Permanent FosteringPanel

This document should be read alongside the Permanence Planning Policy, Options for Permanence, and Good Practice Guidance that is available in the City of London’s Children and Young People’s Service Policy and Procedures Manuel.

Purpose of the Permanent FosteringPanel (PFP)

The purpose of the PFP is to make a Best Interest and Matching decision for all children in care with final permanency plans for Permanent Fostering.

Where it is the case that the most appropriate route to permanence is Permanent Fostering, this should be the result of thorough assessment and planning so that the decision made is a positive plan and not a second rate option.

The role of the PFP is to ensure that the holistic needs, wishes, and feelings of children and young people in care are considered alongside the evidence that Permanent Fostering is the most secure and appropriate option for permanence in all cases where a return home has been ruled out.

In order to make a Best Interest decision in favour of Permanent Fostering, the PFP will need to be satisfied that the potential to secure legal permanency through Adoption, Special Guardianship and/or Child Arrangement Orders has been exhausted and ruled out based on the circumstances of the specific child or young person.

PFP Structure and Attendance

PFPs in the City of London are chaired by the Assistant Director (AD) and attended by Legal and the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO).

Cases are presented to the PFP by the allocated social worker and a manager from the Children and Families Team (e.g. team or service manager). Where involved, the child’s Guardian should be invited to attend.

The child or young person, the foster carers and their supervising social workers should also attend to represent their wishes and feelings and participate in the PP as far as it is appropriate.

PFPProcedure

In the City of London, a child or young person’s permanent placement with foster carers will either be the result of family finding for a specific child or, more commonly, result from the child forming an attachment to their carer(s). In both cases, the stages are:

  • The Best Interest Decision:

This is the first stage in the process and will require the submission of a new or updated Child Permanency Report (CPR) setting out the child’s needs. It is important to give a clear explanation of the efforts that have been made to return the child to his/her parents; to seek a member of the family or kinship network able to care for them; or to find adoptive carers. Due weight must be attached to the child’s views.

  • Change of Approval:

The Fostering Agency will need to complete or update the foster carers’ form F. This should deal with the carers’ ability to meet the child’s needs on a permanent basis as well as the implications of this changed relationship on other aspects of their fostering role (e.g. restriction on future placements of children of the same age and gender).

  • Matching:

This requires a matching report to be provided to the PFP setting out the process by which the match came about; how the carers will meet the child’s identified needs in boththe immediate and long term; and how any other issues such as contact with parents, siblings or other significant people will be dealt with. This report should be a co-operative effort between the child’s and the foster carers’ social worker (see Appendix 1).

The child’s care plan for Permanent Fostering must be ratified by the IRO at the child’s CLA Review meeting prior to seeking a Best Interest Decision.

The CPR must be completed by the child’s social worker and quality assured by the team manager within 8 weeks of the CLA Review meeting where the Permanent Fostering plan was agreed as the primary option.

The request for a PFP to be convened for a Best Interest Decision is made using the completed CPR as the referral document[*].

The PFP will be held within 15 working days of receipt of the referral.

The proposed Permanent Foster Carers and the subject child/young person should be supported by their respective social workers to attend the PFP to express their views and wishes to the Panel directly in a manner that is consistent with their ability and specific case considerations.

Once approved by the AD, the decisions and recommendations of the PFP will be distributed in writing to all participants within 2 working days.

Once a Permanent Fostering plan is approved at Panel and within the Reviewing process, the child’s and foster carers’ social workers should liaise with the carers and the child to agree an appropriate celebration to mark this important transition for the child and the foster family.

Appendix 1

Permanent Fostering Matching Report
Name of Fostering Agency
Address
Name of Supervising Social Worker (SSW)
Telephone Number
Name of SSW’s Team Manager
Telephone Number
Name of Child’s Social Worker
Telephone Number
Name of SW’s Team Manager
Telephone Number
Name of Child
Date of Birth
Name of Sibling(s) to be placed with this child
Date of Birth
Name of Sibling(s) to be placed with this child
Date of Birth
State the reasons for identifying these foster carers as being able to meet the child’s long term needs:
Foster Family Profile(household composition):
Race and Cultural Identity:
Religion:
Health:
Support Network:
Lifestyle:
Personality:
Geographical Considerations:
Plans for the child:
What are the planned contact arrangements for the child(ren) in relation to each person where contact meets the child’s needs?
What are the proposals for the provision of support services for this permanent fostering placement?
What are the child(ren)’s views about the proposed match?
What are the views of the child(ren)’s parents(s) or any other significant adult?
Is there any other information relevant to assist the Panel’s decision making?
Views of the prospective permanent foster carer(s) on the proposed placement
(This section of the report may be completed by the prospective long term foster carters themselves or they may wish for their agency to complete this after full consultation with them. In any event, the document must be signed by the long term foster carers.)
Foster Carer’s Full Name and DOB
Foster Carer’s Full Name and DOB
Full Name of Child(ren) and DOB / 1.
2.
3.
It is important that the City of London has your full and frank views on the proposed long term placement of the child(ren) named above with you.
Please share your views and comments in response to the following questions:
  1. Why do you believe you can provide a permanent foster home for this child (consider your experiences, circumstances, strengths and any resources that hare particularly relevant and available to you in relation to this proposed placement)?
  1. What are your views on the delegation of day to day care and responsibility you have as a foster carer?
  1. What are your views on the information you have been provided with? Is there any other information you would like and have not yet seen?
  1. What are your views on the proposed contact arrangements for the child?
  1. What are your views on the City of London’s proposed support plan?
  1. Do you have any other views you would like the Panel to consider about the proposed long term placement plan?
Signature: Signature:
Date: Date:
Date of Foster Carers’ most recent Form F
Date Foster Carers’ was approval was updated to reflect permanence plan for the named child(ren)

1

[*] For care plans subject to care proceedings, the court timescale will take precedence.