Who makes decisions about a foster child’s day-to-day care in Walsall?

Responsibility for a foster child’s day-to-day care is shared, but the foster carer normally takes the practical decisions needed to look after the child safely. The exact scope of that responsibility is set out in the child’s care plan, placement plan and the fostering service’s delegated authority arrangements. These documents should make clear which decisions the carer can make independently, which require consultation and which must be referred to the local authority or another person with parental responsibility.

Foster carers do not usually hold parental responsibility simply because a child lives with them. Their authority comes from the decisions delegated to them by the local authority, within the legal framework for that child. This means that the arrangements may differ between children, even where the children are placed in the same household.

When deciding what they can do, carers should consider:

• the child’s legal status and any court orders;
• the wording of the care and placement plans;
• the authority specifically delegated to the foster carer;
• the child’s age, understanding, wishes and feelings;
• any known risks, safeguarding concerns or specialist needs; and
• the policies of the fostering service and local authority.

Routine decisions should normally be made as part of ordinary family life, without seeking permission for every minor choice. This helps children experience consistency and gives foster carers the confidence to provide care rather than treating the placement as a series of permissions. Examples might include agreeing household rules, deciding how a child takes part in normal family activities, and managing ordinary arrangements in line with the placement plan.

Some decisions sit between routine care and major decisions. For example, a request involving an overnight stay, a new activity, travel, contact with someone not named in the arrangements, or the use of a photograph may need checking against the child’s plan and relevant policy. The important point is not whether a decision seems minor to an adult, but whether it affects safeguarding, privacy, relationships, identity or the child’s longer-term welfare.

Where a decision is outside the delegated authority, the foster carer should ask the child’s social worker or the appropriate local authority professional before proceeding. The carer’s supervising social worker can also help interpret the arrangements and identify who needs to be consulted. It is better to clarify an uncertain boundary early than to assume that permission exists.

The child should be involved in decisions at a level that matches their age and understanding. Listening to a child does not necessarily mean agreeing to every request, particularly where safety or a legal requirement is involved. It does mean explaining decisions in language the child can understand, taking their views seriously and recording important disagreements or concerns. Carers should also respect the child’s culture, religion, identity, relationships and personal privacy when making everyday arrangements.

In an urgent situation, the foster carer should take reasonable action to protect the child and any other person from immediate harm, then inform the relevant professionals as soon as possible and follow the service’s recording and reporting procedures. Emergency action does not automatically give a carer wider authority for future decisions. Once the immediate risk has passed, the plan may need to be reviewed so that everyone understands what should happen if a similar situation arises.

Good records help prevent misunderstandings. A foster carer should keep notes of significant decisions, advice received, incidents, the child’s views and any effect on the placement, using the required recording system. Records should be factual, respectful and separate observation from opinion. They may be needed at supervision, a review meeting or when the child’s plan is updated.

If the written arrangements are unclear, ask for them to be explained rather than relying on an informal assumption. Before a placement begins, prospective carers should ask how delegated authority is recorded, who can approve decisions, how disagreements are handled and what to do when the child’s circumstances change. Clear communication between the foster carer, child, social worker, fostering service and family members helps ensure that everyday care is consistent while important decisions receive the right level of oversight.