Woodlands Fostering Services Ltd Statement of Purpose August 2015 We aim to provide the highest standard of care in order to meet the individual needs of each child placed 1

Woodlands Fostering Services Ltd Contents – Aims and Objectives – Background of the Agency – Recruitment of Carers – Assessment of Carers – Complaints and Outcomes – Other relevant information 2

At Woodlands FSL our aim is to provide a very high standard of care to any child who is fostered through this agency. Our objectives are:- To recruit appropriate foster carers who will be able to meet the specific needs of foster children who may present with sexualised history and other complex needs that include such areas as attachment difficulties and emotional trauma. This includes carers who will:- Recognise the importance of providing a warm, safe and nurturing home. Be non-judgemental about a child’s history and behaviours. Be aware of any health needs and support a child with these. Ensure a child achieves educationally to their utmost ability. Promote a child’s needs in terms of culture and diversity. Support and promote contact arrangements. The agency will:- Make sure that carers are appropriately matched with children. Ensure that carers are in receipt of all appropriate training. Provide 24 hours on call service to carers and children/young people. Provide Therapeutic input by our in house Therapists to both the child and his/her foster carers and also the child’s family where appropriate. Ensure carers are aware of the importance of reporting Safeguarding issues asap and of the process to be followed. Provide risk assessments at time of placement. Continually monitor systems and processes in an effort to improve. Woodlands Fostering Services Ltd 3

Background Woodlands Fostering Services Ltd has developed from Woodlands Child Development Centre Ltd, a well established residential therapeutic organisation which works with young people who have sexualised histories. Woodlands CDC was set up in 1998 as a residential organisation by two Local Authority Child Care Team Managers, Malcolm Edge and Darryl Williams. Their aim was to provide specialist nurturing therapeutic residential care for young people that met the high standards they believed were essential in caring for youngsters who had lived through some damaging personal experiences. Over the years, Malcolm and Darryl have become more aware that not all young people with sexualised histories require the intensity of group living with other young people. Consequently, through their Fostering Service, they aim to provide a high-quality, family-based service that draws on their substantial experience of caring for youngsters in a residential setting. 4

Woodlands Fostering Services Ltd Recruitment Foster carers will be recruited from diverse backgrounds and with a range of experience in order to meet a child’s specific needs. Carers need to be over 21 and there is no upper age limit. They may be married, single, divorced, gay, disabled, be part of an ethnic minority, employed or unemployed. However one of the carers needs to be available full time. There are a range of types of placements:- Short term – this could be for days, weeks or months. Long term – Sometimes short term placements become long term and sometimes we receive a referral for a placement which has been identified as long term at the outset. Short break/respite – these can either be required in house in order to provide a short break to our foster carers or alternatively may be needed by a child’s family in order to sustain his/her place within their family. Our ethos is built around careful matching between children and foster carers and, for that reason, we do not normally provide emergency placements. However, we recognise that, in some circumstances, emergency placements are required and we would always discuss the feasibility and desirability of such placements with the placing authority. 5

Woodlands Fostering Services Ltd Assessment Anyone interested in becoming a foster carer will be required to complete an application form which is then returned to our Wrexham office. A screening visit will then take place between the applicant(s) and a suitably qualified member of staff. If this is successful, a qualified Social Worker will complete a comprehensive assessment with the applicants, who will also attend Skills to Foster training. Additionally, other training will be provided by the agency’s Therapists during the assessment process. The assessment should be regarded as a two way process and will require the applicants’ active participation. It will also consist of approximately 10 home visits, during which other family members will be interviewed and their opinions sought. Additionally, various checks such as CRBs, references and a Health and Safety check of the home will be undertaken. Once the assessment is completed, a report known as a Form F will be written by the assessing social worker. Applicants will be able to read this report and to sign it if they agree with its contents. Applicants will be invited to attend Panel, which comprises of adults with relevant experience such as foster carers, people with a speciality in education or health as well as several Woodlands staff. Applicants will be asked a range of questions such as their motivation to foster. At the end of panel, applicants will be informed by the panel chair whether panel have recommended their approval and the agency decision maker will then write to them to inform them of their decision. Each year foster carers will have an Annual Review which will summarise placements during the year, training undertaken and whether they have met the core competencies as a foster carer. It will also contain a list of training identified for the coming year. Additionally there will be consultation with foster carers, birth children and foster children to see what works well and also to look at how we can do things better. 6

Woodlands Fostering Services Ltd Complaints All complaints received will be dealt with in accordance with Woodlands Fostering Services’ Complaints policy The agency will ensure that all complaints received will be fully investigated and appropriate action taken where necessary. Stage 1 complaints will be dealt with at an informal level. We would normally aim to resolve these within 7 days. Stage 2 complaints will be dealt with more formally and will be investigated by an independent complaints person who will make recommendations for resolution. Complaints dealt with in this way can take up to 28 days to resolve. Any complaints that cannot be resolved at Stage 1 or Stage 2 will be referred to CSSIW and/or legal representatives. For a copy of the agency’s Complaints Procedure or to make a complaint please contact:- The Complaints Officer at our Wrexham office. The agency will monitor the effectiveness and quality of its complaints procedure on an ongoing basis. An annual evaluation of all complaints will also be undertaken and results will be included in a quality of care review, which will be circulated to all relevant agencies. 7

Woodlands Fostering Services Ltd Other relevant information Foster carers will be paid a weekly fee, which includes an allowance in line with the rates recommended by the Fostering Network. The allowance will include a payment to cover such things as pocket money, birthdays and Christmas/other religious festivals. All foster carers will be well supported on a 24 hour basis by an on call support team. Attempts will be made to integrate a child into mainstream education wherever possible. However, in the short term, education may be provided by the agency either through home tutoring or through the child/young person attending school at Woodlands CDC (if appropriate). Therapy can be provided weekly and may include foster carers as well as the child and a report will be submitted to placing authorities on a monthly basis. Additionally, the Therapists will work with the child’s family, where appropriate. The Therapists are also available by phone during office hours to provide additional support. Carers will receive monthly supervision and also a minimum of one phone call per week. Ongoing training will be provided and foster carers will be expected to attend training to meet the requirements of the Fostering Regulations, i.e. for primary carers, 6 training sessions in their first year of fostering, 4 in their second year and 2 in their third year. There are less frequent training requirements for secondary carers. 8

Woodlands Fostering Services Ltd This Statement of Purpose is written in accordance with relevant statute law as follows:- The Care Standards Act 2000 The Fostering Service Regulations Wales 2003 The National Minimum Standards for Fostering Services (Wales) A copy of the Statement of Purpose will be available upon request to all relevant agencies, employees, also any child placed and their parents. 9