Reviewing my Approval and Appeals

Once you have been approved, your Supervising Social Worker will work with you to support you in caring for children placed with you. Their role also includes monitoring and helping you in your development as a carer.

Your approval as a foster carer will be reviewed annually and also at other times when the Fostering Agency consider it necessary (for example if there is a significant change in your family circumstances; if there are concerns about the care being provided; or if the Fostering Agency want to change the terms of your approval).

See: What happens when an Allegation is made against me or my family.

At any point you may give notice in writing that you wish to resign as a foster carer. In this situation, your approval will be terminated automatically 28 calendar days after the resignation notice was received by the Fostering Agency, even if you decide to withdraw your resignation.

If you resign and you wish to foster again, you would normally need to go through the assessment process again. Birmingham do request that before a resignation is made in writing, the foster carer has communication with the supervising social workers manager.

Your Supervising Social Worker is responsible for your review of approval which takes place at least once a year. The purpose of the review is to determine whether you will continue to be approved as a foster carer and, if so, whether your terms of approval will stay the same. If it is proposed to change the terms of your approval (called a 'qualifying determination') you will be notified of this in writing following an attendance at fostering panel. If you are in agreement with any proposal to change your terms of approval the change will take place immediately.

The Fostering Panel or the review meeting (if the review does not go to Panel) will recommend whether or not your current approval category is still appropriate. Both the annual review reports and the Panel recommendation will be sent to the Agency Decision Maker for a final decision. Their decision will be sent to you in writing.

Alternatively you can apply to the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) for a review of the qualifying determination (not all changes of approval are a qualifying determination – please see Trix policy Review and Termination of approval of Foster Carers) – you must do this within 28 calendar days of the date of receipt of the QD letter. The IRM provide independent panels that review the suitability to adopt or foster and other decisions made by adoption and fostering providers.

You can apply to the IRM by post or email. You must include:

• Your name, address and contact details;
• The grounds (reasons) why you disagree with the Fostering Agency's determination;
• The date of your QD letter;
• The contact details of your Fostering Agency, including their telephone number.

The IRM will:

• Review any proposed changes to your terms of approval;
• Make a recommendations to the Fostering Agency on your suitability.

The IRM will not:

• Make a final decision about your case; this is done by the Agency Decision Maker;
• Deal with complaints against the Fostering Agency – these should be made through your Fostering Agency complaints procedure;
• Change the approval status.

Click here to see Prepare for a review panel: adopters and foster carers.

When a foster carer has submitted a written representation to either the Fostering Agency or the IRM, the Agency Decision Maker for the Fostering Agency  must make a final decision taking into account any recommendation made by the Fostering Panel or any recommendation of the IRM. The final decision will be communicated to the foster carer as soon as possible and will confirm either:

1. That the foster carer continues to be suitable, and that the terms of the approval continue to be appropriate;
2. That the foster carer's approval is terminated from a specified date, and the reasons for the termination; or
3. The revised terms of the approval and the reasons for the revision.

Annual Review Meeting

If your supervising social worker is not recommending a change to your approval status you will have your review completed with an Annual Review Meeting. This will be chaired by an Annual Review Officer who will have considered the reports from yourself, the children in placement, other professionals and your social worker. This meeting is an appraisal of your last year as a foster carer and an opportunity to showcase how you have made a difference to children in your care and also consider your development and training.

Following the meeting the Annual Review Officer will complete a short report on the findings of the meeting and then send this to the Team Manager. The Team Manager will consider all of the documents and the recommendation. The Team Manager will then decide on the status of continuing the approval status. If you are unhappy with the decision you should contact the fostering team manager and or another manager in the service via the escalation and or complaints process.

The only circumstance where you are not able to ask for a review by the Independent Review Mechanism is if you are disqualified or have been cautioned for an offence.