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Contents

1. Standards and Introduction
2. Respite for Carers of Children Over the Age of 3 Years
3. Additional Respite Care Provision for Children Over the Age of 3 Years
4. Respite for Carers of Children Under the Age of 3 Years

1. Standards and Introduction

National Minimum Standards (2011), Standard 21 states:

21.1	The fostering service supports their foster carers to ensure they provide foster children with care that reasonably meets those children’s needs, takes the children’s wishes and feelings into account, actively promotes individual care and supports the children’s safety, health, enjoyment, education and preparation for the future.
21.2	The fostering service ensures foster carers understand the nature and level of support which will be provided to them by the fostering service.
21.3	There is an effective out of hours advice and support service for foster carers.
21.4	Peer support, foster care associations and/or self help groups for foster carers are encouraged and supported.
21.5	Foster carers are provided with breaks from caring as appropriate. These are planned to take account of the needs of any children placed.
21.6	All foster carers have access to adequate social work and other professional support, information and advice, to enable them to provide consistent, high quality care to the child. This includes assistance with dealing with relevant services, such as health and education. Consideration is given to any help or support needed by the sons and daughters of foster carers.
21.7	The role of the supervising social worker is clear both to the worker and the foster carer.

Peterborough City Council Fostering Services recognises that many carers will require additional support through the provision of respite care and other community based resources to promote stable and secure placements.

Many "Looked After Children" demonstrate a range of behaviours that can threaten the stability of, or lead to the disruption of foster placements. In birth families there is often the opportunity for children to have short breaks with members of the extended family. This is more difficult where children are "looked after", as often children cannot be cared for by extended family members and friends of foster carers.

Where respite care is provided it should be primarily considered to be in the best interest of the child. The following outcomes should be the motivating factor for requesting respite:-

• It is likely to increase the stability of the placement
• It will enable the carers to provide continuity of care
• It will provide the child with further opportunities which will improve their life chances.

2. Respite for Carers of Children Over the Age of 3 Years

1. All carers caring for children over the age of 3 years will be entitled to 14 nights respite per year. The main carer's money will be stopped for every night the child is away on respite. At the end of each financial year the main carer will be paid for up to 14 nights money, for 1 child only at the basic fostering allowance rate (level 1) for any of the 14 nights respite not taken.
   
   These additional payments will be made with the intention that the foster carers may purchase additional activities for the children) as another form of respite/support, e.g. playschemes, after school clubs, etc. Please note that carers receiving solely Contract Care (or protected payments) will not receive any additional monies in these cases, as it is included in the calculations for the Contract Care rates.
2. The 14 nights must be taken between 1st April and 31st March.
3. Respite cannot be carried over to a new respite year.
4. The 14 nights can be taken as a block, over a weekend or on individual days.
5. Respite care must be booked one month in advance and should be with a regular respite carer. On occasions there may be a very high demand for respite placements and therefore carers may not receive the exact dates requested.
6. To book respite foster carers should complete the respite request form.
7. It is not acceptable to expect respite with a range of different carers as this would not be in the child's best interest.
8. It is the responsibility of the main carers to introduce the child to the respite carers prior to the respite taking place.
9. Transport to and from the respite placement will be the responsibility of the main carers and travel costs incurred should be taken from the fostering allowance.
10. Foster carers must liaise directly with the respite carers to ensure that adequate clothing is sent with the child to enable the child to participate in any planned activities.
11. Foster carers can identify a member of the extended family or a close family friend who will be assessed with a view to providing the respite care.
12. There will be times when it is not appropriate for children to receive respite care particularly if rehabilitation is being attempted or if a child is moving on to an adoptive or permanent family. Flexibility and understanding is asked for in such cases. Foster carers should consult the child's social worker prior to making any respite requests.

3. Additional Respite Care Provision for Children Over the Age of 3 Years.

1. Additional respite requests will be considered where there are exceptional circumstances e.g. All 14 nights have been used and there is a bereavement, illness in the family, the child's behaviour is considered to be so challenging that the placement will not continue if additional support is not provided.
2. Foster carers requiring additional respite care will have their requests presented to the Looked After Children Panel.
3. A written application form must be completed by the foster carer giving clear reasons why additional respite/support is required, and supported by the Fostering Social Worker.
4. The social worker for the child must also complete a written request form and obtain the fostering link workers comments.
5. The child's social worker and Fostering Team worker must attend the Looked After Children Panel to present the request.
6. In the first instance alternative forms of support will be considered in the context of other available resources which could provide adequate support e.g. day care, play schemes, after school clubs etc.
7. No fostering allowance payments will be made for respite periods in excess of the 14 nights for one child only.
8. It is noted that consideration for additional respite should be given to Carers providing care for severely/profoundly disabled children. In these situations the special needs of the child can create demands on the carer, over and above other children.
   
   The need for additional respite (or resources) should be looked at on a case-by-case basis.
   
   The application to the LAC Panel for additional respite provision should be made in the usual way (as outlined in 3, 4, 5).

4. Respite for Carers of Children Under the Age of 3 Years

Carers for children under the age of 3 years should not receive respite care. This is based on the recognised importance of the first three years of a child, as the time when attachments are formed. Already many children under this age will have experienced unsettled and disruptive patterns of care.

1. In exceptional circumstances foster carers can request respite care e.g. if there is a family bereavement or sickness in the family.
2. If carers are experiencing extreme difficulties in caring for children under the age of 3 years they should discuss the circumstances with their link worker to ascertain what other forms of support may be appropriate.

End