The NEWFOCAS placement process

To make an initial placement request, please ensure the Principle Outline Funding Agreement has been signed by the budget holder.

Once the placement has been perfectly matched with a suitable and skilled carer, a holding fee of 50% will be charged until confirmation and agreement has been achieved.  Introductory and preparatory work will then commence from the date of placement offer.

Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee a placement until the above condition has been satisfied.

All NEWFOCAS carers are consummate professionals who dedicate their time and energy to caring for vulnerable children and young people.  And the level of care and professionalism represents outstanding value for money.  Furthermore, our services are intensive and commensurate with those provided by many residential therapeutic settings, and include:

Own bedroom
An individually styled placement plan for each child / young person
Implementation of the Care Plan, Health Record and PEP provided by the service purchaser
Weekly reports to the local authority social worker based on carer’s daily reports
Written progress reports and assessments by the carer and / or service provider on individual children, and planning and review meetings
Court or other formal reports as requested
24-hour supervised care and board as specified in the Providers Statement of Purpose (i.e. the allowances paid to the foster carer(s) by the service provider)
Clothing allowance including sports and leisure clothing for general activities (except initial clothing / special clothing / tools)
Food, including lunch at school and special dietary needs
Cultural, ethical, religious, and spiritual beliefs / needs
Pocket money, birthday and festival allowance, and holiday allowance
Telephone calls by landline within the UK to family members and Social Services
Telephone calls to others specified in the care plan (as detailed in the IPA)
Toiletries, hair, and skin care products
General day-to-day travel, and recreational outings
School public transport costs (within 5 mile radius of foster home), and school outings / visits up to two days.
Limited ‘alternative to education programmes’ for excluded children, in addition to any local authority home tuition
Facilitating attendance at local advocacy forums
A welcome for birth family members (unless contra-indicated) including planned overnight stays for identified siblings
Supervised contact and supervised home visits as specified and agreed in the Care Plan
Support in attending local health care appointments, educational appointments and statutory reviews
All administrative work
Any other service described in the Service Specification
Four hours of weekly respite for the carer as a ‘right’ via the in-house sessional carer or respite carer services
Recruitment, selection, preparation, and ongoing training for Foster Carers
Training to reach NVQ 3 for all Foster Carers
Weekly carer supervision and weekly carer support meetings
Arrangement of individual counselling or therapeutic input for the placements and carers at a frequency to meet specific needs
Foster carer approval and review
Foster carer insurance and membership to the Fostering Network
Allowances paid to the foster carer for purchase / reasonable replacement of equipment and furnishings

To find out more or make a referrals to NEWFOCAS please call us on 01244 550300 or email referrals@newfocas.co.uk