Family and friends care
Your organisation can commission these courses to be run locally, tailored to your requirements. To discuss this further contact David Roth, Family and Friends Care Policy Adviser This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
You can also register your interest in a specific course by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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Assessment of Family and Friends Carers
The one day course will consider how assessments of family and friends carers can be carried out so that these carers’ strengths and competencies can be recognised, and their needs for support identified. Consideration will be given to factors that would influence a decision about their approval. The course will draw on current messages from research about family and friends care, and consider the legal framework for these assessments. The training will include a model for family and friends assessments that has been developed by Family Rights Group.
Aims and learning outcomes:
• understand the legal framework within which family and friends assessments are carried out
• consider the factors which families may need to deal with when taking on the care of a relative
• be aware of the differences between family and friends assessments and other types of family placement assessments
• understand what is required in different types of assessment, including Reg 24, fostering and special guardianship
• consider what factors should inform the recommendations arising from an assessment
Who should attend: Social workers and children’s guardianship with responsibility for assessing family and friends care placements.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD): Social workers: This course would contribute CPD hours.
Introduction to family and friends care
This half day introductory course is for practitioners in the fields of health, education and social care, other than social workers, who are working with family and friends carers, or who are working with children placed with family and friends carers. The course will consider what is meant by the term ‘family and friends’ or ‘kinship’ carer, what effect this sort of arrangement can have on family relationships, and what support these carers and children can get.
Aims and learning outcomes:
• consider how family and friends care arrangements can come about
• understand the legal position of family and friends carers
• be aware of what current research is telling us about family and friends care
• consider the effects of family and friends care on family relationship
• consider what types of support these carers and children need and are entitled to receive.
Consultancy on developing a Family and Friends Care Policy
Since 30th September 2011, all English local authorities have been required to have a family and friends care policy that is tailored to local needs, and informs these carers about the support they can get and their legal options as carers. A recent analysis of the 2001 census has shown the widespread extent of family and friends care arrangements throughout the country. It is going to be vital that local authorities have policies in place that show how they are going to provide equitable services for these carers. This is in the context of a legal framework for family and friends care which has changed considerably, including a requirement that family and friends should be considered as the first placement choice for looked after children who can’t be with their parents.
We have considerable expertise in working with and advising wider family members, including grandparents and older siblings, who are raising children who are unable to live with their families. We also work with many practitioners and senior managers to promote best practice in their work with family and friends carers. We are currently offering a consultancy service to local authorities to assist them in developing their family and friends care policies.
This consultancy includes:
• a presentation on the recent legal and practice changes which require local authorities to promote and support family and friends care;
• a presentation on recent research evidence on the experience, needs and efficacy of family and friends care;
• an opportunity for guided discussion on developing the local authority’s family and friends care policy, drawing on existing best practice.
• We also provide additional free support working with the local authority setting up a family and friends care support group.
