Children are supported and encouraged to maintain and develop family contacts and friendships, subject to any limitations or provisions set out in their care plan and any court order.
STANDARD 9 - Promoting and supporting contact
Outcome
- Children have, where appropriate, constructive contact with their parents, grandparents, siblings, half-siblings, wider family, friends and other people who play a significant role in their lives.
9.1
9.2
Foster carers are given practical help to support appropriate contact, including financial help where needed, alongside support to manage any difficult emotional or other issues that the child and foster carer may have as a result of contact.
9.3
Emergency restrictions on contact are only made to protect the child from significant risk to their safety or welfare and are communicated to the responsible authority within 24 hours of being imposed.
9.4
Ongoing restriction on communication by the child is agreed by the child’s responsible authority, takes the child’s wishes and feelings into account and is regularly reviewed in collaboration with the responsible authority.
9.5
The fostering service feeds back to the responsible authority any significant reactions a child has to contact arrangements or visits with any person.
9.6
When deciding whether to offer a placement, the fostering service works with the responsible authority in giving consideration to how the child’s contact with family and significant others will be supported, particularly where a child is placed at a distance from home.
9.7
Foster carers understand what decisions about contact are delegated to them, in line with the child’s care plan, and make those decisions in the child’s best interests.
The above standards are not required for short breaks. For children in short breaks the foster carer must know how to contact parents and maintain such contact as has been agreed in the short break care plan.