Should a foster parent plan include childcare arrangements?

A childcare section in a foster parent plan should show how day-to-day care would work in practice, taking account of the child’s age, needs, routines and any risks identified during matching. It is not simply a list of available babysitters. It should demonstrate that childcare would be safe, dependable and compatible with the responsibilities of fostering.

Your plan should explain the main care arrangements for situations such as:

• school or nursery drop-offs and collections;
• school holidays, inset days and unexpected closures;
• medical, therapeutic and other appointments;
• contact arrangements with the child’s family;
• your working hours, travel and other regular commitments;
• activities, clubs and transport after school; and
• occasional emergencies or changes to the usual routine.

Consider who would take responsibility at each point in the day rather than relying on general statements such as “family will help”. Name the relationship of each proposed helper, their likely role and whether they live nearby. You should also explain how you would communicate changes, share relevant information and make sure the person caring for the child understands the agreed routines and boundaries.

The type of childcare needed will depend on the child placed with you. A baby may need care that supports feeding and sleep routines, while an older child may need help with school attendance, homework, transport and activities. Some children may have additional health, developmental or emotional needs that require a carer with particular knowledge or training. Arrangements that are suitable for one placement may not be suitable for another, so your plan should allow for individual assessment rather than assuming that one solution will always work.

If you have birth children or other children living in the household, explain how their needs would be considered alongside those of a foster child. This includes school runs, clubs, supervision, shared childcare and the effect of changes to household routines. The plan should show that fostering responsibilities would not depend on one person managing every task without practical support.

Any regular childcare arrangement would need to be discussed with the fostering service. The service may need information about the proposed carer, the setting and the nature of the care. Checks, references, training or other safeguards may be appropriate, depending on the arrangement and the child’s circumstances. A relative, friend, childminder or nursery should not be treated as automatically suitable simply because you already know or use them.

You should also consider safer caring requirements. The plan can set out who may provide personal care, how privacy would be protected, where the child could be supervised and what information could be shared with a childcare provider. Foster children may have experienced neglect, abuse or disrupted relationships, so ordinary informal babysitting arrangements may need to be adapted. The fostering service’s safer caring guidance should be followed for the specific placement.

Transport is another important part of childcare planning. Identify how the child would travel to school, contact, appointments and activities, who would drive or accompany them, and what would happen if transport was unavailable. Any arrangement should reflect the child’s safety, mobility, age and legal or placement-related requirements.

Include a contingency plan for circumstances such as illness, a delayed journey, an emergency at school or the unavailability of your usual helper. A practical contingency plan might identify alternative support, explain who should be contacted first and state when the supervising social worker or fostering service should be informed. It should not assume that a child can be left alone unless this has been considered and agreed as appropriate for that individual child.

Childcare arrangements can also be affected by your employment. During assessment, you may need to discuss whether your working pattern can accommodate meetings, training, introductions, appointments and the needs of a child after placement. The plan should be realistic about leave, flexibility and who would provide care if work commitments changed. Fostering services will consider the whole arrangement, including whether the proposed routine gives you enough time to undertake the foster carer role properly.

Childcare planning remains relevant after approval. Before a child moves in, arrangements may be reviewed against their profile and placement plan. They may then change as the child settles, starts a new school, develops greater independence or needs additional support. Keep the plan current and raise changes with your supervising social worker before introducing a new regular childcare arrangement.

A strong plan therefore links childcare to the child’s welfare, your household’s capacity and the safeguards required by the fostering service. It should be specific enough to show how care would operate on ordinary days and during disruption, while remaining flexible enough to respond to the needs of the child placed with you.