National Care Standards: Foster Care and Family Placement Services

Annex A Glossary

Abuse

Something that causes actual or likely significant harm to a child. It may be physical, emotional or sexual or neglect of a child.

Advocate

A person independent of any aspect of the service or of any of the agencies involved in purchasing or providing the service, who acts on behalf of, and in the interests of the person using the service.

Bullying

The intentional or perceived causing of pain, distress, anxiety, humiliation or social exclusion to one child by one or more other children, by physical or verbal means, or through damage or loss of property.

Care plan

An agreed plan for looking after a child and meeting his or her needs, made by a placing authority under Children (Scotland) Act 1995 requirements.

External manager

The person or group of people, sometimes a board or committee, responsible for the work of the agency but not involved in day-to-day management.

Family placement

A service which links a child to another whole family or individual especially recruited and prepared for the purpose, in whose home the child regularly spends short periods.

Fostering panel

A panel which is set up to consider whether to recommend approval of foster carers. The local authority decides the number of people to be appointed to the panel, at least one of whom will be a medical adviser. It should reflect the background and heritage of the children who are likely to need placement and the foster carers likely to seek approval.

Fostering or family placement agency

A local authority or independent service responsible for the recruitment, assessment, approval and training of foster carers.

Fostering network

National organisation for foster carers (formerly the National Foster Care Association).

Matching

The process of linking an individual child with a particular carer or carers who can best meet the child's needs.

Placement

An agreement for a child to stay with a particular foster family. This may be a longer-term placement or a short break.

Prospective foster carers

Individuals who have expressed an interest in fostering or who are in the process of application, assessment or approval.

Respite care or 'short breaks'

There are many kinds of arrangements for respite care or short breaks for children. These include provision within a child's home, daytime care, occasional overnight stays and regular periods of care with an approved family or foster carer, or in a residential home and shared care arrangements with foster or other family carers. Children who stay away from home overnight are looked after by the local authority and the Arrangements to Look After Children (Scotland) Regulations 1996 apply.

Shared Care Scotland

National organisation promoting and supporting short breaks.

Whistle-blowing

The disclosure by an employee (or professional) of confidential information that relates to some danger, fraud or other illegal or unethical conduct connected with the workplace, be it of the employer or employees. (Lord Barrie QC 1995)