Health and foster care

Foster carer medicals 

In recent years fostering services have increasingly expressed concern about the difficulties with the system of obtaining health information about prospective foster carers. In response to this issue The Fostering Network, CoramBAAF and the Nationwide Association of Fostering Providers (NAFP) have jointly surveyed its fostering service members in England in Winter 2019/20 to understand more about the issue and its wider impact on fostering. 

Read the report 
 

Recommendations

The Fostering Network, CoramBAAF and the National Association of Fostering Providers have agreed the following recommendations and we will work with the relevant bodies to take these recommendations forward:

• A national standardised approach to foster carer medicals, including a national recommended fee.
• To promote an understanding amongst health colleagues around their crucial role in the recruitment and retention of foster carers and the importance of foster carer medicals.
• To promote an understanding amongst health professionals completing medical reports of the role of the foster carer. This is necessary to ensure all relevant information is provided to the medical advisor for consideration.
• Ensure there is effective communication between the fostering provider and health colleagues at a local level.
• Review the medical report form (AH1) to ensure the content and format is fit for purpose (NB: CoramBAAF is already in the process of updating the AH form as part of review processes and has made additional changes in light of the covid-19 pandemic).
• Clarification of roles in assessing the suitability to foster using the information contained within the foster carer medical report. This includes clarifying the respective role of the assessing social
• worker and fostering service medical adviser in assessing the implications of information contained within the foster carer medical report on the foster carer’s suitability to foster.
• Clarity is needed regarding the sharing and storage of foster carer’s health information by GP surgeries, medical advisors and fostering services. Guidance would need to be informed by fostering regulations, the Data Protection Act 2018 and Working together to safeguard children 2018.
  
   

Children's health and wellbeing 

Research consistently shows that the health of many children and young people in foster care is poorer than that of their peers. The circumstances that have resulted in them being in care may have left them with particular health needs. Others may have specific medical conditions or disabilities whilst others may need support with their mental health and emotional wellbeing.  Also, some children may have moved frequently meaning that the details of their medical history are difficult to find.

When a child is in care, health related responsibilities are not only shared between their birth families and foster carers but also with social workers, specialist nurses, paediatricians, youth services and teachers  who have responsibility as the ‘corporate parent’ .

With the right training and support, foster carers can make a real difference to the lives of children and young people, not only by helping to care for the health of children but also by acting as role models in the way they look after their own health and emotional wellbeing.
 

Principles of promoting health and wellbeing

• It is important that foster carers understand their responsibilities around health care, medical treatment and consent so that they can support a child’s physical, mental, and emotional health.
• Fostered children have a right to good health; all the professionals working with them have a responsibility to promote and support this while recognising that it is the foster carer who can make the biggest impact on the child’s experiences and environment.
• A holistic approach to health promotes children’s wellbeing and provides them with the support they need to make informed decisions about their own health.
• Children and young people will live in a healthy care environment, will experience a stable secure relationship, live in a positive health promoting environment, have opportunities for self development, and receive effective healthcare, treatment and support.