Family and Friends care

If you have let the parents know that you would like to be assessed to become their child’s carer, the child’s social worker will get in touch with you to explain the process and what would be expected of you as a Family and Friends carer. Once you have understood and agreed to move on to the next steps, we will refer you to our Family and Friends Team.

We’ll then contact you to:

• gather some information about you
• ensure you fully understand the long-term commitment you could potentially be making

After we've called you, we'll make an arrangement with you for our social workers to visit your home. This visit will take around two hours and if you are part of a couple, you will both need to be there. This is called an Initial Viability Assessment and will decide whether you meet the fostering standards and can progress to a full assessment, if required.

You’ll be unable to become a Family and Friends carer if you or anyone in your household has been convicted of:

• a violent or sexual offence
• anything related to child abuse or neglect

Whether you're having a court-ordered assessment or a fostering assessment, a number of checks must be undertaken. There are also some expectations of you.

You'll be required to:

• sign consent for us to carry out checks with your Local Authority, Probation, Employer and GP
• provide the names of 3 referees each (2 friends and 1 family member; not one of your children), to be interviewed by your assessing social worker
• have a Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check (Enhanced)
• have a full medical with your GP
• attend our one-day training course (and any additional training identified by your assessing social worker)

Your assessing social worker will need to:

• interview your children; including any adult children
• contact any significant ex-partners

The information you share throughout the assessment process will be recorded in a report that will be shared with the court, and any parties to proceedings which includes the parents of the named child.

We provide a bespoke one-day training programme to all people who are being assessed to become a Family and Friends carer.

Our one-day course covers a wide range of areas and topics, including:

• child development
• the importance of attachment
• therapeutic parenting
• neglect, physical and emotional abuse
• looking after yourself as a kinship carer
• post order support and training

There are also other different types of kinship care and as a carer your situation may change over time to meet the needs of the child:

• informal arrangements
• family and friends fostering
• child arrangements orders
• special guardianship orders