Help and support for foster parents in England
Making decisions for your foster child
Your foster child’s placement plan should tell you what decisions you can make, known as delegated authority.
There are 3 different levels to delegated authority:
- day-to-day decisions like dental check ups, hair cuts, school trips, parent-teacher meetings and letting your child go to sleepovers
- long-term decisions like which school a child goes to
- significant decisions made by the local authority and birth parents, like surgery
If your child’s placement plan does not tell you what level of delegated authority you have you should contact your fostering service to find out.
You may not have the same level of authority for each child you foster. For example, you might foster 2 children and have the right to sign a consent form for one of them.
Going on holiday
If you do not have the authority to take your foster child on holiday you’ll need to speak to their social worker.
You’ll also need to:
- tell your child’s social worker when you’ll be going and when you’ll be back
- get a letter of consent from your child’s social worker for passport control (if you’re going abroad)
Medical treatment for your foster child
You may not have the right to give consent to medical treatment. Check your child placement plan to find out if you have the authority to let your foster child have:
- medication
- a medical examination
- local or general anaesthetic
- surgery