Promoting Identity, Equality and Diversity and a Sense of Belonging

In promoting positive outcomes for Children and Young People the Fostering Services National Minimum Standards (2011) states that:

• Children have a positive self-view, emotional resilience, and knowledge, and understanding of their background;
• Children are able to enjoy their interests, develop confidence in their skills, and are supported and encouraged to engage in leisure activities;
• Children are able to make a positive contribution to the foster home and their wider community.

The Fostering Agency is committed to delivering care and providing services that are inclusive and non-discriminatory. This includes (but is not limited to) not discriminating (directly or indirectly) on the basis of a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010:

• Age;
• Disability;
• Gender reassignment;
• Marriage and civil partnership;
• Pregnancy and maternity;
• Race;
• Religion or belief;
• Sex;
• Sexual orientation.

Crimes committed against someone because of their disability, transgender-identity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation are hate crimes and should be reported to the police.

Hate crimes can include:

• Threatening behaviour;
• Assault;
• Robbery;
• Damage to property;
• Inciting others to commit hate crimes;
• Harassment;
• Online abuse.

You can report hate crime online.

In addition:

1. We encourage children to develop respect for themselves and for others;
2. We deliver services that recognise and build on the strengths of children and young people from all cultures, religions, gender, age, sexual orientation, ability and backgrounds; in ways that meet their needs and help them to achieve their full potential;
3. Foster carers should ensure every effort is made to ensure that homes are welcoming to all children and young people and others significant in their care and wellbeing. In addition to this, resources used to develop work with children and young people are chosen for their suitability, positive image and anti-oppressive nature;
4. Children and young people are offered opportunities to try out new experiences, which are not restricted by traditional gender options;
5. Foster carers are expected to challenge attitudes, behaviour and language that are non-inclusive and discriminatory, in a positive way. This includes bullying, homophobic behaviour, racism, sexism, radicalisation and any other forms of discrimination;
6. Children are supported and helped to treat others in a non-discriminatory way.

1. All children/young people are given the opportunity to be cared for and educated. Where possible this is alongside their peers in order to develop each child to reach their full potential;
2. Children/young people are encouraged and supported to understand their rights and be well-informed about ways of challenging discrimination (direct or indirect);
3. Foster carers are expected to identify local community resources that contribute to meeting the needs of children/young people - these are highlighted and promoted and where they do not meet required needs alternatives are sought and suitably identified regardless of geographical location;
4. Additional support accessed through supervision and training will be offered to foster carers who are finding difficulty in understanding diverse or complex situations for children.

1. We will not discriminate, whether consciously or subconsciously, in making decisions;
2. Promotion and advancement will be made on merit and all decisions relating to this will be made within the overall framework and principles of this policy;
3. Job descriptions, where used, will be revised to ensure that they are in line with our equal opportunities policy. Job requirements will be reflected accurately in any person specifications;
4. We will adopt a consistent, non-discriminatory approach to the advertising of the vacancies;
5. We will not confine our recruitment to areas or media sources, which provide only, or mainly, applicants of a particular group;
6. All applicants who apply for jobs with us will receive fair treatment and will be considered solely on their ability to do the job;
7. All employees involved in the recruitment process will periodically review their selection criteria to ensure that they are related to the job requirements and do not unlawfully discriminate;
8. More than one person will carry out short listing and interviewing where possible;
9. Interview questions will be related to the requirements of the job and will not be of any discriminatory nature;
10. We will not disqualify any applicant because they are unable to complete an application unassisted unless personal completion of the form is a valid test of the standard of English required for the safe and effective performance of the job;
11. Selection decisions will not be influenced by any perceived prejudices of other staff.

The Fostering Agency and Foster Carers will ensure that full attention is paid to the individual Child or Young Person’s gender, religion, ethnic origin, cultural and linguistic background, nationality, sexual orientation and any disability they might have. Children and Young People will be encouraged and supported to have a positive view of themselves and to be proud of their identity and heritage.

This requires Foster Carers, as professionals who care for the Child or Young Person and in many cases are well placed to know the Child or Young Person best, to work in close partnership with the Child or Young Person’s Social Worker, the Supervising Social Worker, and any other relevant people, to ensure that Children and Young People are given individual personal support in line with their needs and their wishes and their feelings to develop confidence and value their individual personalities and identity.

The Fostering Agency will ensure that they provide opportunities to Foster Carers to ensure they are confident about dealing with areas relating to diversity, through ensuring appropriate advice and guidance is available, ensuring Foster Carers have full information about the Child or Young Person’s needs where the Placement Planning Meeting and Placement Plan will play a vital role in this and ensuring appropriate training is available to Foster Carers.

Foster Carers will need to balance the individual needs, wishes and preferences of the individual Child or Young Person with those of others in the household and should at all times be sensitive to gender issues, especially when caring for Children and Young People of the opposite sex.

The Fostering Agency will support Foster Carers to help individual Children or Young People cope, with the Foster Carers support, if they are subject to discrimination, marginalisation or ridicule from their peers by virtue of the areas of diversity or their ‘looked after’ status.

Foster Carers will ensure that Children and Young People are encouraged and supported to exercise choice and independence in clothes, personal items, toiletries etc. that the Foster Carer purchases. Every Child and Young Person must have sufficient good quality clothing to meet their needs.

Cultural, ethnicity, or religious-based expectations about their clothing or diet will be met and supported. Children and Young People are able to exercise choice in the food that they eat, and are able to prepare their own meals and snacks, within the context of the foster family’s decision-making and the limits that a responsible parent would set.

Children and Young People are given free access to the household facilities as would be consistent with reasonable arrangements in a family home. Foster Carers explain everyday household rules and expectations to Children and Young People.

Maintaining contact with family, friends and their community is a way in which a Foster Carer can help to support a Child or Young Person and is part of promoting their identity and cultural needs.

Children and Young People receive a weekly personal allowance (pocket money) appropriate to their age and in accordance with the amount determined in the fostering allowance. Foster Carers are also encouraged to save money for Children and Young People each week/month which is separate to the pocket money allowance given directly to Children and Young People.

Foster Carers must ensure that Children and Young People are able to enjoy their interests, develop confidence in their skills, and are supported and encouraged to engage in leisure activities.

Children and Young People need access to a wide range of positive activities to help them to achieve success.

Foster Carers are encouraged by the Fostering Agency to enable Children and Young People to take part in activities such as sports, cubs and scouts, brownies and guides, drama groups, youth clubs, and volunteering. The activities from which Children and Young People will derive enjoyment and satisfaction will vary with the individual, but such experiences will be important in giving Children and Young People a sense of achievement.

Foster Carers will support Children and Young People to take part in school-based and out-of-school activities

Children and Young People are supported to take part in a range of activities, including leisure activities and trips.

Through the Placement Plan, Foster Carers will be clear about decisions they can make around day-to-day arrangements which include leisure activities.

Children and Young People have permission to take part in age-appropriate peer activities as would normally be granted by a reasonable parent to their Children, within the framework of the Placement Plan.

Foster Carers will support Children and Young People to make and sustain friendships, which may involve reciprocal arrangements to visit friends’ homes.