Decision making 

Being clear about who can make what decisions, and how those decisions can be made in a timely way, is crucially important for children and young people in foster care, ensuring that they can have as ‘normal’ a childhood as possible. The Fostering Network’s view is that all foster carers must be given the authority to make everyday decisions on behalf of children in their care without unnecessary delays and restrictions. 

We also believe that as equal members in the team around the child - and as the people who often know the children and young people in their care best - foster carers should be included in all conversations where decisions are being made for or about the child they care for.  

Making decisions for a child in foster care

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The ability for foster carers to make common-sense, timely decisions about the children and young people in their care is crucial.

Decision Support Tool

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Our Decision Support Tool is an aide to good practice and assists social workers, parents, foster carers and young people to talk to each other about decision making.

The Foster Carers' Charter

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We have long campaigned for foster carers to be recognised as equal members in the team around the child. We believe that our Foster Carers' Charter will help to make this a reality. The charter has a whole section about decision making.