Parent and Child Foster Home

Parent and Child Foster Homes  offer an alternative to residential settings, supporting vulnerable parents (usually with infants) to care for their children while being assessed. These arrangements aim to:

• Support and develop parenting skills;
• Assess parental capacity;
• Prioritize the welfare of the child.

There are four common scenarios:

Note: Parents over 18 will undergo DBS checks and be treated as part of the fostering household.

• Following a pre-birth assessment;
• After a Child Protection Conference;
• During care proceedings or court direction;
• Where ongoing assessment is needed (e.g., separated parent).

Meeting to take place prior to move:

Essential participants:

• Foster carer and SSW
• Parent(s)
• Child's social worker
• Other key professionals

Agreements must include:

• Purpose and and desired outcome of the arrangement
• Timescales
• Levels of supervision
• Safety, routines, and responsibilities
• Safer Caring Policy

The below questions should be covered:

• How much supervision/support  does the parent need?
• What support is required with tasks?
• Can the parent be unsupervised with baby?
• Can the parent take baby out?
• Who will be responsible for all of baby's care?
• Does baby need to sleep with the foster carer?
• Other family time arrangements of parent not living with foster carer and expectations - can they take baby out /can they be alone?

Risk assessments must be completed and shared in advance.

Ideal scenario, based on needs of family

Weeks 1-4: Intensive Support

• Carers provide 24/7 guidance;
• Parents learn through modelling;
• Full daily observation logs.

Weeks 5-8: Transition to Independence

• Support reduced gradually;
• Parent assumes more care responsibility.

Weeks 9-12: Independent Parenting

• Parent fully cares for child;
• Carer monitors for safeguarding.

Post move on  (Optional)

• Up to 6 weeks of outreach support from the carer, if agreed.

Foster Carer:

• Provide emotional and practical support;
• Model parenting tasks;
• Maintain accurate daily records;
• Supervise and ensure child safety;
• Attend all meetings;
• Uphold household routines and confidentiality.

Parent(s):

• Care for child, with increasing independence;
• Maintain personal and shared spaces;
• Cooperate with assessment and routines;
• Follow safety rules (e.g., no smoking indoors, no alcohol/drugs);
• Inform carer/social worker of appointments.

Supervising Social Worker (SSW):

• Chair pre-move  and review meetings;
• Provide 3-weekly supervision and unannounced visits;
• Sign off observations and support carers;
• Ensure risk assessments are current.

Child's Social Worker:

• Visit fortnightly;
• Ensure care plan is in place;
• Lead on multi-agency coordination;
• Monitor progress;
• Handle legal and benefits aspects.

Reviews should take place at:

• 72 hours;
• weekly;
• 2 weeks;
• 4 weeks (can align with CLA review);
• 8 weeks;
• 12 weeks (final review).

Each review assesses:

• Parenting progress;
• Viability of arrangement;
• Next steps or exit plans.

Arrangement may end if:

• Parent completes assessment and can care independently;
• Parent cannot safely care for child;
• Parent leaves without agreement;
• Parents put the arrangement at risk, divulge address;
• Carer threatened/at risk.

Contingency plans should be in place from the start.

Payments when a parent and child are placed with the carer

The foster carer will receive an enhanced parent & child skills payment, which is the current ARC Level 3 rate for carers x 1.5. They will also receive the current child allowance (including pocket money & clothing element) and an allowance for the parent based on the payment to carers for 16-17 year olds (including pocket money and clothing). If the parent is in receipt of Universal Credit and Child benefit, the pocket money and clothing elements will need to be deducted from the carer's payment.

Payments when the carer does not have a parent or child placed

Parent and child carers will receive the ARC level 3 skills payment as a retainer during any periods when there is no parent/child placed.

Payments when family move back to community or there is a change in the arrangement:

When the family move back to the community, the carer will move back to the standard skills retainer payment (ARC level 3 rate) and also receives a 'community based support payment' for hours agreed to support the family in the community. This will be paid at the foster carers sessional rate.

If the parent leaves, wherever possible the baby will also be moved to a suitable new home in order for the Parent and Child foster carer to be available for a new parent and child arrangement . If the baby stays with the Parent and Child Carer, the carer will receive the ARC level 3 skills payment plus the child's full allowance.

Parent and Child Foster Carer Buddy payments

The foster carer linked to the parent and child arrangement will provide up to 8 hours a week of support. The buddy carer will receive payment at the hourly sessional rate.

Parent Benefit Claims/Guidance and Entitlements

The parent may require support to ensure they are claiming benefits they are entitled to. What an individual is entitled to will depend on their circumstances and therefore it is always advisable for the parent to be signposted and supported by the social worker to ensure they are claiming benefits they are entitled to. Further guidance on Benefits can be found on the GOV.UK website.

• Advocacy should be available for parents with additional needs;
• No fostering leave during placement.

Appendix 1: Parent and child fostering assessment report

Appendix 2: Parent and child fostering referral form

Appendix 3: Parent and child fostering placement/arrangement agreement

Appendix 4: Parent and child foster carer recording