What records must foster carers keep in Dudley and Walsall?

The purpose of fostering records is to provide a reliable account of the child’s care, progress, needs and significant events throughout the placement. They help foster carers, social workers, health professionals, teachers and other authorised people understand what has happened and decide what action may be needed. The exact format and retention arrangements are set by the fostering service and local authority, so carers should follow the procedures issued to them rather than creating a separate system that conflicts with the child’s official records.

Records should normally include:

• Entries in the service’s daily diary, logbook or approved electronic system.
• Details of appointments, professional visits, meetings and agreed actions.
• Information about medication, health treatment, injuries, accidents and medical advice, using the relevant forms where required.
• Notes about family time, telephone calls, video contact, cancellations and any concerns arising before or after contact.
• Reports of significant events, including a child going missing, being absent without permission, making a serious disclosure, becoming involved with the police or needing emergency treatment.
• Records of physical intervention, restraint, bullying, discrimination, complaints or allegations, where applicable.
• Information required for practical matters, such as pocket money, clothing, travel or other expenditure, where the service’s policy requires this.

A daily record is not intended to be a detailed diary of every conversation. It should capture information that helps explain the child’s circumstances, wellbeing, development and support needs. A short entry may be sufficient when nothing unusual has occurred; a more detailed account is appropriate where there has been a change, concern, disclosure or decision.

How to make an effective entry

Write as soon as practicable while the facts are fresh. Include the date, approximate time, location and people involved, then describe what was seen, heard or done. Where the child has spoken, use their words accurately and make clear when you are recording a direct quotation. Separate fact from interpretation: for example, record that a child slammed a door and said they did not want to attend school, rather than concluding that they were being deliberately difficult.

Entries should be respectful and professional. Avoid labels, sarcasm, speculation, unnecessary personal comments and language that could stigmatise the child or their family. If an explanation is uncertain, say that it is unconfirmed and identify who has been informed. A record should also note the action taken, advice received and any follow-up that remains outstanding.

If you make a mistake in a paper record, do not erase it, use correction fluid or remove the page. Follow the service’s correction procedure, usually by drawing a single line through the error, adding the correct information, dating and initialling the amendment. Digital systems may have their own audit trail. Never alter an earlier entry to make it appear that information was recorded sooner than it was.

Significant events need prompt escalation

A written entry does not replace an immediate telephone report where a child may be at risk or a procedure requires urgent notification. Foster carers should contact the supervising social worker, the child’s social worker or the designated emergency safeguarding contact in accordance with their guidance. They should then complete any incident, accident, missing-from-care, medication or restraint form required by the fostering service.

Events that may need immediate advice include a serious injury, a safeguarding disclosure, unexplained marks, a missing episode, an allegation against a carer or household member, police involvement, a serious breakdown in contact arrangements, or behaviour that presents an immediate danger. The record should state who was contacted, when, what advice was given and what happened next. Do not investigate a disclosure yourself or ask leading questions; listen, reassure the child that they have been heard, record their words and follow the safeguarding procedure.

Confidentiality and storage

Fostering records contain sensitive personal information. Keep paper documents in a locked location and protect electronic records with the security measures required by the fostering service. Do not leave notes in a car, share photographs or screenshots through personal messaging accounts, or discuss a child’s information where it can be overheard. Information should only be shared with people who have a legitimate professional or safeguarding reason to receive it.

Do not keep duplicate informal records indefinitely. If notes are made during a telephone call or visit, transfer the relevant information into the approved record and dispose of temporary notes securely in line with the service’s instructions. Foster carers should not post identifying information about a child or placement on social media, even if the child’s name is omitted.

Who may see the records?

Records may be used by the fostering service, the child’s social work team and other authorised professionals involved in the child’s care. They can contribute to statutory reviews, placement planning, health or education discussions, safeguarding enquiries and decisions about support. The child may also have rights to access information about themselves, subject to the relevant legal and safeguarding considerations. Foster carers should therefore write every entry on the assumption that it may later be read by the child, their family or a professional reviewing the placement.

Keep records separate for each child and do not combine siblings’ information in a way that makes it unclear who an event relates to. Avoid including information about another child or family member unless it is necessary and the service’s procedure permits it. Ask the supervising social worker how to record shared events appropriately.

Good practice before submitting a record

• Check that the entry is dated, attributable to you and understandable to someone who was not present.
• Distinguish observations, direct words, professional advice and your own concerns.
• Record decisions and actions, including any response still awaited.
• Check that required forms have been completed as well as the daily entry.
• Raise uncertainty with the supervising social worker rather than leaving an important matter undocumented.

During supervision, records can be reviewed to identify patterns, such as repeated distress before contact, changes in sleep or recurring health concerns. This does not mean looking for blame; it helps the team assess whether the placement plan, support or safety arrangements need to change. Foster carers should ask for clarification during their induction and training about the approved recording system, reporting routes, retention period and access arrangements that apply to their placement.