Risk Assessments
There are two main kinds of risk assessment needed for a child/young person placed in foster care. This policy gives guidance on the risk assessment that must be done for each child/young person at the point of entry to any foster care placement.
Information regarding risk will already be recorded on the fostering matching form before the child/young person is placed.
Risk assessments should be specific to the child/young person and the foster home and recorded in the risk assessment section of the initial placement meeting form on LCS.
Carers should have a copy of the risk assessment and understand and agree to the actions required to manage risk safely.
Foster carers must have all the information necessary to develop a safer caring policy.
The child’s social worker and the supervising social worker should monitor the level of risk within the placement and ensure that the safer caring policy within the foster carers’ support plan is adequate.
A risk assessment must be completed by the supervising social worker in conjunction with the child's social worker and the foster carer prior to placement. Risk assessments are required for all placements, including respite placements. In the case of an emergency placement, the risk assessment may be undertaken without full knowledge of the child and may, of necessity, be undertaken via telephone or e-mail conversations. The risk assessment must, therefore, be reviewed at the 72 hour meeting.
In this situation, the supervising social worker should ensure that the risk assessment is fully completed as soon as practicably possible after placement and no later than the 72 hour meeting.
The supervising social worker must review the risk assessment and safer caring policy at the first supervision session with the carer following placement to reassess the level of risk and draw up a further safer caring policy within the foster carers support plan if needed.
Where children are receiving respite care, the risk assessment can be kept on the child/young person's file and does not need to be completed each time they began a period of care. However, it will need to be updated on a regular basis and any significant changes in the child/young person's situation recorded.
At the one month Looked After Review, the level of risk should be monitored and action taken if the level of risk has increased or becomes dangerous.
This would include where an incident may be likely to occur but the consequences of it are not significant, e.g. the normal bumps and scrapes of growing up, temper tantrums, medical issues which are well monitored and addressed. There is little cause for concern but watch should be kept to ensure the risk does not become unacceptable.
This would include where the consequences of an incident are moderate, and specialist skills will normally be required to maintain the likelihood at a low level. This may be a situation where the child or young person is placed with experienced carers who have the skills and availability to manage the risk. Also, where there are no other children in placement who would be at substantial risk from the child being placed with them.
This would include where both the likelihood of an incident occurring and the consequences of the incident are unacceptably high. In this instance, the placement should not go ahead or senior management should be involved in the negotiation about placement and countersign the risk assessment.
In order to contain risks within acceptable limits three courses of action are available which approximate to the three definitions of risk detailed above:
Advise
Where skill and watchfulness can reduce the risk to acceptable levels.
Protect
Where specific equipment or specialised expertise is needed.
Avoid
Where the risk cannot be contained.
The law requires only two points:
- State the significant hazards;
- State how they will be safely managed.
These should be recorded on the risk assessment form and signed accordingly. You, the child/young person should receive a copy and copies placed on both files.
Risk assessments are not finished when a form has been completed. Risk is assessed continually and actions modified as necessary.
Children and young people may have a range of challenging behaviours which impact upon you, any birth children, grandchildren and other fostered children. When making a placement, the supervising social worker and child's social worker should attempt to identify any risks that the child may pose to any of these individuals.
This is particularly relevant if the child has offences of a sexual or violent nature or if they are identified as posing a risk to children. Particular attention must be given to this area if a placement with vulnerable children is being considered. Where it is proposed for a bedroom to be shared, a bedroom sharing risk assessment must additionally be carried out, by the supervising social worker. Children over 2 years old should have their own bedrooms.
Some children may already have identified risk factors and an existing risk assessment which would impact upon any children/young person you consider for placement. You should be asked if there are any issues regarding children/young people already in placement which may impact upon children to be placed in that family. The supervising social worker should check the existing risk assessment on file.
The child/young person may have health issues which require additional safety features, such as extra supervision. Any complex health needs must be subject to a clear risk assessment and written plan which must include relevant training and support to you. Expert help is available from the Children's Disability Team and Complex Health Team.
These must be managed using the relevant policy documents. You must have all the available information and the risk assessment must address what actions should be taken to minimise risk. Additional support and advice will be given by the Evolve Service for children at risk of sexual exploitation or the 'Safe@Last' team for children at risk from running away.
A risk may be identified as arising from family members of the child/young person. In this case, specific details of people of concern who may contact you should be noted and a plan of how you should respond should be given. Further detail regarding this should be found in the care plan/contact plan.
Before any placement of a child/young person who we know has been Sexually Abused or has sexually abused others, a risk management discussion must be held. This will enable workers to develop a foster carer support package and to ensure that all essential information has been shared with you. The discussion should include a recommendation about the appropriateness of the placement.
Last Updated: August 27, 2024
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