Fostering
The Medway Fostering Team is based at Elaine Centre, Strood. The
centre is part of Medway Council’s Integrated Children’s Services
and along with the fostering team, accommodates the LAC team, local
child care teams, adoption team together with education and close
links with health.
The Medway Fostering Service provides a range of services that
include:
- Fostering:
emergency
short-term/long-term/permanent
- Respite:
day care within the home
overnight stays
- Day Care:
day care outside the home
- Link:
support for child with a disability
The core responsibilities of a fostering team is:
- Recruitment of new carers
- Assessment and registration of new carers
- Provision of preparation course, carer induction and on-going
training programme
- Supervision and support of carers
- Matching children and young people into placements
The work of a fostering social worker also involves:
- Running a daily duty system
- Working closely with two other integrated Children &
Families Teams, CWD team, Family Centres and Residential Unit
- Responsible for administration such as Placement Plans, carer
Annual Reviews, and reports for child care meetings, Fostering
Panel
The aim of the fostering service is work with other
professionals and families to develop services to meet the needs
and safeguard the interests of children in Medway.
To achieve this purpose, the team strives to work within the
framework of National Standards and Medway policies to ensure that
the standards and practice of the services provided continues to be
reviewed and maintained to the highest level.