Health and Safety for Foster Carers

Manx Care is committed to all fostering households maintaining a safe home, both indoors and out for the child/young person, whilst ensuring the travel safely at all time.

This policy is being written in conjunction with the Isle of Man Fostering Minimum Standards, Standard 6, (Securing and promoting welfare) and is a requirement for all fostering households.

Health and Safety applies to all fostering households and is assessed and reviewed annually to ensure the home environment and motor vehicles meet the required safety standards for Looked after Children and Young People.

During a foster carer’s initial assessment and at each annual review, a Health and Safety checklist must be undertaken of their home (and where practicable motor homes and caravans) its environment and any motor vehicles that are used to transport children. 

In addition, a Safer Care Plan and Pet Questionnaire are also completed and updated, in line with the above. Please see separate policy and guidance in relation to this, including promoting positive behaviour and physical intervention.

The aim is to ensure the continued physical and emotional safety of children or young people who are already or about to be placed with the foster carer. The Health and Safety Checklist will need to be reviewed, depending on the child’s needs, in line with their Safe Care Plan. Please see Safer Care Policy.

The Health and Safety Checklist will assess the following and will be completed by the supervising social worker or support worker within the Family Placement Service;

• Fire safety – including smoke alarms are present and in good working order;
• Falls – including making sure that floors and stairs are free of trip hazards;
• Burns and scalds – including kitchen safety;
• Strangulation and suffocation – including safe storage of plastic bags and window covering cords (ie; blinds and curtains.);
• Poisoning – including carbon monoxide alarms are present and in good working order and gas boilers have a registered annual safety certificate. This is to include outbuildings/shed and safe storage of hazardous chemicals;
• Drowning – including ponds/water features are safely covered;
• Cutting and crush injuries – including the safe storage of knives or sharp tools;
• Home environment – to ensure its kept clean, tidy and the décor is in good repair. In addition, any licenced fire arms, alcohol, cigarettes and lighters are safely stored. (NB; a child under the age of 5 years old or has respiratory difficulties, cannot be placed in a smoking household.);
• Vehicle safety – an MOT is not necessary on the Isle of Man. However, all vehicles that carry children will need to have up to date insurance (including agreement to transport foster children), appropriate car seats and evidence of an annual car service to ensure that tyres and breaks are in good working order.

If the checklist highlights any gaps, the supervising social worker will discuss them with the foster carers and agree a timeline for completion. Any costs relating to the general health and safety requirements of the home, must be met by the foster carers.

Consideration needs to be given as to whether or not the frequency of unannounced or announced visits to the foster carer’s home may need to be adjusted to ensure the safety of a child or young person they are caring for.

If a satisfactory standard has been achieved and maintained, the supervising social worker will need to confirm that the matter has been resolved.

If the matter is not resolved, consideration needs to be given as to the impact this would have on a child or young person’s safety and the foster carers continued approval and registration.

Foster carers will need to undertake any mandatory training in line with this policy within the first 12 months of approval and renew every 3 years thereafter.

A copy of the Health and Safety Checklist will need to be signed by the supervising social worker and the foster carers. In addition, a record must be kept on the electronic file and form part of the panel bundle for continued approval and registration.

Aside from the practical matters in respect of Health and Safety, it is also important for the foster carer to maintain a good level of emotional and physical health. If the foster carer or any member of their household experiences any change with regards to their overall health, they should inform and seek support from their supervising social worker as well as their GP/ external counselling services, if required.

The supervising social worker and the child’s social worker will need to consider the impact this could have on the child(ren) in their care. Consideration needs to be given as to how best to support the placement to ensure continued stability for the child. Please see The Assessment and Approval of Mainstream Foster Carers Policy and Placement and Matching Policy. 

Foster carers must seek consent from the child’s social worker, if the child/young person wishes to partake in activities that include a degree of risk. For example:-

• Go Karting;
• Abseiling;
• Horse riding;
• Rock climbing.

The child’s social worker will be responsible for seeking consent from those with parental responsibility and will undertake a risk assessment.

The outcome must be shared with the child, foster carer and supervising social worker. A record of this should be held on the child’s electronic file and consideration given in terms of updating the Placement Agreement with Delegated Authority.

Please see Leisure Activity and Holidays on and off the Isle of Man Policies.

The foster carer is also responsible for ensuring the child or young person is registered with a GP, dentist, optician and that that any appointments are adhered too or re-arranged swiftly, if cancelled. 

These appointments and the outcome must be recorded in the child’s log book and shared with the child’s social worker.

Please see Health and Wellbeing policy.