The Regulated Fostering Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2019

PART 11 Support and oversight of foster parents

Support, training and information for foster parents

44.—(1) The service provider must ensure that foster parents have the information they need to provide care and support to a child placed with them in accordance with the child’s care and support plan.

(2) The service provider must ensure foster parents receive such training, advice and support, including support outside office hours, as appears necessary in the interests of children placed with the foster parents and to enable them to provide care and support to children in accordance with each child’s care and support plan.

(3) The service provider must ensure prospective foster parents receive such training, information and advice as is considered necessary.

(4) The service provider must monitor and review the information, training, advice and support provided to foster parents and prospective foster parents and make any improvements which may be necessary.

Policies and procedures to foster parents

45.  The service provider must ensure that foster parents are familiar with and act in accordance with the policies and procedures established under regulations 11, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 42 and 48.

Supervision

46.  The service provider must ensure that foster parents are appropriately supervised.

Effective working relationships

47.  The service provider must—

(a) maintain good professional relationships with foster parents, and

(b) encourage and assist foster parents to maintain good personal relationships with children placed with them.

Supporting children to manage their money

48.—(1) The service provider must have a policy and procedures in place to enable foster parents to provide support and assistance to children on how to manage their money.

(2) The policy and procedures which are required by this regulation to be in place must set out the steps which are to be taken by foster parents to enable and support children to manage their own money and to protect children from financial abuse.

(3) The policy and procedures must ensure that there is adequate oversight and monitoring by the service provider of savings which are made by foster parents on behalf of children.

(4) Where a child’s money is held by the foster parents for any purpose, the policy and procedures required by this regulation must provide that the money is held in an account in the child’s name or in an account which enables clear demarcation of the child’s money.

(5) The policy and procedures must ensure that foster parents pass on all records of savings (including expenditure from savings) to the service provider when the placement of the child to whom the records relate comes to an end.