Children's guides to being in foster care
These guides provide information for children and young people about being in foster care. They also provide contact details for other people who can help.
Children's guide to being in foster care - PDF, 6MB
Children and young people's guide to being in foster care - PDF, 11MB
Statement of purpose
The Statement of purpose outlines our aims and objectives; the way we recruit, approve, train and support foster carers; the diversity of our fostering service; staffing and management structure of the fostering service.
Essex Fostering Statement of Purpose 2021
Foster Carers Handbook
This foster carer handbook is designed to be a reference guide for both new and existing foster carers. The purpose of the handbook is to provide information and guidance to all our foster carers.
Medication workbook
The Medication workbook sets out the medicines policy and practice guidelines on administering and recording medication to children in your care.
Medication Policy and Workbook - PDF, 300KB
Leaving and after care finance handbook
This document outlines the financial protocols of Essex County Council’s Leaving and After Care Service.
Leaving and after care finance handbook (PDF, 369KB).
Submit your expenses
You can submit your expenses online. You can view the foster carers expenses guidance before submitting.
You can use the online form to:
- submit your expenses claim(s) at any time
- save time and money on postage and paper copies
- access your previous expenses claims raised through the system
- upload any supporting information for your claim.
Foster carer profile cards
These profile cards are for foster carers to complete and return to their SSW to be uploaded onto the foster carer record. These can then be used to help prepare children and young people who may be moving to a new placement. There are four profile cards, two for younger children and two for older children. Within each of those categories there is also one which may be more appropriate for single carers and one when there is more than one carer in the household. Use whichever one feels the most appropriate to your household.
- Profile (foster carers) – older children
- Profile (single carer) – older children
- Profile (foster carers) – younger children
- Profile (single carer) – younger children
Fostering and Supported Lodgings Carers policies, procedures and guidance
- Bedroom sharing policy - PDF, 182KB
- Changes to fostering household policy - PDF, 269KB
- Children missing from home guidance - PDF, 659KB
- Conflict of interest guidance - PDF, 201KB
- Countering bullying - PDF, 218KB
- NHS dentists guidance - PDF, 82.1KB
- Equality and diversity policy - PDF, 190KB
- Essex Fostering Recruitment and Assessment Policy 2018 — PDF, 496KB
- Essex Fostering Service Annual Report 2020-2021 - PDF, 930KB
- Exemption to foster beyond usual foster limit policy - PDF, 289KB
- Foster carers expenses guidance
- Foster Carer Fee and Allowances - PDF
- Foster care and firearms guidance - Doc, 117KB
- Handover and matching document to support foster carers in their first year of registration - PDF, 230KB
- Health and safety in the home guidance for foster carers and social workers - PDF, 282KB
- Health and safety policy - PDF, 188KB
- Health policy - PDF, 248KB
- Household review guidance - PDF, 225KB
- Induction Policy and Guidance - Doc
- Overnight stays and holidays - Doc, 183KB
- Pets in fostering households policy - Doc, 231KB
- Planning for missing form - Docx, 97KB
- Policy for managing allegations, standards of care, concerns and complaints - PDF, 422KB
- Promoting educational achievement - PDF, 234KB
- Promoting independence and moves to adulthood - PDF, 384KB
- Promoting positive behaviour - PDF, 332KB
- Records and record keeping policy - PDF, 283KB
- Respite foster care guidance and procedures - PDF, 639KB
- Safer care in foster homes - PDF, 398KB
- Safer use of a computer and internet - PDF, 161KB
- Savings Policy for Children in Care - PDF, 273KB
- Smoking policy - PDF, 254KB
- Staying put policy - Doc, 2.48MB
- Supported Lodgings policy - PDF, 327KB
- Supporting foster carers - PDF, 189KB
- Termination of a foster carer approval policy - PDF, 200KB
- TSD standards - guidance and procedures - PDF, 269 KB
- Unannounced visits to foster carer policy - Doc, 116KB
Complaints information
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