Valuing our Foster Carers
Supervising Social Worker
Supervising Social Workers will visit at least once every two weeks. Discussions will focus on a review of the current placement/s, forward planning and training/development.
Out of Hours Support
Compass provides 24 hour access to practical and personal support by known staff.
Specialist Advice and Support
Compass provides foster carers with access to specialist advice and support from a child psychologist, counsellors and other health specialists.
Education Advice and Provision
Compass has an Education Team of qualified teachers, including a literacy and maths consultant, to monitor the education of every child placed and to provide advice and support in both the home and school.
Training
Compass will provide foundation, continuing and refresher training. There will also be opportunities to attend specialist external training and courses that carry a professional qualification.
FosterTalk
Compass provide Carers with individual membership to FosterTalk.
Fostering Development Group
There are regular meetings of all Compass Foster Carers. These meetings may be to provide information on developments in the organisation, to discuss a particular issue, to hold a short training event or to listen to a guest speaker. The meetings provide Carers with the opportunity to develop their social networks.
Local Groups
Local groups of Foster Carers meet every other month for support, training and development.
Equipment
Foster Carers will not normally be asked to make any special arrangements in their home other than having a free, fully furnished bedroom for every child placed. The accommodation must meet health and safety standards. If a child has a disability or a specific special need the necessary equipment or adaptation will be discussed with the Local Authority.
Networks
Foster Carers are supported and encouraged to make informal links with other Carers to provide friendship, co-working experience and shared interests of in their locallity.
Respite and Day-care
Compass will provide planned respite breaks for Foster Children. A level of day-care may be provided where children are out of school and in other emergencies.
Payments
Foster Carers receive a payment made up of a fee and an allowance for every night that a Foster Child is in residence. The allowance is for the care of the child and is set at a rate to ensure that Foster Carers can cater for the normal requirements of the more demanding children placed by Compass, the precise amount depending on age, type of placement etc. There are different rates for siblings.
- Payments range from £43.62 per night to £61.20 per night (£305.34 to £428.40 per week) depending on the amount of allowance and the experience of the carer.
- Payments are paid directly into a bank account.
- Additional allowances are made for birthdays, Christmas and holidays.
- Under normal circumstances children receive up to 18 nights respite per year for which carers receive full payment.
- A retainer (up to 12 weeks) is paid when carers have no placements.
Other Opportunites for Carers
Foster Carers may have opportunities for undertaking other paid tasks, including:
- Provision of respite and day-care
- Co-working with other Carers
- Escorted travel including court appearances
- Contributing to training events
- Providing 'Experiential Education' as part of the Compass Complementary Education Programme for children out of school
