This contrasts with residential children’s homes where” the registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs19 and 20). This plan should:

detail the necessary management and staffing structure, (including any staff commissioned to provide health and education), the experience and qualifications of staff currently working within the staffing structure and any further training required for those staff, to enable the delivery of the homes Statement of Purpose;

• detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation, and any core training (such as safeguarding, health and safety and mandatory qualifications).
• detail the process for managing and improving poor performance.
• detail the process and timescales for supervision of practice (see regulation 33 (4) (b)) and keep appropriate records for staff in the home.

The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff – including the home’s manager.”

The social work England professional standards (4.5) highlight that social workers will contribute to an open and creative learning culture in the workplace to discuss, reflect and share practice, thus, a professional development plan (PDP) (or Professional Development Plan) is a record of measurable actions to support and enable individual/s to achieve their work setting or career goals and a tool that supervising social workers should benefit from using themselves as well as enabling foster carers to use to reflect on their personal/professional development as foster carers.

In connection to the personal development of foster carers, the training development standards for foster care is clear what is required of foster carers regarding the skills and knowledge for those working with children, young people, and families to practice at a basic level. Thus, foster carers should be able to develop themselves (TSD Standard Seven). To meet aspects of this standard, foster carers need to consistently demonstrate the skills and knowledge that indicates their practice meets or is above the following standards:

• 7.3a Understand the purpose of your personal supervision and annual foster carer review and know how to make the best of these opportunities.
• 7.3b Know what additional support and training is available to you.

• 7.3c Be able to recognise when you need support and the importance of asking for help and advice.

• 7.3d Develop knowledge, skills and understanding pertinent to your foster care role (e.g., treatment foster care, fostering teenagers.

• 7.3e Develop knowledge, skills and understanding to enable you to “broaden” your foster care role.

• 7.4a Understand the need for continuing professional development and the ways in which it can improve your practice.

• 7.4b Understand and be able to reflect on how your day-to-day work as a foster carer is influenced by feedback from people you come into contact with and from children, young people and their families.

• 7.4c Work with your supervising social worker or other relevant person to agree and follow a personal development plan.

• 7.4d Be willing to continually improve your practice and understand how to do this.

Given these required standards – The Fostering Network (2021) research highlights that since 2016 –the number of carers who have a personal development plan has increased. Nevertheless, 35% of foster carers do not have a PDP despite this being a National Minimum Standard (NMS 20.5).

Download Free EMPT_016_Supervision WORKBOOK_DIGITAL_v2 (1)Updated 23.12.24

Kolb’s Reflective cycle shown below highlights the need for you to reflect on your experience from participating on learning events/training and to say/write down what you think you have learnt.  You should reflect, following participation on a learning event, on how such participation influences your current practice.

The Experiential Learning Cycle

1. Concrete Experience – (a new experience or situation is encountered, or a reinterpretation of existing experience).
2. Reflective Observation of the New Experience – (of particular importance are any inconsistencies between experience and understanding).
3. Abstract Conceptualisation (reflection gives rise to a new idea, or a modification of an existing abstract concept The person has learned from their experience).
4. Active Experimentation (the learner applies their idea(s) to the world around them to see what happens).

A good personal development plan format can contribute to enabling you to methodically think about your practice aspirations/goals that you need to reach. A Personal Development Plan should be a continual reflective reference or audit trail about your progress regarding the knowledge and skills and understanding you have developed to broaden your role within the service setting, and you should update it every time you reach important milestones. Regularly updating your Personal Development Plan enables you to target new goals that help you grow professionally and as an individual. The following five steps can contribute to creating a professional development plan:

1. Self-assessment to develop yourself: Evaluate your professional interests, knowledge, and skills. Identify areas in which you can improve to obtain your goals (targets).
2. Goals/targets: Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely) goals that are trackable and achievable by completing small steps. List goals/targets in order of priority with the highest first so you can quickly identify them. Categorise goals as short-, mid- or long-term so you can develop more detailed steps to achieve each one.
3. Action plan: Create a plan of action for each goal. Identify the resources you need to achieve each goal, you should be collaborating and discussing these targets with your supervisor/line manager. Your strategy to participate on specific training, mentorship, online learning, or networking opportunities are some of the proposed actions you can add to your plan.
4. Implementation: Implement your plan of action by taking small steps to achieve each goal. Regularly review your progress and adjust your plan as needed. Your supervisor/line manager should meet with you frequently to discuss your progress and reflection from your participation on learning events.
5. Evaluation: Evaluate your progress by measuring your success against the goals you set (What have you learnt from doing the targeted actions you planned). Try to complete the evaluation forms from training courses that you participate on. The effectiveness of this plan should also be evaluated by your supervisor and or line manager. Celebrate your successes and learn from your failure/vulnerabilities. Then start a new personal development plan.

According to Sartre, ‘existence precedes essence’ it means that people don’t have any predetermined purpose why they exist in this world. Sartre’s opinion is that people are radically free.  Thus, existentialism claims that ‘If we are in a bad mood, for example, it’s because we choose to be. It suggests the external world doesn’t impose itself upon our consciousness and that we control our moods, thoughts, attitudes, and choices.

From Sartre’s perspective, freedom is something that we cannot avoid. Our ability to choose could either lead toward ‘sincerity’ or ‘bad faith’. To live in ‘bad faith’ is to let one’s being defined by social categories such as race, gender, disability, ethnicity, work position, and economic class etc. Therefore, from an existentialism perspective a person who lives in ‘bad faith’ is passive for accepting his current condition to define who they are and does not bother to transcend their situation; whilst negating themselves by the dictation of the crowd/group.  Thus, a ‘person who lives in ‘sincerity’ is the one who transcends their current situation and not being a follower of public/group opinion and actively interacts and perpetually creates their own life’s meaning’.

Anxiety and Alienation

In a society influenced by systemic racism, sexism, Disablism/ableism, and where various forms of abuse may impact on behaviour people may have many internal conflicts whilst managing freedom and experience anxiety. According to Soren Kierkegaard “anxiety is the dizziness of freedom”. Knowing that we are carrying a huge responsibility of creating meaning for ourselves, people may feel a sense of burden, since there is no one who will help them in this course. It is up to us! People may well recognize that life maybe farcical and can become disillusioned from the beliefs they used follow and adhere to. Thus, such experiences may well make people feel alienated as it’s individuals who needs to move their own steering/Life wheel in whichever direction they choose!

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You may well then think that your current state of knowledge is currently insufficient, and you must continue to learn on what you have previously learnt. Thus, you cannot go back in time, but, in light to any updated knowledge you can adjust the way you behave.
The Brazilian educator Paulo Freire is a useful example of a person going back to where they were (what was thought about an issue by an individual) before having the lived experience of poverty and adjusting behaviour due to updated knowledge. Therefore, in reflection, Freire adjusted the way he behaved towards the oppressed.

Paulo Freire who came from a middle-class family, in his book ‘Pedagogy of the Oppressed’, gives a good example of changes a person can make following considering new knowledge and experiences. This involved Paulo’s family losing their wealth and having the experience of living in poverty. Freire found himself sharing the plight of the absolute poor. Thus, in reflection, Freire learned about hunger, fell behind in school and vowed to dedicate his life to challenge issues of hunger. He then went on to help to ‘empower countless impoverished and illiterate people’.

Social Policy and the Poor Law sample 2006 pptx
https://www.raiselearning.com.au/blogs/news/5828398-promoting-diversity-equity-and-cultural-competence-in-the-early-years 
https://www.globaledulink.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Group-B-Model-Assignment.pdf
https://www.simplypsychology.org/learning-kolb.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzU03oFkfa0
https://libguides.hull.ac.uk/reflectivewriting/kolb
https://www.mindfulnessmuse.com/dialectical-behavior-therapy/how-to-practice-radical-acceptance
https://www.theguardian.com/social-care-network/2016/may/24/radical-social-work-quick-guide-change-poverty-inequality
https://study.com/academy/lesson/marxist-theory-definition-impact-on-politics.html
https://www.philosophyzer.com/marxist-theory-on-poverty/

https://cdn.bdadyslexia.org.uk/documents/Advice/Dyslexic-Employee/Dyslexia_Style_Guide_2018-final.pdf?mtime=20190409173541

https://www.w3.org/WAI/RD/2012/text-customization/r11

Social Policy and the Poor Law sample 2006 pptx

The Fostering Network research involved in total 2,530 foster carers from across the UK completed the survey online: 1,942 of these fostered in England, 359 in Scotland, 122 in Wales and 107 in Northern Ireland. These numbers represent four per cent, eight per cent, three per cent, and five per cent of the total foster carer populations respectively.

 Aspects of the Fostering Network reports findings are:

•  32 per cent of foster carers felt that children’s social workers do not treat them as an equal member of the team around the child
• 31 per cent of foster carers reported that they were rarely or never given all of the information about a fostered child prior to placement
• 46 per cent of foster carers said their fostered children were unlikely to receive information about independent visitors
• Almost a third of foster carers had been referred children from outside their defined approval range
• 52 per cent of those who had taken children from outside their approval range had felt pressured into it
• Three-quarters of those who had taken a child from outside their approval range said they received no additional training and support from their fostering service
• Just under half of all foster carers (49 per cent) did not have an agreed training plan for the next 12 months and the same proportion of carers felt there were training courses they would have liked to attend but did not.

  Ofsted (2015) published an earlier report about foster care that amongst other findings showed:

• There were fewer fostering households overall, but more family and friends households: there were 36,890 fostering households, a decrease of 1% from the same date in 2014. In the same period, the number of family and friends households increased by 6% to 4,145
• More children were recorded as missing from placements and going missing more often: there were 5,055 children recorded as missing in 2014-15, an increase of 19% from the previous year. The number of times that children were recorded as going missing increased by 29%

 Whilst Ofsted (2012) highlighted the following:

• 67,340 foster carers were approved on 31 March 2012. Of these, a large majority of carers were White (84%). The next largest number was Black (8%), followed by Asian (4%), Chinese and ‘Other’ (2%) and Mixed (1%). This was very similar to the ethnicity profile of foster carers for 2010-11
• There were a total of 40,842 fostering households on 31 March 2012. This is an increase of around 7% from the previous year. Of these, 67% were registered with local authorities and 33% were registered with IFS
• Overall, there were 7,427 new fostering households approved during the year. This is an increase of 9% from the same period in 2010-11. Local authorities approved 63% (4,648) of new households and 37% (2,779) were approved by IFS. This compares with 60% of new households approved in 2010-11 by local authority and 40% by IFS

There are some similar findings in both the Fostering Network’s stateofthenationsfostercare2016 and their 2014 state of the nation’s foster care report findings. In the Fostering Network 2014 report foster carers also felt  foster carers should be respected and treated as a skilled co-professional, and to be recognised as part of the team working with the child; often, in fact, they are the person who knows the child best.

The Fostering Network 2014 report showed that foster carers felt that not only should their experience and expertise be valued and listened to about day-to-day care, but also in long-term planning for children. This report also highlighted that foster carers wanted to be recognised and treated as professionals by teachers, health care workers, police and others involved in children’s lives. These working in partnership issues are consistent – The Fostering Network National conference way back in 2002 (Working Across Boundaries) raised similar issues concerning working together.

Click here for State of the Nation Report 2021_DIGITAL_FINAL_0.pdf (thefosteringnetwork.org.uk)

• promote the care plan needs of Children in Care
• contribute to children’s risk assessments
• inform you around what you could do in a crisis.
  

To understand substance misuse aim to improve your knowledge around the range of different substances and the range of different indications of substance misuse related behaviours. Also improve your knowledge around:

• Substance misuse jargon
• Strategies around engaging/involving children and young people in the assessment of their needs, including assessing an their understanding of services available
• Assessing the risk to individuals and to others, and the importance of reviewing substance misuse risk assessments
• Sources of information about, and the range of, substance misuse services available locally

For those who work with children and young people, its also useful for you to be aware of the:

• importance of gathering full and accurate information, and how to do so
• any legal requirements
• the organisation’s policies and procedures in dealing with risk of danger to individuals
• how to report accurately
• the importance of stating any gaps in information or assumptions made

Listen as well as talk

Talking to teenagers can be sometimes be challenging. When you’re discussing drugs and substance misuse, don’t preach or give a speech and don’t make assumptions about what they know or do. Let the child or young person tell you their experiences. It’s often easier not to talk face-to-face, but to have a conversation side-by-side, such as when you’re driving in the car, washing up together, watching television or preparing food.

The following learning material provide useful information around the harm reduction substance misuse method:

Readers can also get information from other credible sources such as the drugs website: FRANK

Rehab 4 Alcoholism is a free and impartial helpline for people troubled with drug and alcohol issues. Rehab 4 Alcoholism aims to save lives by stopping addiction before it becomes too late. Tel: 0800 111 4108 Web: https://www.rehab4alcoholism.com  

Oliver from rehap4addiction has provided the following information: My name is Oliver and I operate a national drug and alcohol addiction advice helpline called “Rehab 4 Addiction”. I started this free helpline back in 2011. You can find my website here: http://www.rehab4addiction.co.uk

Rehab 4 Addiction offers a free hotline dedicated to assisting those suffering from drug, alcohol and mental health issues. Rehab 4 Addiction was established in 2011 by people who overcame addiction themselves. You can contact Rehab 4 Addiction on 0800 140 4690.

Boris MacKey | Community Outreach Manager for Rehab 4 Addiction has forwarded the following link for A resource for stopping drinking and improving mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://www.drugsenseuk.co.uk/danos.pdf

Parental substance misuse | NSPCC Learning

https://happyhappyvegan.com/suicide-hotlines-list/

What are the UK drug laws?

• Child contact refers to all relationship links between a child and their families of origin and friends, regardless of the form and frequency of these links. This may include overnight stays, telephone calls, exchange of letters or photographs or indirect links through third parties.
• These will range from frequent face to face contact to occasional exchanges of information. In some cases, contact will be supervised. Whatever the type of contact a child or young person receives – it can help them maintain important emotional and psychological bonds with significant people.
• The majority of children’s interests will best be served by efforts to maintain or develop relationship links with their birth families. Face to face meetings will generally be the most common and satisfactory way of maintaining such relationships.
• Even when there is no obvious contact, social workers and carers need to address the need to keep a child connected with their family background and to help them develop a sense of identity.
• Research related to child contact shows that the earliest weeks of a Child In Care episode are crucial to the success of a placement, the relationship between the parents, carers and social workers, the level of future contact and the prognosis for an early return home.
• Corporate parents therefore should ensure that contact arrangements are in place before or at the point a child moves to a foster placement and that arrangements for contact are recorded on the Placement Agreement/Plan.
• See our promoting-contact-course-pptx-sample-extracts-pdf-signed

Some useful practice guidance:

1. For children separated from one or both birth parents through divorce or care proceedings, continuing contact with family members is usually important to their emotional and psychological development and well-being, Alan Slade, Coram (2002:7), A Guide to Best Practice in Supervised Child Contact. The EMPT® Managing Director, Astell Evans contributed to this guide and is acknowledged on page 5 of this book.
2. Foster carers ‘are able to form and maintain contact and positive working relationships with parents and other significant adults for the child or young person’, Ofsted Framework for Independent Fostering Agencies (2014: 16).
3. 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 (NMS 9). Ofsted Framework for Independent Fostering Agencies (2014: 20).
4. Foster carers play a crucial role in supporting children’s relationships. They need to offer a consistent, reliable base from which children can connect with their families safely. Their approach to the tasks involved in contact has implications for the welfare of their fostered children at the time and in the longer term, Fostering Network (2016).
5. If the child has been abused, contact can allow abuse to continue if there is unsupervised direct contact or ineffective scrutiny of letters and cards.  Foster carers are generally positive about contact but some report problems associated with it. In some cases these are serious, SCIE (2004).

Giving advice and information, to young people, about substance misuse risk taking

People working in fostering settings often communicate to share ideas/information; to offer reassurance; to build relationships; to ask questions and much more. Factors to consider for effective communication includes: the level; pace; tone; sensory needs; content; use of jargon/slang; child or young person’s or colleagues wellbeing and ability. This includes taking factors into consideration that may impact on how you communicate with individuals with certain disabilities; developmental delay and emotional trauma.

Gaining an appropriate level of trust sometimes forms the foundation for effective communication, as it promotes the communication process as well as supporting the development of relationships.

Understand the importance of keeping good records

In psychological terms communication represents the transmission of something from one location to another. Therefore, fostering settings should ensure an up-to-date, comprehensive case record is maintained for each child or young person in foster care which details the nature and quality of care provided and contributes to an understanding of her or his life events is in place. In addition, relevant information from the case records should be made available to the child or young person and to anyone involved in her or his care. Each fostering service must ensure it has a written policy on case recording.

 Click here for mini PowerPoint show: effective-communication-presentation-empt-2016-web    or click here for Effective communication video mini sample)

TSD standard 4 know how to communicate effectively

Overall, knowing the record keeping policy of your fostering agency, and how information is shared with others, including children and young people and their families may contribute to better outcomes for children. Ofsted framework for independent fostering services (2014:27) states ‘Records are clear, up to date, stored securely and contribute to an understanding of the child’s life’ (NMS 26)’.

Staff and foster carers should also ensure they know how to record understandable, relevant, clear and concise, factual information, which audited/sampled by the service managers. Fostering service staff and foster carers must know how to enable children and young people to participate in record keeping and keep their own records and memorabilia. Thus, Ofsted framework for independent fostering services (2014: 12) assert that ‘children and young people Looked After ‘have access to the independent fostering agency records about their life, which are provided, with appropriate support, when they are needed’.

Useful statutory guidance

Children Act 1989 Fostering Services (Volume 4)

3.78

In accordance with Working Together, it is important to keep on the foster carer’s record a clear and comprehensive summary of any allegations made, details of how the allegation was followed up and resolved, and details of any action taken and decisions reached, and to make this available to the individual. Notwithstanding the requirements of regulation 32 regarding retention of records, such information should be retained on file at least until the person concerned reaches normal retirement age, or for 10 years if that is longer. The purpose of the record is to enable accurate information to be given in response to any future request for a reference. It will provide clarification in cases where a future DBS Disclosure reveals information from the police that an allegation was made but did not result in a prosecution or a conviction, and will prevent unnecessary re-investigation if allegations re-surface at a later date.

3.79.

Malicious allegations should be removed from personnel records and unsubstantiated, unfounded and malicious allegations should not be referred to in references.

3.94.

Written records should be kept detailing every individual incident of a child going missing and the fostering service should share these with the responsible authority and the child’s parents where appropriate.

5.75.

There should be explicit policies in place to enable foster carers and staff to keep clear records about children in placement and the work of foster carers with those children. Information recorded should be non-stigmatising and distinguish between fact and opinion. Children must be made aware of policies regarding their access to all records kept about them, whether by the foster carer or the fostering service itself.

5.76.

A record must be kept in relation to each foster carer, covering the carer’s assessment and approval, children placed, and other matters as set out in regulation 30. This includes foster carers who are temporarily approved under the 2010 Regulations. The records must be kept for at least 10 years after the foster carer’s approval ends. There is also a requirement to keep records relating to people who do not go on to be approved as foster carers, and to retain these records for 3 years (regulation 32).

5.77.

The fostering service must keep a register of foster carers, containing the information set out in regulation 31, and retain on this register information about foster carers for at least 10 years after their approval has ended. It must also keep a register of children placed with foster carers and include in it the information set out in Schedule 2 of the Regulations, and keep this for 15 years after the date of the last entry (regulation 22). They must also keep a register of foster carers, containing the information set out in regulation 31.

5.78.

All records of the service must be kept under conditions of confidential and secure storage so as to prevent their loss or destruction (standards 26 and 27). Premises must be suitable to enable secure storage of records, both paper and electronic.

5.79.

If a person who has previously been approved as a foster carer but has had their approval terminated (which includes as a result of their resignation) applies to another fostering service to become a foster carer, they may consent to that fostering service inspecting their previous fostering record (regulation 26). In such circumstances the service holding the record must comply with the request within 28 days (regulation 32(6)).

Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations (2015)

9.31

Records must be kept detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home (regulation 36 (schedule 3(14)). This information should be shared with the placing authority and, where appropriate, with the child’s parents. Evaluation of missing incidents should be undertaken to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff or to record and retain evidence of what worked well. This evaluation should inform the review of the quality of care.

9.59

Records of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of each child.

11.19

Children should be encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’ supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis.

14.2

Some records may be kept electronically (regulation 38) provided that this information can be easily accessed by anyone with a legitimate need to view it and, if required, be reproduced in a legible form. Electronic records should be held at the individual home in accordance with data protection principles. IT systems should ensure the safe storage of these records and business continuity planning should be in place to prevent loss or damage to them.

14.4

Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child.

14.5

The home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. Children and their parents should be supported to understand the nature of records kept by the home and how to access them. Staff should understand their important role in encouraging the child to reflect on and understand their history, according to their age and understanding. Staff should keep and encourage children to keep appropriate memorabilia of the time spent living at the home and help them record significant life events.

14.6

Children should be actively encouraged to read their records and to add further information to them. They should be regularly reminded of their rights to see information kept about them and be given information about how they might be supported to access their records in later life.

Services

EMPT_TRAINING COURSES_

In terms of promoting positive relationships and socially aware behaviour the following methods are sometimes useful in supporting behaviour management and working in line with the Training Support and Development Standards:

• Using positive reinforcement strategies;
• Modelling positive behaviour and responses to situations;
• Having an overall positive culture in the setting;
• Creating an environment that promotes positive behaviour;
• Individual behaviour planning;
• Distraction and diversion strategies;
• Boundary setting and collaborative ground rule making;
• Supporting children and young people’s reflection on and managing of own behaviour.

PRE-EMPT RISKY BEHAVIOUR

In some cases working with children and young people involves knowing why  a child or young person might actively seek out negative reinforcement through socially unacceptable behaviour.  The result of learned behaviour outcomes could include foster carers/child care workers:

• Identifying triggers and how to minimise triggers, e.g. ensure appropriate structure/planning of environment;
• Promoting consistency; familiarity and routine in minimising risk of triggers;
• Promoting clear boundaries or effective communication;
• Ensuring that the child or young person’s needs are being met (as appropriate);
• Working towards attention being gained for positive behaviour and not predominately for negative behaviour;
• Being aware that anxiety impacts on behaviour;
• Being knowledgeable around substance misuse (Training Support and Development Standards 3.3 c);
• Promoting an understanding  around the possible impact of abuse, separation and loss on the behaviour of children and  young people (Training Support and Development Standard 5.6 c);
• Being aware of how some learning difficulties or mental illness may impact on behaviour.

Given the likelihood that working with children and young people may involve knowing about a range of behaviours presented by children and young people and how to encourage positive behaviour (Training and Support Standard 3.4 b) – foster carers and residential care workers should receive appropriate training and clearly be competent around:

1. Promoting the use of proactive and reactive behaviour management strategies
2. Responding appropriately to incidents challenging behaviour
3. Being able to support individuals and others following an incident of challenging behaviour
4. Being able to review and revise approaches to promoting positive behaviour
5. Being able to Promote effective personal safety and security strategies to protect yourself, staff and members or your family (Training Support and Development Standards 3.4 a)

Promoting National Minimum Standards

The Fostering National Minimum Standards (2011) section 3.8 states:

Whilst the Children’s homes quality standards (2015) section 7.18 state:

‘Staff should have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to help children understand, and where necessary work to change negative behaviours in key areas of health and well-being such as, but not limited to, nutrition and healthy diet, exercise, mental health, sexual relationships, sexual health, contraception and use of legal highs, drugs, alcohol and tobacco’.

The Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards (April 2015) highlights the following positive relationships standards:

Thus, to promote principles related to supporting the development in children and young people leaders and managers in independent fostering settings will need to promote some of the following Ofsted Framework (2014:sections 36 & 44) requirements for a good grade:

Children and young people looked after take, or are learning to take, responsibility for their behaviour. They are either being helped to reduce any incidents of, or are not, offending, misusing drugs or alcohol, going missing or being sexually exploited. If any such risks are identified, the independent fostering agency takes action, in partnership with the local authority, that reduces the risk and protect the child or young person.

The agency offers placements to children and young people with complex needs and challenging behaviour and provides the necessary specialist support and help for as long as it is required.

In addition, leaders and managers in residential children’s homes settings should ensure they contribute to leading their related organisation in meeting the following Inspections of children’s homes Ofsted good characteristics (December 2015):

Children and young people develop skills and strategies to manage their own conflicts and difficult feelings through developing positive relationships with the staff. There are clear, consistent and appropriate boundaries for children and young people. Adults understand how children’s experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour. They are able to be clear with children and young people about the consequences of difficult and unsafe behaviour and the help and support they may need. Children and young people report that adults are consistent and clear about the management of all behaviour and expectations (53.i).

Under section 57 of the framework for the Inspections of children’s homes Ofsted Inspectors judgements, amongst other factors ,takes account of:

• How well risks are identified, understood and managed and whether the support and care provided help children and young people to become increasingly safe
• The response to children that may go missing or may be at risk of exploitation or self-harm
• How well situations and behaviour are managed by staff and whether clear and consistent boundaries contribute to a feeling of well-being and security for children and young people.
• https://youtu.be/NvCh0jN_IHw

 

Champion equality, diversity and inclusion

https://www.emptlondon.com/helping-children-cope-death/

1. What type of relationship they had with the person who has died. Death of a Mother for example, maybe much harder than the death of an Uncle.
2. Age and level of understanding – for infants they may feel the loss in terms of how it affects their day to day routine. Pre-school children usually see death as temporary and reversible. Older children may have realised that death involves a permanent separation. Sometimes children may feel that they “caused” the death – e.g. by being naughty. They will show their feelings about the loss usually in terms of their behaviour or presentation.
3. Circumstances of the death – a traumatic death may be hardest of all for children to cope with sudden death will also be very hard for children.

When helping children cope with death some adults try to shield children from what has happened by withholding information from them.  But research tells us that children benefit from knowing what has happened as soon as possible.  Children also need to be listened to and have their questions answered.

Sometimes a child many not be able to clearly recall their loved one’s face and this can be very distressing for them.  Helping children to cope with death could also include the use of a significant photograph as a source of comfort.  Most of all they need to be given a way of saying goodbye – if for example they’re considered too young to attend the funeral they might be able to say a prayer for the person they’ve lost.  As time goes on they’ll need permission from the adults around them to show their feelings in whatever way helps (anger, sadness etc).

Grief and loss video

In terms of promoting Standards in social care training the Education and Training Foundation (website) released a set of aspirational standards in May 2014. The Professional Standards provide a framework for teachers and trainers to critically appraise their own practice and improve their teaching through Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Almost 1,000 sector professionals were involved in the development of the standards to ensure they accurately reflected practitioners’ needs.
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