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282 <h2>
282 Overnight Stays and Social Visits
282 </h2>
284 </div>
287 <div id="scope_box">
288 <h3>
288 SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER
288 </h3>
289 <p>
289 This policy and procedure applies to Looked After Children placed in foster homes in relation to
social visits and where overnight stays with friends are planned.
289 </p>
290 <p>
290 For the procedure relating to contact with family members and those with parental responsibility
see:
290 <a href="p_contact_parents.html">
290 Contact with Parents/Adults and Siblings Procedure
290 </a>
290 .
290 </p>
291 <h3>
291 RELATED GUIDANCE
291 </h3>
292 <p>
292 <a href="http://www.minimumstandards.org/fost_nine.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
292 National Minimum Standard 9 (Fostering Services) - Promoting and Supporting Contact
292 </a>
292 </p>
293 <h3>
293 RELATED CHAPTERS
293 </h3>
294 <p>
294 <a href="p_del_auth_fc_resid.html">
294 Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers Procedure
294 </a>
294 </p>
295 <p>
295 <a href="p_hols_trips_in_out_uk.html">
295 Holidays and School Trips In and Outside of the UK Procedure
295 </a>
295 </p>
296 <h3>
296 AMENDMENT
296 </h3>
297 <p>
297 This chapter was updated in April 2017 following a review which includes being re-titled to more
reflect the contents. It also includes local guidance, particularly that where a foster care is
not sure about a social visit or overnight stay, they should consult with the social worker (see
297 <a href="#conduct_up_to">
297 Section 2, Overnight Stays/Social Visits
297 </a>
297 ).
297 </p>
298 </div>
299 <div id="sections">
301 <h3 id="sections_list">
301 Contents
301 </h3>
302 <ol>
303 <li>
303 <a href="#intro">
303 Introduction
303 </a>
303 </li>
304 <li>
304 <a href="#conduct_up_to">
304 Social Visits/Overnight Stays
304 </a>
304 </li>
305 <li>
305 <a href="#parental">
305 Parental Consent
305 </a>
305 </li>
306 </ol>
307 <h3 id="intro">
307 1. Introduction
307 </h3>
308 <p>
308 <span class="italic">
308 Looked after children say that problems obtaining parents' and local authorities' consent to
everyday activities can make them feel different from their peers, causing them embarrassment
and upset. It is therefore very important to agree upfront who can make which decisions about a
looked after child, and that this is understood by all key parties and reviewed regularly.
308 </span>
308 </p>
309 <p>
309 <span class="italic">
309 The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 4: Fostering Services.
309 </span>
309 </p>
310 <p>
310 Decisions on social visits and overnight stays should normally be delegated to foster carers and
residential care staff. The arrangements for such decisions should be written into the Placement
Plan in line with the Care Plan taking account of any relevant court directives.
311 </p>
312 <p>
312 When the child's placement is made, information regarding significant relationships and
friendships should be obtained as part of this process and should be reviewed as appropriate.
312 </p>
313 <p>
313 The parents' views on social visits and overnight stays with friends should also be obtained. For
procedures on Parental Consent, see
313 <a href="#parental">
313 Section 3, Parental Consent
313 </a>
313 .
313 </p>
314 <p>
314 The Placement Plan should include the parameters within which visits or stays away from the home
with friends may be agreed by the carer without prior consultation with the social worker, and
whether agreement to such visits requires the carer to obtain parental consent. The Plan may state
that the social worker and/or parent must always be consulted.
314 </p>
315 <p>
315 The guiding principle is that looked after children should, as far as possible, be given the same
permission to take part in normal and acceptable age appropriate activities, such as staying with
friends, as would reasonably be granted by the parents of their peers. Judgment should depend on
the assessed risks to and needs of the child. See also
315 <a href="p_del_auth_fc_resid.html">
315 Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers Procedure
315 </a>
315 .
315 </p>
316 <h3 id="conduct_up_to">
316 2. Social Visits/Overnight Stays
316 </h3>
317 <p>
317 The delegation of authority to approve a child making social visits to friends should be set out
in the Placement Plan which must be consistent with the child's Care Plan. The arrangements must
also be consistent with any Contact Orders in force in favour of relatives and/or friends.
317 </p>
318 <p>
318 Overnight stays with friends are a regular part of most children/young people's experience and
often occur at short notice. It is neither practicable nor desirable to carry out police and other
formal checks on the adults resident in the friend's household, unless of course there are
particular reasons for concern.
322 </p>
323 <p>
323 Although agency checks are not normally be required as a precondition of a child staying overnight
with friends, in circumstances where it is considered necessary as a result of specific risks
identified in the risk assessment, or where the child is to stay with adults regularly or
frequently or for a prolonged period, checks on members of the relevant household should be made
through the Disclosure and Barring Service, the Children's Services and Probation records for the
relevant area.
323 </p>
324 <p>
324 Where there are exceptional reasons to require carers to seek the permission of the social worker,
a manager or a parent, or place specific restrictions on permitting a child to stay overnight with
friends, this should be because of reasons necessary to safeguard the child's welfare. The
child's wishes should be taken into account in reaching any such decision.
324 </p>
325 <p>
325 Any such restriction, together with the reasons, should be clearly recorded in the Placement Plan,
and explained to the child where appropriate. Restrictions should be reviewed regularly to ensure
they remain relevant.
325 </p>
326 <p>
326 In the majority of cases, it will be sensible for decision making about sleepovers to be delegated
to the child/young person's carer who will be best placed to know or find out about the friend and
monitor the frequency of sleepover visits.
329 </p>
330 <p>
330 Carers considering a request from a child to stay overnight with a friend should base their
decision on the following factors:
330 </p>
331 <ol style="list-style-type:lower-alpha">
332 <li>
332 Are there any relevant restrictions in the child's Placement Plan?
332 </li>
333 <li>
333 Are there any factors in the child's past experiences or behaviour to preclude overnight stays?
333 </li>
334 <li>
334 Are there any grounds for concern that the child may be at significant risk in the household
concerned or from the activities proposed?
334 </li>
335 <li>
335 Is the child staying with another child or children, rather than staying solely with an adult?
335 </li>
336 <li>
336 The age and level of understanding of the child;
336 </li>
337 <li>
337 What is the purpose and length of the overnight stay?
337 </li>
338 <li>
338 Whose idea was the overnight stay?
338 </li>
339 <li>
339 How well is the friend or family known to the child?
339 </li>
340 </ol>
341 <p>
341 Where the carer proposes to agree to the child's stay away, before allowing them to go ahead,
certain enquiries must be made by the carer; for example the name of the adult who will be
responsible for the child, the means of contacting the adult and the child during the visit/stay
and the arrangements for the child's return. There should be clarity about the sleeping
arrangements and what the arrangements are.
341 </p>
342 <p>
342 Prior to the child's stay away, the carer should arrange to meet the adult who will have
responsibility for the child unless he or she is already known in which case the prior
arrangements can be made over the telephone.
342 </p>
343 <p>
343 The arrangements for supervising or caring for the child must not compromise the safety of the
child or that of any one else; and the following considerations should apply:
343 </p>
344 <ol style="list-style-type:lower-alpha">
345 <li>
345 Have the arrangements been confirmed with the parent of the friend or the adult who will have
responsibility during the visit?
345 </li>
346 <li>
346 What are the arrangements for the child returning to the home?
346 </li>
347 <li>
347 Is there a contact number for the household in which the child will stay?
347 </li>
348 <li>
348 Is the child aware of what to do if he or she wants to return to the home earlier than planned?
348 </li>
349 <li>
349 Does the child have a contact number for the carers where they can be reached at any time?
349 </li>
350 <li>
350 Does the child have access to a mobile phone?
350 </li>
351 </ol>
352 <p>
352 In all cases, discussions should be held with the child, dependent on his or her age, as to what,
if any, information should be shared with other adults to enable them to look after the child
appropriately.
352 </p>
353 <p>
353 This might include:
353 </p>
354 <ul>
355 <li>
355 Any specific health care needs of the child;
355 </li>
356 <li>
356 Any established routines for the child;
356 </li>
357 <li>
357 Any behaviour management problems which, if the adult is unaware of, could lead to difficulties
during the visit, for example the child may be over familiar with adults or over assertive with
younger children.
357 </li>
358 </ul>
359 <p>
359 Any decision to share information should be on a 'need to know' basis and recorded.
359 </p>
360 <p>
360 If the child refuses to allow appropriate information to be shared, then he or she needs to be
made aware that this could affect the decision to allow the stay away from home.
360 </p>
361 <p>
361 If satisfied that it is appropriate to allow the child's stay away, a decision to allow it to go
ahead may be made.
361 </p>
362 <p>
362 The decision and the arrangements agreed should be recorded in full in the child's Daily Record
where the child is placed in foster care.
362 </p>
363 <p>
363 Even if it has been agreed that the social worker does not have to be consulted in making these
arrangements, s/he must still be informed as soon as practicable afterwards (within 1 working day)
and the social worker should inform the parents as appropriate.
363 </p>
364 <p>
364 If a foster carer is unsure for any reason they must consult the allocated social worker of the
child and/or their own allocated supervising social worker for advice.
364 </p>
365 <p>
365 With older teenagers, there may be a greater risk to their safety and wellbeing as they explore
and test greater levels of independence. This applies to young people living at home as well as to
those who are looked after by a Local Authority and it is inevitable that in some cases, despite
the care taken, things will go wrong.
365 </p>
366 It is the intention of this procedure to protect children and young people and to carry out our duty
as reasonable and responsible parents. It is also intended to enable carers and social workers to
demonstrate that if something goes wrong, they have taken all reasonable precautions to protect the
child and young person.
367 <h3 id="parental">
367 3. Parental Consent
367 </h3>
368 <p>
368 Wherever possible, parents' views and consent to contact with relatives and friends including any
overnight stays away from the home should be obtained by the social worker at the time of the
placement.
368 </p>
369 <p>
369 These views should be recorded including an indication of whether the parent wishes to be notified
or their consent obtained every time an overnight stay takes place and if so, whether such
consultation and prior consent is required before the contact can go ahead.
369 </p>
370 <p>
370 It should also be clearly recorded if parents do not consent to any continuing relationships or
short stays away from the home, and the reasons for their lack of consent should be obtained.
370 </p>
371 <p>
371 If it is considered that contact is appropriate despite the parents' views, legal advice may be
required and any decision to allow such contact needs to be clearly recorded together with reasons
and explained to the parents.
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