Delegated Authority

The revised statutory framework for fostering and care planning which came into force in April 2011 and the Foster Carers Charter outline the importance placed by the Government on foster carers being able to take a greater range of decisions about day to day aspects of the lives of the children and young people they care for. Delegated Authority is the term used when the responsibility for making day to day decisions about a child has been passed to the foster carer. This can include decisions about activities, haircuts and overnight stays amongst other things. Children & young people have told us that they feel different when their carers have to seek permission for day to day things such as school trips. It is important that children have the experience as much as possible of being part of family life, Delegated Authority is very important to ensure that children and young people achieve good outcomes.

Foster Carers should be given the maximum appropriate flexibility in making decisions relating to children in their care. The types of decisions that you are able to make will vary with each placement.  It will also vary over time, for example you are likely to have more say over decisions for children who have lived with you for a longer time than those who have only recently left home. The delegation of decisions to you must be done in consultation with anyone who holds parental responsibility for the child and must be in line with the law.  Decisions about the delegation of authority will be made at the placement agreement meeting and reviewed at each statutory review. The Placement Plan will record the areas where decisions are delegated to you. Training about delegated authority is available in the training catalogue.