The meeting focused on the difficulty in achieving compliance whilst fostering children and the implications of compliance was not where it should be but the carers are doing a “great job” of caring for children. The meeting discussed various challenges and solutions for maintaining proper documentation and training requirements. Participants shared experiences with Ofsted inspections, panel processes, and the importance of regular supervision and monitoring systems, while emphasising the need for clear consequences for non-compliance. The group explored different approaches to log frequency, medication management, and the role of panels in reviewing compliance, concluding with plans to implement a new escalation policy and focus on specific compliance issues in future sessions.

Next steps

  • Catherine to prepare for next week's session on compliance topics including medication administration, DBS delays, and notifying requirements.
  • All attendees consider additional compliance areas they want to discuss next week and send suggestions to Catherine.
  • Agencies to review their policies and procedures around monitoring medication administration, including both prescribed and non-prescribed medications.
  • Agencies to consider implementing a stepped escalation process for addressing non-compliance with log writing.
  • Agencies to review their log writing policies, considering frequency (daily/weekly/monthly) based on placement stability and legal proceedings. 
  • Agencies to ensure foster carers understand the importance of logs for potential court evidence and children's life stories.
  • Agencies to consider implementing creative solutions for log compliance, such as using social work students to assist carers or providing summary options for historical gaps.
  • Agencies to review their training compliance monitoring and consider implementing clear consequences for non-compliance.
  • Agencies to ensure clear communication channels beyond logs for urgent information from foster carers.
  • Agencies to consider consulting with foster carers when revising compliance policies to increase buy-in.

Summary

Fostering Compliance and Training Challenges

Catherine discussed the challenges of fostering compliance, highlighting issues such as incomplete journals, missed training, and delayed notifications. She raised questions about how long non-compliance should be tolerated before action is taken, and whether this leads to questions about carers ongoing suitability to fostering, or if alternative arrangements might be more suitable. One attendee shared her experience with Ofsted, which emphasised the importance of compliance during a recent inspection. She described how carers were given a week to complete outstanding training, which they did, and Ofsted was satisfied with the resolution. They also mentioned implementing a new policy requiring prospective carers to complete four mandatory training sessions before a child was placed. The discussion concluded with questions about management oversight and the need for social workers to document discussions with carers during supervision visits.

Enhancing Care Documentation Compliance

One attendee discussed challenges with care inspector compliance and the need to improve documentation of children's experiences, emphasising that logs and records should be considered a critical 60% of carers' responsibilities rather than a minor task. He described efforts to engage carers through joint online discussions, learning development sessions, and writing directly to children, though compliance remains below standards. Catherine agreed that the current approach to logs needs strengthening and suggested more creative methods for documentation.

Log Compliance and Training Strategies

The meeting focused on fostering compliance and log management. One attendee explained their organisation's strict approach to log compliance, including formal meetings and early reviews for non-compliance. One attendee discussed challenges with fostering compliance, particularly with second carers and log management systems. One attendee highlighted the importance of individualised approaches to training and compliance, including one-to-one training sessions and clear expectations. One attendee emphasised the need for effective monitoring systems to ensure compliance. The group agreed on the importance of transparency, consequences for non-compliance, and the need to adapt approaches to meet individual needs.

Foster Carer Compliance and Accountability

The group discussed accountability and compliance issues with foster carers, with one attendee highlighting the need for consequences when carers fall behind on requirements, while someone else described their three-way meeting process for addressing concerns. One attendee shared an example of carers leaving for another agency and although the existing agency tried to consider a balance around compliance the newer agency might have expected more in relation to compliance that the carers would struggle with. The discussion concluded with agreement that while carers have choices, they should be informed about future child arrangement implications if they continue to fall behind on compliance requirements.

Panel Compliance and Foster Care Review

One attendee discussed the role of panels in reviewing compliance and their impact on carers, noting that panels can sometimes be too lenient or strict. Catherine highlighted the need to balance panel advice with the agency's autonomy in managing cases. Someone else shared recent experiences of local authorities requesting foster carer logs on short notice for court cases and described a positive working relationship with her panel chair and ADM, who set clear action points for compliance. She also raised challenges in obtaining necessary information from local authorities for compliance purposes. It should be noted that child logs / journals could be requested for court or criminal enquiries so must be evident.

Panel Process Improvement Strategies

Catherine discussed the importance of quarterly meetings between panel chairs, advisors, and RM to provide feedback and recommendations on panel processes. She highlighted the need for training on professional curiosity and questioning techniques for panels. Catherine also addressed issues with Ofsted's concerns about the lack of ongoing escalation in addressing problems and the difficulty in obtaining the child's new address from local authorities which is a regulation.

Supporting Foster Carers' Compliance Transition

One attendee discussed the challenge of resistance to change from long-term foster carers who are accustomed to their existing log-keeping methods. He emphasised the need to find ways to work with experienced carers while meeting compliance requirements, such as more frequent reviews or early panel returns. Someone else shared a successful approach of offering an amnesty for historic incomplete logs and providing resources and social work student support to help carers develop better log-keeping practices.

Foster Carer Compliance Escalation Policy

The group discussed a new escalation policy for addressing issues with foster carer logs and compliance. One attendee explained the stepped process for addressing problems, emphasising the importance of immediate escalation and documentation. Catherine encouraged agencies to share experiences and policy expectations with foster carers, highlighting the value of consultation with carers that might support more of a “buy-in”, combined with regular supervision and policy review, which is likely to be effective in improving compliance and engagement from foster carers.

Foster Carer Log Frequency Standards

The group discussed the frequency of logs kept by foster carers, with daily logs being common among smaller agencies while larger ones might use weekly or monthly logs. It was explained that logs should be daily for new children placed or during legal proceedings, transitioning to weekly over time / possibly after a year if the care plan is stable, and monthly only for long-term, stable children living with families. There was a question of whether agencies need local authority permission to change from daily to weekly logs and revert to daily logs if a child's risk rating changes, this should be managed by the fostering agency who have a responsibility to ensure children’s journey is reflected in the logs. One attendee mentioned the importance of monitoring medication administration, which was highlighted in a recent inspection. The group agreed to focus on compliance issues, including medication management and DBS checks, in the next session.