Ending a Placement

Placement stability is at the heart of promoting positive outcomes for Children and Young People. The Fostering Agency will provide excellent support, guidance and advice to Foster Carers throughout the duration of placements.

Where placements come to an end, this should be as an outcome of the Permanence Plan, and always in a planned manner. Where difficulties occur in placements the Fostering Agency, Team around the Child or Young Person and Foster Carers will work in partnership to aim to re-establish placement stability. Where a Child or Young Person’s placement is coming to an unplanned ending Foster Carers will continue to provide support to the Child or Young Person and the move should be managed as positively as is possible.

Placements can end naturally or because of an unforeseen situation. There are many reasons why a placement ends such as:

• The child returns to their family;
• The placement breaks down;
• The child is moved to another placement;
• The young person is old enough to live independently;
• The child/young person is adopted - either by another family, family member or possibly you.

Wherever possible when a placement is coming to an end, a plan should be developed to move the child/young people. The child/young person might be feeling worried about what is going to happen to them even if the move is one that they feel positive about.

You may feel anxious about the child/young person's move too, this is natural, that's why it is important for everyone that there is a clear plan about what will happen and who will do what. It is really important that you talk to your Supervising Social Worker, especially if you think that the move is not in the child's best interests.

Under regulation 14 of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations (2010) where Birmingham Children’s Trust Children’s Services proposes to end a placement in conjunction with the Fostering Agency they must carry out a review of the Child or Young Person’s case and ensure that the views of all people concerned have been heard.

The review will consider what, if any, support and services could be provided which would avoid the need to end the placement. However, where Birmingham Children’s Trust Children’s Services in conjunction with the Fostering Agency considers that there is an immediate risk of significant harm to the Child or Young Person or to protect others from serious injury, the Child or Young Person’s placement must be ended without a meeting.

Alternative appropriate accommodation must be found as soon as possible and the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) informed as soon as is practical.

Where Foster Carers are experiencing significant difficulties with a placement to the extent that there are concerns about the placement continuing, the Child or Young Person’s Social Worker in conjunction with the Supervising Social Worker will consider whether a planning meeting would be appropriate.

In situations, however, where a Foster Carer decides that they are no longer able to continue with the placement of a Child or Young Person, a planning meeting must still be held with the Foster Carers, the Child or Young Person’s Social Worker and Supervising Social Worker. Team Managers might also be involved in these meetings.

These planning meetings will be undertaken in a timely manner.

The purpose of the planning meeting is to:

• Discuss the current difficulties in placement leading to the Foster Carer feeling unable to continue with the placement;
• Seek the views of all at this meeting as to the way forward;
• Consider what additional support can be provided to maintain the placement and promote placement stability.

If following the planning meeting the Foster Carer still decides not to continue with the placement they must work with the Child or Young Person’s Social Worker and the Supervising Social Worker in maintaining the placement, until an appropriate alternative placement is found. It is not in a Child or Young Person’s interests to move from a foster placement in an unplanned way and although the placement is coming to an end earlier than anticipated the moving on process for the Child or Young Person must be as positive as possible.

In the event of significant safeguarding concerns, however, this requirement will not be expected and the Fostering Agency will proactively identify an alternative resource at the earliest opportunity.

Where Children or Young People are leaving the foster family, it is important that they are helped to understand the reasons why they are leaving. They must be supported during the transition, which may be to independent living or to a new placement or alternatively to their birth family. This support must be provided from their Social Worker and Foster Carers.

The support Foster Carers will need to provide to the Child or Young Person who is moving placement will be discussed at individual planning meetings, however they will be expected to work with all ‘move on’ and introduction plans and will undertake the responsibilities required of them to assist in a positive move and smooth transition.

Foster Carers will be expected to attend any meetings when planning a move for a Child or Young Person, which includes planning meetings and introduction meetings

There will be an expectation to inform new Foster Carers or Adopters about routines and important day to day habits or customs, likes or dislikes which are important to the Child or Young Person.

Foster Carers will also be required to encourage the Child or Young Person to view their placement move in a positive way in order to give the new placement the best possible start.

Foster Carers will be expected to maintain links with Children and Young People moving on, consistent with their Care Plan. The Care Plan will identify any support which they can give to the new Foster Carers or Adopters through the process, which should aid and assist the transition process.

Foster Carers will be expected to ensure that life story work and any other significant information as agreed with the Child or Young Person’s Social Worker is moved on safely with the Child or Young Person.

Foster Carers will need to understand that towards the end of a planned placement move that on occasions a Child or Young person may choose to disinvest and disengage and Foster Carers must prepare themselves for such an occurrence. In such an eventuality, they must ensure that they strive to retain a positive relationship with the Child or Young Person, thereby demonstrating an understanding attitude towards the Child or Young Person who may be presenting some challenges or changes in their behaviour.

If a Child Young or Person is moved in situations which have less planning due to circumstances where there are safeguarding concerns, Foster Carers are still expected to be involved in the transition process as agreed within planning processes. Should the placement end be sudden due to rare and unforeseen circumstances, or where the relationship with the Foster Carer may have broken down, Foster Carers are still required to work in terms of good practice with the identified plan so that the Child or Young Person is able to understand that they are not being rejected by their Foster Carer. In certain situations a disruption meeting might be required following the placement ending to aid learning and future care planning for the Child or Young Person and future placement planning for the Foster Carers.

How Children and Young People are moved on to their next placement must receive careful thought and consideration, with close attention to detail as this will have an influence on the Child or Young Person and may affect the future placement if this is not done in a sensitive and careful manner. The Foster Carer will be supported in this process by the Supervising Social Worker. 

Children and Young People’s belongings are precious and as such will be treated with respect and dignity.

When Children and Young People move on from a foster placement, it is the responsibility of the Foster Carer to ensure appropriate luggage holders which might include suitcases and hold all’s, are used for the purpose. The luggage holders will remain with the Child or Young Person following their move and should not be seen to be the property of the previous Foster Carer.

Under no circumstances will a Child or Young Person’s belongings be moved on in black bin bags.

It is acknowledged that some bulky items including toys, computers etc. will not comfortably fit into hold all’s and as such consideration will be given as to the best form of transportation to be used. This will not be black bin bags. Foster Carers will report to the Fostering Agency any incidents where a Child or Young Person has come into their care from another foster placement with belongings in black bin bags. This matter will be taken very seriously by the Fostering Agency.

If a Foster Carers is unsure about the best means to transport a Child or Young Person’s belongings they must check this with the Supervising Social Worker.

You have an important part to play in helping the child to move and should be positive about it even if it is in difficult circumstances. When you are talking to the child about the move be positive about why they are moving and what will happen.

Plan "goodbyes" for friends and family members that the child is close to.

You should put together information about the child/young person's daily routine, likes/dislikes and any other important information that will help the new carer and let the child's social worker know if you are happy to talk to the new carer.

If the child/young person has photographs, life story book and other information about the time that they have spent with you, you should make sure that they go with them.

Make sure you pack all important documents such as their passport.

You should provide clear instructions about any medication or appointments the child may have.

The child's belongings should be moved in a suitcase or holdall and never be transported in bin-bags or other inappropriate containers (see NYAS, My Things Matter Report).

Let the child know what contact they may have with you in the future and provide them with photographs and mementoes of their time with you.

If a placement ends without this being planned, a disruption meeting may be held. A disruption meeting is an opportunity for everyone who has been involved in the child/young person's care to look at what has happened, what went well and what could have gone better. This helps not only you as a carer but may help the child in future placements.

When a child's Care Plan is permanence and they are matched with their carers - either with a long term Foster Carer or a Family and Friends, a Disruption Meeting should be held when the care arrangements for the child’s placement breaks down.

All attempts to sustain the placement should be fully explored before the Disruption Meeting is requested. Early indications of difficulties and risk to stability and permanence should be explored in Placement Stability Meetings.

A Disruption Meeting is a stand-alone process. It is not the same as a Care Planning Meeting and should not be used as such. The meeting is essentially to establish why the placement disrupted, and what lessons can be learned to ensure the child's future needs are met. It is not to apportion blame.

It can be useful to hold a Placement Disruption Meeting where a short term placement has disrupted and where the child has had a series of short term placements, which have disrupted. It may highlight issues/themes for the child that may be preventing a long term placement being identified. The decision to hold a Disruption Meeting for a short term placement should be made by the Head of Service for the Area or Senior Manager.

The Disruption Meeting should be held no sooner than 28 days after and, no later than 42 days after the placement breaks down, and will follow a set agenda.

Purpose of the Meeting is to;

• Identify significant factors leading to the disruption;
• To hear from the child and family their reasons/understanding about why the placement has disrupted;
• Enable participants to share feelings and information about the placement and disruption; • Gain information about the child to inform future planning;
• Look at the quality of preparation, matching and support offered to the family and child; • Highlight areas for development in practice;
• To enable the team, with the information gathered, to be able to formulate an action plan for the child.

As soon as it becomes clear the placement is going to disrupt, the Team Manager should discuss the possibility of holding a Disruption Meeting with the Head of Service for Children in Care, the appropriate Fostering Agency Manager and the child’s Independent Reviewing Officer.

The chair of the meeting should be independent and not have had previous involvement with the child or carer. Therefore a Team Manager from another team will need to chair the meeting.

Where a child was living in an internal long term foster placement, the Disruption Meeting should be chaired by a Fostering Manager. Where a child was placed in an external long term fostering placement, the Disruption Meeting should be chaired by an Area Team Manager.

Once a Chair has been identified they will have a discussion with the Social Worker/Team Manager and Supervising Social Worker to agree attendees/venue/date.

The Social Worker will invite people and send out copies of the agenda to invitees. This will enable attendees to prepare adequately for the meeting and bring relevant information.

Attendees of the meeting are as follows;

Essential

• Independent Chair (Fostering for internal and Area for External);
• Child's Social Worker;
• Social Worker's Manager;
• Carer;
• Fostering Social Worker;
• If an Agency placement – Social Worker and Manager from the organisation;
• Child (if appropriate);
• Other Relevant Professionals.

Desirable

• Current carers;
• Therapists;
• Representative School;
• Parents (if appropriate);
• Placement Manager (external placements).

The following matters to be Covered in the Placement Disruption Meeting;

• Child's life prior to reception into care;
• Child's life in care;
• The recruitment, assessment and selection of the kinship/Foster Carers;
• Introduction and placement of the child;
• Disruption of the Placement;
• The future.

Following the meeting the minutes should be circulated within 28 days.

Once the Chair has checked the minutes they will distribute to all those who attended the meeting and those who sent apologies (within 7 days).