The Families Together Scheme
Related guidance
The Families Together scheme is a team of specialist foster carers recruited, assessed, trained, and supported to look after Children with Disabilities aged between 0-19 years for ‘short’ periods of time, usually in the carer’s home. RMBC have promoted this scheme and its development since 1985 when established foster carers realised the importance of developing a specialised service to support parents look after their children with additional needs.
A Social Worker is employed within the fostering team to co-ordinate, supervise and support carers under this scheme to ensure that carers, parents and professionals work together in partnership to enable Children with Disabilities to have the opportunity to lead a fulfilling life.
A Child with a Disability is a ‘child’ first and foremost but who has additional needs as a result of their unique impairment. Children who qualify for the scheme need to have a diagnosed physical or learning disability, autism, sensory impairment or complex medical or palliative care need.
Caring for a Disabled Child can be significantly tiring due to the emotional and physical challenges present on a day to day basis. Each parent’s experience will be different according to the unique needs of their own child. Research has shown that, for some, the additional caring responsibilities required of each parent can cause extra stress and even family breakdown.
Short break carers are ordinary people from a variety of backgrounds, cultures and circumstances, with or without a partner, young or old, with or without their own children and living in all kinds of housing across Rotherham.
The length of time for a short break can vary from a tea visit to a weekly overnight stay, 1 week-end per month, extended periods during school holidays or occasional time as and when required in response to an emergency or established medical need.
Families Together carers are referred to as ‘short break’ carers because disability advocates feel the word ‘respite’ implies that a child being cared for is a ‘burden’. Since the inception of the scheme ‘Families Together’ carers have enjoyed providing a positive experience for children, whilst also responding flexibly to their parents. Many carers have played a significant role in preventing family breakdown and keeping a ‘family together’ which is a core value for RMBC.
A comprehensive assessment is conducted and checks and references are undertaken to ensure all carers have the necessary skills and potential to become a short break carer in line with National Minimum Fostering Standards as required. This is then presented to the RMBC Foster Panel, a team of multi disciplinary professionals, who will recommend whether or not to approve you to go on to become a short break carer. The RMBC Agency Decision Maker will then make a final decision to approve or not.
When you have been approved by the RMBC Foster Panel there will be a meeting whereby the assessment worker will hand over responsibility to the Short Break Supervisory Social Worker who will then organise an induction program to ensure you have the information, practical tools and awareness of procedures you need to be a carer.
You will be asked to complete your own unique Safer Caring Policy to reflect your own household rules and will be asked to sign a Foster Care and Confidentiality Agreement.
It is the responsibility of the Supervisory Worker to give you all the support and advice you need to access training and participate with parents in introductory meetings and placement agreements. This worker will visit you as often as is required in the introductory period until you are comfortably established in a settled pattern of short break provision.
Carers are assessed, approved, and supported according to NMS. The intention of these standards are to set a benchmark and guidance for caring for children and families and they set an expectation of support you should expect to receive from your Supervisory Worker.
Short break carers are required to complete specific training, support and development standards in six key areas which will assist you to:
- Understand your role as a short break carer;
- Know how to provide a safe environment and healthy care;
- Know how to communicate effectively;
- Understand the development of children and young people;
- Keep children and young people safe from harm;
- Develop yourself.
Your Supervisory Worker will support you to complete induction workbooks to evidence your attainment of standards within one year of a child being linked. See Training, Support and Development Standards for Foster Care.
Prospective carers are required to participate in pre-approval training as part of the assessment process to prepare for the role.
Once approved there are a wide range of options and styles of training programs available to suit your preferred method of learning according to your experience, ability and personal circumstances. You will create your own unique Personal Development Plan which will be reviewed annually to identify areas that you and the service would like you to develop, and to enable you to meet the individual needs of the child you are caring for.
Currently there are four mandatory training courses that are required to be completed at the outset of your caring career. These are:
- Safer Care;
- First Aid;
- Equality and Diversity;
- Record Keeping.
To be eligible for this provision parents need to be referred by a Social Worker to RMBC ‘Short Break Panel’ which is comprised of multi disciplinary professionals involved in providing services to Disabled Children in a variety of different settings from residential units to outreach services and inclusive youth clubs or activity based schemes. A Social Worker will present information about a child and families needs assessment. This is fully discussed and considered to ensure that priority is given to those who need it most.
Once a child and family is approved for ‘Families’ Together’ provision the short break Supervisory Social Worker will seek to ‘link’ each child carefully to ensure that the best ‘match’ is made with carers who have experience and skills able to meet the specific needs of each child.
Carers will be able to consult with the child's Social Worker to discuss any queries beforehand and obtain any further information about the child. You will be given enough information to make an informed choice as to whether or not you would like an initial meeting to be arranged with the child and their family.
If you are still interested after further discussion we would arrange for you to meet the child and their family. This initial meeting is for carers and parents to exchange information. A ‘Families Together Short Break Care Matching Plan’ and risk assessment will be drafted by the Supervisory Social Worker to consider any medical issues or personal care needs, routines, and the likes and dislikes of the particular child.
It is important at this stage for a carer to consider their own personal circumstances and whether you have the time and personal resources to be able to realistically proceed and offer the short break care required.
After the initial meeting you may decide:
- You do not want to proceed;
- You are unsure and need more information and time to think about it;
- To go ahead with the placement.
The child/family may also decide any of the above.
Sometimes, for all sorts of reasons, the family does not want to go ahead. If this happens, we will let you know why. It is not a reflection on your abilities as a carer - sometimes families feel a particular carer is not right for their child and that is their decision. They also might not yet be ready for any “linking” and meeting you is part of the process of “letting go”, so don’t take it personally! It is still very helpful to offer.
If you want to go ahead with the placement, we will let the family's Social Worker know, and if they also want to proceed we will organise further introductory visits, with the parent present, to build up familiarity. It is always important to ‘move at the child’s pace’ to allow them to feel comfortable to proceed. You will be expected to work flexibly with parents to reach mutually agreeable times for introductory meetings and decide when it will be best to visit your home so the child and family can see where the short break will be offered.
Having agreed to be linked with a particular child, the Supervisory Social Worker will organise a Placement Agreement meeting to make plans and practical arrangements. A ‘Families Together Short Break Care Matching Plan will be finalised following signed agreement to the risk assessment and specific care format for each linked child.
The Placement Agreement will be constructed at the meeting and signed to confirm the agreed times for looking after the child. It will state whether day-care (such as tea visit) or overnight stay is required and will provide confirmation that all necessary paperwork has been completed including the transfer of parental consent to emergency medical treatment.
The short break placement provision will be considered as part of your annually review and also as part of the 6 monthly ‘Children in Need’ reviewing process. Carers are encouraged to work flexibly with parents but if a family ask you to significantly alter the times or arrangements you need to contact your supervisory worker as significant variations in time need to be re-approved by the Short Break Panel.
Your Short Break Supervisory Worker will visit you regularly and ensure you are supported with all aspects of providing short break care to a disabled child. You will be visited as often as you require as part of the induction process and then every 12 weeks when you have developed an established link with a child. It is a requirement that an unannounced visit is undertaken twice per year.
You will be kept up to date with policies, procedures and legislation that specifically helps you in your role.
Families Together carers have a yearly ‘Annual Review’ chaired by an independent reviewing officer (IRO) who will consider whether you continue to demonstrate the skills required to recommend re-approval. Your Supervisory Worker will provide a report and you and your family will be consulted. First reviews are presented to the RMBC Foster Panel.
The IRO will also review your approval category. All short break carers are approved to take one placement. This means that, unless you are approved to take a sibling group, you are only expected to look after one child at any one time. You are able to link to more children however if you have the time available on another day. Many carers look after different children on alternate week-ends or week days.
RMBC will seek to remain flexible in responding to any change in your personal circumstances. Some carers may wish to develop their fostering careers to provide task centred care for extended periods until a child is matched long term. Your supervisory worker will discuss all aspects of any proposed change in category. Any change in category will need to be presented to the foster panel.
You will be encouraged to continue to train and develop yourself through the Personal Development Plan to enhance the quality of care you can offer to a wide variety of children with unique needs.
Last Updated: August 16, 2024
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