Fostering help and support

Support for young people

Child care social workers

Every child has an assigned qualified children’s social worker involved in working directly with the child, the child’s family and the foster carers to achieve the best possible outcome for the child. The child’s social worker is responsible for developing the child’s care plan and for ensuring good decisions are made, not just on behalf of the child, but with the child.

Specialist clinical psychologists

Foster carers have swift access to qualified clinical psychologists who are experienced in assessing and supporting young people with emotional needs and who are looked after by the Council. They work directly with carers, and are able to offer analysis and response strategies as well as group training. This is of outstanding benefit to both carers and young people.

Looked after children’s health team

Every looked after child and young person has their health needs assessed and catered for through the work of the health team. This includes an experienced consultant paediatric doctor and specialist nurses. They work alongside each other and offer a highly personalised service to each child.

Looked After Children’s Education Team (LACE)

Looked after children’s education team (LACE) All ‘Looked After’ children of school age should have a Personal Education Plan designed to ensure that their education does not suffer because of traumatic experiences and separation from their families. The LACE team offers additional teaching and educational assistance and support to children who are struggling with school attendance or achievement. They work closely with foster carers in planning their approach. The progress of all looked after children is tracked and monitored.

---

Support for foster carers

Training

We offer you a brilliant package of training by dedicated and experienced training staff before you qualify as a foster carer. This progresses throughout your time as a carer to give you more knowledge, skill and insight into looking after children and understanding children in care.

Link Worker

As a foster carer you will have your own dedicated Link Worker whose job it is to support you every step of the way. All our link workers are highly experienced Social Workers.

You both have the backing of a multi-agency team including the youth mental health team Young Minds Matter, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) who regularly work directly with carers, and you will work with professionals on the most up to date training in childcare like Therapeutic Parenting.

Time off

Just like taking leave at work for a holiday you can choose to take up to two weeks paid holiday each year while your child goes to a qualified Short Stay foster carer.

Foster Carers Association

You can chose to participate in this thriving group run by foster carers for foster carers with lots of advice and peer support and casual social events.

Through this group you are also able to meet the managers of Children’s Services. As a valued member of the network of professionals you can stay informed about Children’s Services, we get a chance to listen to what you think could be improved and you can stay abreast of developments in the service as a valued member of professionals.

24/7 Out of Hours Support

At weekends and evenings we have a dedicated support line for you contact if you have an urgent query that cannot wait until regular working hours.

Our commitment

As part of our commitment to you we will:

• Uphold the importance of the child’s relationship with their foster carer, and treat foster carers respectfully, fairly and as a core member of the team around the child.
• Listen to and involve foster carers in decision-making and drawing up and reviewing the care plan/ placement plan and provide foster carers with full information about the child.
• Support foster carers to make reasonable and appropriate decisions on behalf of the child living in their family and work with parents to help them understand why other people may need to take decisions about their child in order to enable them to have a normal childhood.
• Provide their foster carers with the support services and development opportunities they need in order to provide the best care for children.
• Make sure foster carers understand any support, fees, allowances and holiday they will receive, including in cases of dispute with the service or gaps in placements, and that foster carers understand the service’s processes and procedures.

Related content

Adoption

Children’s services feedback

Related websites

GOV.UK – Becoming a foster parent

Contact details

Fostering and adoption, Fostering and adoption, New Oxford House, 2 George Street, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, DN31 1HB

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 01472 323966

Opening times: Monday to Friday 9am to 4:30pm, except bank holidays