CARE STANDARDS ACT 2000 
APPLICATION TO REGISTER AS A FOSTERING AGENCY - PART 2
Mae’r ffurflen gais hon hefyd ar gael yn Gymraeg / This application form is also available in Welsh

Applicant’s proposals for meeting National Minimum Standards

Name of Applicant:	     	

Introduction
This section of your application is your primary opportunity to demonstrate that you have understood the principles and requirements in the National Minimum Standards [“NMS”] and that the arrangements and resources you are proposing to employ in your Fostering Agency will result in those Standards being consistently met or exceeded.

The suggested sources of evidence which appear under each Standard are “suggestions” of what it might be useful to provide as a basis for your evidence.  There is no requirement to follow all the suggestions and your application will not be disadvantaged by not doing so.  You will however need to present convincing evidence that your proposed resources and arrangements will reliably result in standards of service which consistently meet or exceed the NMS.

As already emphasised in the Introductory Notes document, a well thought out and clearly worded Statement of Purpose for the proposed Agency is an essential basis for working through the practical details of all aspects of the Agency’s operation.  It will also be the starting point for CIW’s evaluation of your proposals under each standard.

To help us process your application as efficiently as possible, will you please list and mark each document provided by reference to the Section of the Standard to which relates.  Although not a requirement, CIW would find it helpful if you would submit your documents in lever arch files with an index of sections and contents.

Finally, it is essential that in preparing your evidence you read the NMS and the Regulations together, make use of the appendices to the NMS document and the sources of information set out in the bibliography.  CIW believe it is essential that you base your proposals on a consideration of the broadest possible legal and best practice foundations. 

We look forward to receiving your completed proposals.

SECTION 1 - Statement of Purpose and Children’s Guide
Required Outcome
There is a clear statement of the aims and objectives of the fostering service and the fostering service ensures that they meet those aims and objectives.	
STANDARD 1 – Statement of Purpose 
Headline Standard
There is a clear statement of the aims and objectives of the fostering service and of the facilities and services they provide.
Suggested sources of evidence to accompany your application  

•	Copy of your statement of purpose.
•	Copy of your children’s guide
•	Any ancillary staff guidance documents 

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

SECTION 2 – Fitness to provide or manage a Fostering Service
Required Outcome
The fostering service is provided and managed by those with the appropriate skills and experience to do so efficiently and effectively and by those who are suitable to work with children.  (Please note: this outcome was omitted in error from the printed version of the standards)	
STANDARD 2 – Skills to carry on or manage 
Headline Standard
The people involved in carrying on and managing the fostering service possess the necessary business and management skills and financial expertise to manage the work efficiently and effectively, to ensure it is run on a sound financial basis and have the necessary knowledge and experience of child care and fostering to do so in a professional manner.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application  

•	Please demonstrate that the manager has the required level of professional qualification.
•	Please demonstrate that the manager will achieve the required level of managerial qualification.
•	Please demonstrate that the manager has the required experience.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 3 – Suitability to carry on or manage
Headline Standard
Any persons carrying on or managing the fostering service are suitable people to run a business concerned with safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Confirm that the required background information has been provided and the required checks undertaken.
•	Confirm full records of the above process are available for inspection.
•	Attach copies of your procedures and any proformas used.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

SECTION 3 – Management of the Fostering Service
Required Outcome
The fostering service is managed effectively and efficiently, delivering a good quality foster care service avoiding confusion and conflicts of role.	
STANDARD 4 – Monitoring and Controlling
Headline Standard
There are clear written procedures for monitoring and controlling the activities of the fostering service and ensuring quality performance.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Provide any copies of your policies and procedures for monitoring and controlling activities.
•	Describe the monitoring activities which you have in place to assess and optimise performance.
•	Provide copies of information which you provide to others who use your services – covering payments and charges.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comment you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 5 – Managing effectively and efficiently
Headline Standard
The fostering service is managed effectively and efficiently.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Provide copies of the manager’s job description.
•	Provide a copy of the scheme of delegation or describe actual arrangements.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

SECTION 4 – Securing and promoting welfare
Required Outcome
The fostering service promotes and safeguards the child or young person’s physical, mental and emotional welfare.	
STANDARD 6 – Providing suitable foster carers
Headline Standard
The fostering service makes available foster carers who provide a safe, healthy and nurturing environment.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Provide documents which illustrate the standards required of foster carers’ accommodation. 
•	Provide copies of all documents, policies, procedures, relevant to this standard.
•	Describe, support with checklists etc. how you ensure risk free/assessed environments include training materials for foster carers.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 7 – Valuing diversity
Headline Standard
The fostering service ensures that children and young people, and their families, are provided with foster care services which value diversity and promote equality.
Suggested sources of evidence to accompany your application

•	Provide copies of policy, procedure and training materials concerned with promoting equality and valuing diversity.  
•	Describe with support materials, how you go about assessing the attitudes and value base of prospective foster carers.  
•	Describe with support materials how you ensure foster carers are properly equipped in this area of practice.
•	Describe how you monitor this area of individual family practice.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 8 - Matching
Headline Standard
Local authority fostering services, and voluntary agencies placing children in their own right, ensure that each child or young person placed in foster care is carefully matched with a carer capable of meeting her/his assessed needs. For agencies providing foster carers to local authorities, those agencies ensure that they offer carers only if they represent appropriate matches for a child for whom a local authority is seeking a carer.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Provide information, which will enable us to understand your agency approach to matching.  Documents which you use to collect and analyse information would be welcome. 
•	Provide information, as above, to illustrate your decision making process.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 9 – Protecting from abuse and neglect
Headline Standard
The fostering service protects each child or young person from all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation, deprivation and discrimination.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Describe the sources of training you employ (attach examples of materials).
•	Outline the content of training policies and procedures (attachments).
•	Provide copies of all relevant staff guidance materials.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 10 – Promoting contact
Headline Standard
The fostering service makes sure that each child or young person in foster care is encouraged to maintain and develop family contacts and friendships as set out in her/his care plan and/or foster placement agreement.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Explain your approach, policies and procedures surrounding contact and the promotion of family relationships and wider friendships.
•	Describe how you secure and use the child’s views.
•	Provide copies of any information/practice guidance you have to assist staff and carers in managing difficult contact issues and decisions.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 11 - Consultation
Headline Standard
The fostering service ensures that children’s opinions, and those of their families and others significant to the child, are sought over all issues which are likely to affect their daily life and their future.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Describe/illustrate procedures for engaging children and families, gathering information and recording it.
•	Describe the training procedure to foster carers on the crucial topic of listening to children and the processes you have set in place to promote this activity in practice. 
•	Describe the resources you have in place to assist children who have difficulty in communicating their needs and feelings.  

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 12 – Promoting development and health
Headline Standard
The fostering service ensures that it provides foster care services which help each child or young person in foster care to receive health care which meets her/his needs for physical, emotional and social development, together with information and training appropriate to her/his age and understanding to enable informed participation in decisions about her/his health needs.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Describe/illustrate how you assess and meet each child’s health needs.
•	Illustrate that you are aware of the full range of specialist services in your area which a foster child might use.
•	Describe liaison arrangements between the Agency and local Health Care Agencies. 
 
Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 13 – Promoting educational development
Headline Standard
The fostering service gives a high priority to meeting the educational needs of each child or young person in foster care and ensures that she/he is encouraged to attain her/his full potential.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application 

•	Describe your expectations of foster carers as far as home/school links are concerned.
•	Illustrate how foster carers are fully prepared for the task of securing a placed child’s fullest potential.
•	Describe how you monitor and assess each placed child’s progress and attainments and what actions you would take in the event of apparent difficulty.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 14 – Preparing for adulthood
Headline Standard
The fostering service ensures that their foster care services help to develop skills, competence and knowledge necessary for adult living.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Describe how you keep track of individual children’s development and skills in the years preceding independence.
•	Describe your expectations in relation to the development of independence skills.
•	Illustrate how you enable and monitor the assessment of individual needs and strategies to meet these (anonymised pathway plan perhaps).

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

SECTION 5 – Recruiting, checking, managing, supporting and training staff and foster carers

Required Outcome
The people who work in or for the fostering service are suitable to work with children and young people and they are managed, trained and supported in such a way as to ensure the best possible outcomes for children in foster care.  The number of staff and carers and their range of qualifications and experience are sufficient to achieve the purposes and functions of the organisation.	
STANDARD 15 – Suitability to work with children
Headline Standard
Any people working in or for the fostering service are suitable people to work with children and young people and to safeguard and promote their welfare.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Provide evidence that your staff recruitment selection and appointment processes cover requirements of NMS and regulations.
•	Confirm that you have records, which we can look at to check on the above practice.  
•	Confirm that staff qualifications match NMS requirements or describe how you intend to achieve this outcome.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 16 – Organisation and management of staff
Headline Standard
Staff are organised and managed in a way, which delivers an efficient and effective foster care service.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Provide a structure chart showing lines of accountability/delegation
•	Describe management of work load, support and supervision of staff.
•	Provide copies of all information provided to staff which set out employment conditions, staff guidance and management arrangements.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 17 – Sufficient staff and carers with the right skills and experience
Headline Standard
The fostering service has an adequate number of sufficiently experienced and qualified staff and recruits a range of carers to meet the needs of children and young people for whom it aims to provide a service.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Set out your staffing resources and describe the volume of work you anticipate being able to deal with using these resources.
•	Describe your recruitment retention policies and how you would deal with any short falls in staff resource that might arise.
•	Describe/illustrate procedures for recruiting and vetting foster carers and those with whom they share accommodation.  

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 18 – Fair and competent employer 
Headline Standard
The fostering service is a fair and competent employer, with sound employment practices and good support for its staff and carers.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Illustrate your employment practice, terms and conditions.
•	Describe/illustrate out of hours support arrangements.
•	Provide copies of all documents we will need to understand your supervision, appraisal, support and health and safety systems.  
•	Provide a copy of your insurance certificates.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 19 - Training
Headline Standard
There is a good quality training programme to enhance individual skills and to keep staff up-to-date with professional and legal developments.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Provide a copy of your annual training programme and a summary of the actual training delivered in the last 12 months.
•	Describe the process and methods used to determine next years’ training programme.
•	Describe arrangements for both staff and foster carer training and for joint training.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 20 – Accountability and support
Headline Standard
All staff are properly accountable and supported.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Describe support, monitoring and supervision systems.
•	Provide copies of current staff job descriptions.
•	Provide details of staff meetings planned.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 21 – Management and support of carers
Headline Standard
The fostering service has a clear strategy for working with and supporting carers.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Set out your strategy for working with and supporting carers.  
•	Describe how you ensure the integration of the roles and responsibilities of staff and carers
•	Describe liaison arrangements between the Agency and individual children’s social workers.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 22 – Supervision of carers
Headline Standard
The fostering service is a managed one, which provides supervision for foster carers and helps them to develop their skills.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Show how you organise supervision for both staff and carers and how you engage carers in this process.
•	Provide samples of actual placement agreements.
•	Provide a copy of your carer’s handbook.
•	Describe support arrangements for carers.
•	Provide a copy of your complaints and allegations guidance (inc. guidance to staff handling allegations or complaints.)

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 23 – Training of carers
Headline Standard
The fostering service ensures that foster carers are trained in the skills required to provide high quality care and meet the needs of each child or young person placed in their care.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Show how experienced carers are involved in the preparation and training of new carers.
•	Provide enough information to give us an understanding of the content and approach used in carer training.
•	Describe your most recent evaluation of carer training, its outcomes and any action you intend taking as a result.  

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

SECTION 6 – Records

Required Outcome
All appropriate records are kept and are accessible in relation to the fostering services and the individual foster carers and foster children.	
STANDARD 24 – Case records for children 
Headline Standard
The fostering service ensures that an up-to-date, comprehensive case record is maintained for each child or young person in foster care which details the nature and quality of care provided and contributes to an understanding of her/his life events. Relevant information from the case records is made available to the child and to anyone involved in her/his care.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application 

•	Describe how individual children are enabled to access case file information and how this affects your approach to recording information.
•	Provide a copy of your policy and staff guidance on recording.  
•	Describe how the carer is enabled to access relevant case file information and how this affects your approach to recording information.  

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 25 – Complaints procedure
Headline Standard
The service will advise staff, others involved with the fostering service, those in receipt of a service or those who have been refused a service, about their right to make representation or complaint.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Provide a copy of your representation and complaints procedure.
•	Tell us about the number and nature of such events since the previous inspection and summarise the outcomes. 
•	Tell us when you last reviewed the operation of your system and of any action you then took.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 26 – Administrative records
Headline Standard
The fostering service’s administrative records contain all significant information relevant to the running of the foster care service and as required by regulations.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Confirm that your recording system complies with the requirements of regulations or identify gaps and describe the steps you are taking to close these.
•	Provide a copy of your policy/guidance (if provided elsewhere please cross reference here).

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

SECTION 7 – Fitness of premises for use as a Fostering Service

Required Outcome
The premises used as offices by the fostering provider are suitable for the purpose.	
STANDARD 27 – Premises
Headline Standard
Premises used as offices by the fostering service are appropriate for the purpose.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Describe the premises, facilities and resources which are provided for the purposes of the service.  
•	Describe the support and administrative services provided for staff.
•	Describe arrangements for ensuring security and confidentiality of information.
•	Provide copy of insurance certificate (if already supplied elsewhere, please cross reference here). 

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

SECTION 8 – Financial requirements

Required Outcome
The agency fostering services are financially viable and appropriate and timely payments are made to foster carers.	
STANDARD 28 – Financial viability
Headline Standard
The agency ensures it is financially viable at all times and has sufficient financial resources to fulfil its obligations.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application 

•	Provide a three year business plan (for new organisations)
•	Provide sufficient information on budget and cash-flows to enable us to verify that you are secure financially.
•	Describe the contingency plans you have in place.
•	Confirm that the service, to the best of your knowledge and belief, is complying with relevant financial requirements.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 29 – Financial processes
Headline Standard
The financial processes/systems of the agency are properly operated and maintained in accordance with sound and appropriate accounting standards and practice.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Provide a copy of your financial procedure and any illustrative documents. 
•	Provide a copy of your audited accounts and a copy of any recommendations/requirements made by the auditor.
•	Provide a copy of your published scale of charges, fees and expenses.
•	Provide any additional explanation we need to understand these in practice.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

STANDARD 30 – Payment to carers
Headline Standard
Each foster carer receives an allowance and agreed expenses, which cover the full cost of caring for each child or young person placed with him or her. Payments are made promptly and at the agreed time. Allowances and fees are reviewed annually.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application 

•	Based on your last assessment of your payments system describe the effectiveness of your performance and steps taken to deal with any identified weaknesses (e.g. late payments).
•	Provide a copy of your allowance policy/guidance to carers.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

SECTION 9 – Fostering panels
Required Outcome
Fostering panels are organised efficiently and effectively as to ensure that good quality decisions are made about the approval of foster carers, in line with the overriding objective to promote and safeguard the welfare of children in foster care.	
STANDARD 31 – Fostering panels
Headline Standard
Fostering panels have clear written policies and procedures, which are implemented in practice, about the handling of their functions.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Provide copies of all the documents relevant to the constitution and operation of the panel.
•	Describe how specialist expertise and opinion is accessed in practice.
•	Provide samples of records, demonstrating the panels feed back to assessors.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

SECTION 10 – Short-term breaks

Required Outcome
When foster care is provided as a short-term break for a child, the arrangements recognise that the parents remain the main carers for the child.	
STANDARD 32 – Short-term breaks
Headline Standard
Where a fostering service provides short-term breaks for children in foster care, they have policies and procedures implemented in practice, to meet the particular needs of children receiving short-term breaks.
Suggested source of evidence to be provided by Fostering Service

•	Provide information to assist us in understanding how you go about assessing/matching/placing for short-term breaks.
•	In particular, describe the precautions taken to preserve the centrality of relationship between birth parents and child.  

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

SECTION 11 – Family and friends as carers 

Required Outcome
Local authority fostering service’s policies and procedures for assessing, approving, supporting and training foster carers recognise the particular contribution that can be made by and the particular needs of family and friends as carers.	
STANDARD 33 – Family and friends as carers
Headline Standard
These standards are all relevant to carers who are family and friends of the child, but there is recognition of the particular relationship and position of family and friends carers.
Suggested source of evidence to accompany your application

•	Provide a copy of your policy and procedures for assessing family or friends of a child as potential foster carers.

Please list the sources of evidence you have attached and provide any further comments you would wish to make to support your application.
     

	

Declaration and Signature:
Declaration
The information we/I have provided in this application form and in any attached documents is, to the best of our/my knowledge and belief, true and complete.  We/I understand that the discovery of any deliberate concealment or omission of information could lead to any registration which may be granted as a result of this application being cancelled and may also render us/me liable to prosecution.

Important: 
We process any personal and/or sensitive information we hold about you fairly and lawfully, and we only ask for such information where it is necessary for us to carry out our role. For more information about how we process your personal data, and your rights in relation to this, please see our Privacy Notice at https://careinspectorate.wales/how-we-use-your-information, or contact us for a paper copy.

Signature of person(s) completing this form
1) Name:	     	
Status:	     	

2) Name:	     	
Status: