let us know if you have a history of medical problems.

Local Authority Checks
We will check if you have had contact with social work agencies in the past and whether this is relevant to your application.

Employment History and Employer’s Reference
We will talk to you about your employment history since you left school.  If you are currently working then we will also ask for a written reference from your employer.  If you are not working then we will ask for a written reference from a previous employer.

Personal References
We will need at least two references from people who know you and your family.  We will visit both of these referees to discuss your application.

Any other checks as required.

Who decides if I am suitable?

The last stage in the approval process is when the assessing social worker presents their assessment to the Foster Care Panel, along with any other relevant information that may assist the Panel in making a decision.  You will have the opportunity to read these reports and add your own comments and will be invited to attend the Panel. The Panel is chaired by an independent person with a background in childcare and fostering.  The Panel members all have a great deal of relevant experience.  The Panel will make a recommendation in relation to your application and the final decision about approval is made by the Agency Decision Maker who is the Director of Operations for the Trust.

Ensuring the safety of young people is paramount, therefore the Trust reserve the right not to proceed with your competency-based assessment if information, or concerns that cannot be resolved arise at any point of the process.

How do I become a foster carer?

The first step is to get in touch and register your interest.  You will be visited by a Social Worker at home to provide you with further information and make an initial assessment.  If you wish to proceed and you meet the criteria then the next step is for you to complete an application form.  On receipt of your application we will invite you to the initial training and having sucessfully completed this an assessment will be completed in partnership with you.

This is the longest part of the procedure as it can take up to six months from you signing the application form to being presented at the Foster Care Panel.  The assessment is very detailed as we have to be sure that you can offer a safe and caring home to a young person.  It is also an opportunity for you to think about whether you really want to become a carer and, if so, what type of fostering would suit you best.

The assessing social worker will visit you a number of times to talk in detail about the qualities you will need and for you to demonstrate the skills and experience you have to be a carer.  These are called competencies.  We assess your competencies by gathering information about you from a wide range of sources (checks and references) and from the evidence you give us yourself about your skills.  This will help us establish your suitability.  As part of the assessment you will also be expected to attend a series of ‘Skills to Foster’ Groups which explore the role of being a foster carer in more detail.

In doing this personal assessment your assessing social worker will build up a detailed picture of your strengths and abilities, your home life, your relationship/s and the commitment you could give to a young person.  You will have the opportunities to find out more about the rewards and reality of fostering.

What will Carolina House Trust offer you?

Foster carers are a vital part of the services provided by the Trust and we believe that a partnership between foster carers and us is vital to ensure that issues can be addressed together and the best possible quality of care provided. As such we are committed to providing:

Supervising Social Worker
Once approved as foster carers you will have your own qualified supervising social worker.  He or she is your main point of contact and will provide you with ongoing support, guidance and supervision.  Your social worker will also help you identify areas of training or personal development that will enhance your knowledge and skills.

Peer Support
Our carers are always happy to share their experiences and support one another.  When you are initially approved we will ‘buddy’ you with another, more experienced, carer who you can telephone when you need advice.

Support Group
Regular support group meetings provide both formal and in-formal support to our carers. 

Out of Hours/Support
Apart from the support offered during working hours the Trust also provides out of hours support to our carers.  Support is provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week all year. Depending on the requirements of the placement other direct support will be offered to the young people in care.

The Fostering Network
The Trust purchases annual membership to the Fostering Network for every carer.  This provides our carers with a vital support resource.

Training
We will prepare you for your new role with some high quality training. Before you are approved as a foster carer you will take part in a ‘Skills to Foster’ course.

After you are approved you will be expected to attend 3 days mandatory training per year. The Trust has a strong commitment to training and provides a calendar of training events at the start of each calendar year.

After you are approved you will be expected to attend 3 days mandatory training per year.  You will also have the opportunity to study for recognised accredited courses such as the AKAMAS Level 3 Course designed specifically for foster carers.

Fees and Allowances

An allowance is paid for each young person fostered.  A personal fee is also paid to you.  All allowances and fees are reviewed on an annual basis.

Additional Payments

• Paid Break: 14 days per annum
• Exceptional mileage
• Christmas/Religious Festival allowance for young person's
• Young person's birthday

Short Term Placements

You will be asked to care for young people within the categories (age, gender and number) for which you have been registered as a foster carer.  Young people may be placed with you at short notice or on a planned basis.  Their length of stay with you can range from an overnight to up to a year, depending on the circumstances and they will either return home or move onto a long-term placement.

Long-Term/Permanent Placements

You will be asked to care for a young person or sibling group who cannot return to their birth family and for whom adoption would not be an appropriate plan.

The young people are likely to be of any age although mainly in late primary or early secondary school years and will need you to care for them until they are independent.  If you decide to apply to become a long-term/permanent foster carer, then one of the main objectives would be for you to care for the young person throughout their childhood and to provide a safe and stable environment to enable him or her to grow both physically and emotionally and to reach their full potential.  Long-term/permanent foster carers, like other foster carers, will work alongside other professional staff in order to further the young person's  progress.  For example, they need to work closely with the young person's school in order to try and enhance the child’s educational opportunities.

They also need to be able to facilitate ongoing contact between the child and the birth family, if this is deemed to be in the young person's best interests.

Often, carers find this to be a difficult task to undertake but it is most important for the child that is managed in a sensitive and caring manner. Children need to know that you will be there for them especially through the difficult teenage years.

Emergency Placements

Emergency placements are made usually on the day the request has been received or within 24 hours of referral.  If the child remains in the placement then the placement will become categorised as one of the other placement types.

Singleton Placements

There are situations where a young person should be in a placement where there are no other foster children or young people.  This is where it has been assessed that the young person's needs are such that they require constant supervision and support.

Mother and Child Placements

There is a developing need for mother and baby placements and this is being considered as another service option within the Trust.  This will require identifying and training specific carers who have the accommodation and personal resources to help these young women.

Short Break Placements

You will be asked to care for a young person for one or two weekends a month and occasionally on weekdays during school holidays.  The young person could be living at home, in a residential unit/children’s home or be living with other Trust foster carers.  Some families only require support for short periods of time and several planned weekends are sufficient to support them through a difficult time.  Short breaks are also used to give our foster carers a well deserved break.

The aim of respite is to be flexible in order to meet the needs of the young person and families. In the Trust we use short break cares in innovative ways and their flexibility can be very important to the young people we support.