Hi, it's about assessing risk and knowing any safeguarding policy and procedures that you have, or that your fostering team/ unit has agreed, or provided you with.
Allegations of any type of abuse can be made by children, young people, neighbours, friends, family, child's birth family, other professionals in all types of situations. It helps to recognise the positions that put you at risk of an allegation being made:
In public where others witness your practise
In isolation with someone where no independant witness can provide evidence.
This is a quote from the lv3 cypw collins handbook
Page 195
Adopting a professional, common sense approach is the best way for practitioners to protect themselves against any accusations or suspicions of abuse.
Strategies for offsite/out of home visits in the local community or futher could include ..
How you risk assess. Listed in the
FC2 Practise as a foster carer unit are risk factors that might help you examine how positive a trip or visit would/wouldn't be, eg. if it may open a vulnerable child to risk and yourself to allegations ..
Environmental - where are you going, what's there, who might be present, is there any risk of harm, do you need any documentation from where you're going to satisfy safeguarding measures.. eg their premises' own risk assessments, confirmation that only CRB checked personnel will have access to your child/ren
Behavioural - is there anything you need to be aware of that might be a risk to yourself, the child or to/from others. Anger, upset, running away, potential for verbal or physical contact/bodily harm.
Emotional - past experiences and fears for the future may influence behaviour, responses, a child's well-being and possibly cause others to judge your profesisonal practice and expertise in managing incidents. Your situation with each individual child will be unique.
Allegations - Know 'safe working practices'
eg. the places/people that are safe so your professional judgement isn't compromised eg. someone alleges that you took a child to a pub, left them alone in an unsupervised play area, smacked them, shouted angrily at them, supplied them with alcohol, allowed sleepovers, visits to houses/places that haven't been assessed for risk.
Record all incidents and injuries that happen when out and about.
Ask if any ratios - adults to children apply for foster care visits.
Know who to discuss incidents with.
Maybe ask yourself ..
Why you do, or why you do not visit children after they've moved on to a new family or returned to their birth family.
If you do visit a known child or meet a new placement for the first time how do you prepare for that child/family's welcome and well-being.
What precautions are taken to protect you against allegations on those visits ie. supervised first visits. video survellience.
Has a child come to you locally, are there any concerns about their going out and about with you in the community.
Do you have any experience/workshop training that demonstrates how you manage and deal with challenging behaviour when out and about.
It is also good to know exactly what the procedures are for dealing with any allegation made against you as these can be so robust that they act as a means of protection for you and your practise and promote the service you provide to others who might be considering fostering but be concerned about the possibility of allegation xx
Devon.gov.uk's handbook is a good read
The
foster carer's handbook 2009 produced by West Sussex council looks into aspects such as unexpected visits, contact and visits with family, friends and other key professionals. Page 25 and 112 are excellent reads - Complaints and allegations against foster carers and Why do children make allegations against carers?
Hth xx
Protecting children, supporting foster carers
http://www.baaf.org.uk/
health and social care Unit 025
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