Here at Advanced CCA our Independent Social Workers provide a variety of assessments, one of which is the Connected Persons assessment. This assessment exists to ensure the child is fully safeguarded either before they are placed in the care of a ‘connected person’ or, if already placed following a positive viability assessment, that this care arrangement meets the child’s needs (including the child’s long term needs).
When is a connected person assessment required?
If a child cannot remain in the care of his/her parent(s) and needs to be provided with accommodation by a Local Authority either on a short or a long term basis, the Local Authority is required to explore whether the child can, first, be placed with a ‘connected person’ as opposed to being placed with an unconnected person such as a mainstream foster carer or prospective adopter.
Who is a connected person?
A ‘connected person’ (also known as a kinship or family/friends carer) can be anyone with whom the child has a pre-existing relationship. This can include but is not limited to:-
- A relative: Grandparent, Auntie or uncle, Brother or sister
- Half blood relatives, or by marriage / civil partnership: Step-parent, Step-sibling
- A friend
- Person with prior connection: Teacher, Child-minder, Youth worker
Why is a connected person assessment required?
If a Local Authority is responsible for accommodating a child, the child acquires ‘looked after’ status and as such The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 require that the Local Authority satisfy itself that any placement into which the child is accommodated is appropriate, safeguards and promotes the child’s welfare and meets the child’s needs.
As such, if the Local Authority is proposing to place a child in the care of a ‘connected person’, an assessment will be required to determine whether that placement is consistent with the requirements of the Care Planning, Placement & Case Review Regulations 2010.
If the child is ‘looked after’ by the Local Authority full assessment of the ‘connected person’ will need to satisfy the requirements of The Fostering Services Regulations 2002.
What format does a connected person assessment take?
Before the full assessment of ‘a connected person’ is commenced, a viability assessment will be prepared to determine on an initial basis whether the ‘connected person’… (i) has the capacity to provide good enough care to the child; and/or (ii) meets national minimum fostering standards.
If the viability assessment is positive, the ‘connected person’ will progress to full assessment.
The form of full assessment of a ‘connected person’ varies across Local Authorities but tends to adopt the Form F or Form C templates. These templates facilitate the gathering of specified information and evidence to enable the assessor to comply with statutory requirements.
Both Form F and Form C assessments delve deep into the history of the ‘connected person’ to explore their full background to identify and assess any risks and assess their capacity to care for the child on a permanent basis. This includes looking at:
- Family history
- Education & employment
- Relationships & support networks
- Parenting capacity including analysis of identified risks
- Checks including DBS, Local Authority, health, home
- References.
The Form C assessment template also incorporates a template for the completion of a special guardianship assessment of the ‘connected person’ which can be completed if required. The information required to complete such an assessment is set out at Schedule 2 of The Special Guardianship Regulations 2005 supplemented by the recommendations made by the DfE in its 2015 review.
A special guardianship assessment might be required, for example, if the ‘connected person’ is assessed as not meeting national minimum fostering standards but still wishes to care for the child; the ‘connected person’ expresses a preference for placement of the child to take place under the auspices of a special guardianship order; or to cover the event that the court considers such an order to be in the child’s best interests.
The viability and/or full ‘connected person’ assessment is carried out by our Independent Social Workers, who following instruction, will work with the Local Authority to provide a full investigation of the ‘connected person’ in line with the local authority’s requirements and within their specific templates. The Independent Social Worker will also present the ‘connected person’ to the Local Authority’s fostering panel and, if the assessment is prepared within the context of court proceedings, the Independent Social Worker will attend court hearings if required.
How does the connected person assessment differ to a mainstream fostering assessment?
Both mainstream foster carers and ‘connected persons’ are subject to the same statutory requirements, checks and assessment processes.
The ‘connected person’ is, therefore, at least on paper, assessed to the same standard as a prospective mainstream professional foster carer. Some see this as being inappropriate given the disparity of intention in becoming a foster carer between mainstream/professional and kinship carers.
Local Authorities are occasionally required to use interpretation of the legislation and discretion to approve ‘connected persons’ who might not otherwise reach the standards applied to mainstream professional foster carers.
It remains to be seen whether the Public Law Working Group’s recommendations for further enquiry (into whether the fostering regulations require review and revision in relation to family and friends carers) is followed and, if so, with what outcome for ‘connected persons’…
Advanced CCA provide in-depth, quality assessments.
Our highly qualified panel of Independent Social Workers can provide a wide range of assessments, including the Connected Persons Assessments. Many of our Independent Social Workers have first-hand experience working with a variety of Local Authorities and, therefore, a wide array of Connected Persons documentation and stature. We also have members of our panel who have a focused background in fostering, so no matter the circumstances, we will find the most suitable Independent Social Worker for the case.
We provide quality assured assessments nationwide, and also internationally if the Connected Persons reside abroad. To make a referral for a Connected Persons Assessment or any other service, get in touch today.
