VIABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT in respect of Kinship
foster carers (connected persons)
(Care Planning, placement & case review regulations 2010, section 24)
Guidance in Completing a Viability Assessment
Purpose of Assessment
To assess applicants ability in caring for a child/ren long term until they reach independence. The assessment should focus on whether the applicants have the skills, ability and experience to meet the child/ren’schanging needs whilst keeping them safe and maintaining family relationships.
Should there be more than one family member who wants to be assessed as a Kinship Foster Carer, you need to consider using a Family Group Conference for family members to identify who is going to be assessed.
Positive Assessment- what happens next
You need to discuss your viability assessment with your team manager and seek authorisation. If you are unsure if the viability is positive or would meet fostering regulations please speak with the Kinship Assessment Team or Team Manager, Kinship Care 0116 454 4506.
If you are considering placing a child in the placement immediately you need to seek authorisation from your Service Manager. Should the placement be approved it will become regulated under Care Planning, Placement and Case Review, Regulation 24 and 25 which allows the placement to be temporarily approved as a foster placement for 24 weeks.
- You will need to update the child’s pathway on Liquid Logic to LAC.
- Inform Placements Desk to enable carer to be temporarily approved.
- Complete the placement plan
- Ensure carers are provided with the placement plan and have signed Foster carer’s Agreement.
Once the positive viability is received by the Kinship Assessment Team Manager, the case will be allocated to a Supervising Social Worker who will complete a Connected persons assessment. Should this assessment be positive, it will be presented to the Fostering Panel with your attendance, to consider the applicants’ approval as long term foster (kinship) carers.
Factors that may make viability assessments not viable
*Evidence of applicant’s poor parenting eg: previous child protection concerns, current or previous domestic violence, issues with school, lack of engagement with other professionals.
*Own parenting having an impact on them as adults eg:not able to emotionally regulate, mental health needs, drug and alcohol issues
*Differences in carers’ commitment
*Poor long term health prognosis
*Inability to protect child e.g. enmeshed family relationships,
*Inability to manage safe contact e.g. not understanding the assessed risks
*Offences and convictions within the last 3 years
*No prior relationship with the child
*Minimising concerns and not disclosing significant information
*Practically and realistically do not have the capacity to care for the child/ren until they are 18
Viability Assessment Checklist (Put X in box if completed)
Genogram (send as attachment)
Child’s Court Chronology (send as attachment)
Social Care and EDRMS checks on applicants, their children and household members
Applicants’ police information
Have you used a Family Group Conference
Discussion with Team Manager Kinship Team ( if needed)
Team Managers Authorisation
Service Manager Reg 24 Agreement
Foster Carer Agreement
Your viability assessment is to consider if the potential applicants can care for a child/renUNTIL THE AGE OF 18. Your viability assessment is NOT about the immediate safety needs of a child/ren
A.Basic information
1.About the prospective carer(s)
1st Applicant / 2nd ApplicantName
Previous names/ Other known by names
L.L. ID
Date of Birth/Age
Current Address
At Address since
Previous Address 1
Dates from and to
Previous Address 2
Dates from and to
Current Telephone Number
Ethnic Descent
Religion
Primary Language
Is an interpreter required
Occupation
Partnership Status
Disability
Date police check completed
2. About the child/ren to be placed
Date Child Placed (if reg 24)Filing date for Kinship Assessment
Relationship of child/ren to prospective carer(s)
Child’s current carer
Names of child/ren / D.O.B / LL ID / Current
Address / Sex / Ethnicity,
Nationality,
Religion and language / Name of parents / Does father have PR / Immigration status
3a. Details of adults and children who already live in the prospective carer’s household
Name / Ethnicity / DOB / Gender / Relationship to prospective carers / Police checks completedAre there are any issues or concerns relating to these persons? If so how will the applicants ensure the child/ren are protected?
3b. Details of any children of either applicant living away from household
Name / Ethnicity / DOB / Gender / Relationship to household/child / How often do they visit the child?3c. Details of other relatives and friends who are not members of the household who are likely to have regular contact with the child(ren) to be placed
Name / Ethnicity / DOB / Gender / Relationship to household/child / How often do they visit the child?4. Provide dates of visits undertaken for the assessment & details of person(s) seen on each visit
5. What information did you obtain from LL and EDRMS on the applicants, their children and other household members? (e.g domestic violence, substance misuse, mental health, neglect, etc..)
6a. Have the prospective carer(s) resided in another local authority other than Leicester? If so please identity what Local Authority they have lived in and what information is recorded on their systems?
6b. Have the prospective carer(s) resided in another country? If so please identity which Country. Have international social care and police checks been completed if so what has been recorded (If not seek advice from legal services who may be able to help you).
7. Provide details of applicants current or past involvement with probation and police?
8a Does the prospective carer know of any reason(s) why they should not be considered as carers for the child(ren)? (Include any particulars of criminal offences of which the applicants or household members have been convicted or in respect of which they have been cautioned).
8b. Are there any current or previous domestic violence incidents between members of the household including the connected person(s)? (If yes, provide details)
9. Comment on the applicants neighbourhood & what resources are available to support the child and foster family
FOSTERING REGULATIONS ON ACCOMODATIONIdeally a child should have their own bedroom. No child should share a bedroom with an adult. Girls & boys over five years old should not share a room. No more than two children should share a room at the point of registration. Kinship Care arrangements may not meet these guidelines. Any exceptions to the above should be discussed with the Kinship team prior to the progression of the viability assessment.
10. Is there adequate space for the child(ren) within the prospective carer(s) household?
Please provide details e.g. where would the child(ren) sleep & with whom would they be sharing a room?
11. Are conditions in the home of a reasonable standard?Please highlight any health and safety concernsincluding the identification of any pets within the household. / Date of observations
12a Educational Chronology
Applicant 1
Date Started / Date Finished / School/College / Courses and outcomesApplicant 2
Date Started / Date Finished / School/College / Courses and outcomes12b Do the applicant(s) have any learning needs (e.g. language barriers) or disabilities (eg. Dyslexia, dyspraxia, statemented etc…)
13a Employment Chronology (please include all employment)
Applicant 1
Date Started / Date Finished / Job title / Employers detailsApplicant 2
Date Started / Date Finished / Job title / Employers details13b.How would you manage your current employment whilst caring for the child/ren?
14. Description of each applicants’ childhood & upbringing including the strengths and difficulties of their parents or other persons who cared for them.
15. Description of each applicant’s relationship with their parents and siblings.
16. A chronology of significant changes or family circumstances (e.g. separation, death of family member, start of new relationship, birth of child, major health events, marriage/ civil partnership/ setting up a household with partner)
Applicant 1
Date Started / Date Finished / Event / DetailsApplicant 2
Date Started / Date Finished / Event / Details17. Description of applicants relationship including strengths and vulnerabilities
18. What are the prospective carers own family’s views of the child(ren) being placed with them?
19. Please give details of family or friends who could support the prospective carer(s) in an emergency.
Name / Address / Telephone NumberFOSTERING REGULATIONS – SMOKING
Foster carers caring for children under five should not smoke. Prospective carers will be given advice regarding where to access help to stop smoking.
20. Is anyone in the household a smoker? If so how is this managed around the child/ren?
21. What experience do the carer(s) have of caring for or working with children & young people?
22. What are the carer(s) views on managing behaviour & appropriate sanctions? Can the applicants agree to manage behaviour without the use of physical chastisement or other inappropriate methods?
23. Please state how the carer(s) will meet the child(ren)s’ immediate needs. This includes the health, and dental care, educational, emotional and behavioural needs, cultural, religious, identity and leisure interests.
24. Are the carer(s) able to attend medical appointments, assessment visits, training & local authority care reviews? If no, please explain.
25. Comment on the prospective carers abilities to maintain positive contact as outlined by the care plan for the child(ren). Do you or the carer(s) anticipate any difficulties with contact and how will this be managed?
26. Please state any significant health problems of the prospective carer(s) or any of their family members include physical & mental health.
27. Please give details of the prospective carers’ GP(s).
1st Applicant / 2nd ApplicantGP Name
Surgery Name
Address
Postcode
Telephone
28. If approved to care for the child(ren) outline any support the carer(s) would require in order to maintain the placement. Is any equipment needed?
29. Provide details of any professionals involved with the prospective carer(s) and their family.
30. Is there a pre-existing relationship between the prospective carer(s) or other adults or children in the household and the child(ren)?
Please describe: Include frequency of contact & details of any recent contact.
31. Have the prospective carer(s) previously cared for the child(ren)?
Please describe: Include the circumstances & dates if yes.
32. What knowledge do the prospective carer(s) have regarding the child’s current situation & what are their views on this?
33. Are the applicants aware of any injuries that the child/ren might have sustained in the care of others?
If yes, provide details of how the applicants will ensure future protection.
34. What is the current care plan for the child(ren)?
Include care proceedings, any findings sought or made at a finding of fact hearing & timescales.
35. Why is the assessment required?
Give a brief outline of the case & the reasons for undertaking this assessment.
B. Information required on the child/ren needing placement
Physical description and personality.
Please describe each child’s personality, likes, dislikes and interests.
Chronology of each child’s care since birth
(Include any periods looked after by the local authority)
Age of child (yrsmths) / From / To / Placement detailsHealth
Describe each child’s health history, current needs (including any treatment the child/ren is receiving) and what is required to meet these.
Education
Each child’s current school.
Do the child/ren have a statement of needs under the Education Act 1996?
Describe each child’s educational needs and what is required to meet these.
Emotional and behavioural development
Describe each child’s emotional and behavioural development and what is required to meet any needs arising from this.
Identity
What is required to meet any of the child/rens identity needs(including ethnic origin and cultural and linguistic background)? Provide information regarding any baptism, confirmation or equivalent ceremonies.
Family and social relationships
Describe each child’s current and historical relationships with family members and others who the local authority consider relevant.
Self-care skills
What are each child’s self-care skills and what is required to meet any needs arising from these?
Contact
What are the current arrangements for contact between each child, family members and others whom the local authority considers relevant?
What are the child(ren)’s views of being placed with this family?
What are the birth parent(s) views of the child/ren being placed with this family?
Sibling’s details (not included in this assessment)
Sibling 1 / Sibling 2 / Sibling 3Forename(s)
Surname
Other names used (including familiar names)
Name of carer
Current address:
Local authority area
Date of birth
Gender
Ethnicity
Religion
Name of mother
Name of father
Does father hold parental responsibility?
Name of any other person with PR (and relationship reason for PR)
SOCIAL WORK ANALYSIS OF THE INFORMATION GATHERED IN THIS REPORT.
What are you worried about in relation to this placement? (Dangers, harm, risks, collusion, minimisation etc…) / What are the strengths of the applicants? (e.g good attachments with own children, stability, supportive relationship etc..)Gaps in assessment/What is not known? / Complicating factors (eg language barriers, immigration status, Learning difficulties etc…)
Analysis summary (What are the implications of your assessment on the applicant/s ability to provide long term care (until the age of 18) for the child/ren.
Please note this assessment must be shared with, and a copy given to, the applicants. Add any comments from the prospective carer(s) in respect of this assessment.
Social Workers NameJob Title
Tel. No.
Date assessment commenced
Date assessment completed
Recommendations
Regulation 24 placement (Y/N)
(If yes please ensure that a signed copy of the Reg 24 Agreement and Foster Agreement have been signed and returned with this.
2. Positive viability assessment
(Y/N)
TEAM MANAGER AUTHORISATION
Date of authorisation
Please return this AUTHORISED form electronically to the Team Manager Kinship Care in Fostering.
Team Manager Kinship Care, 11 Friar Lane, Leicester. 0116 4544510
Kinship Viability Assessment Update March2016Page 1