What happens when a voluntary foster care placement ends?

A voluntary foster care placement ends when the local authority decides that the current arrangement is no longer needed or suitable, or when a parent withdraws consent to the child being accommodated. The ending should be recorded, reviewed and managed through an agreed handover, with safeguarding, the child’s views and the next care arrangement considered before the child leaves whenever circumstances allow.

The local authority reviews the position. The child’s social worker will usually speak with the child, parents, foster carers and relevant professionals before confirming the next step. The review considers why the placement was made, whether the original concerns have changed, the child’s wishes and feelings, family relationships, education, health and any risks linked to returning home or moving elsewhere.

For a planned ending, the social worker should explain the proposed arrangements and record them in the child’s care plan. This should include:

• where the child will live next and who will be responsible for their care;
• when and how the move will take place;
• how contact with parents, siblings and other important people will continue;
• arrangements for school, medical appointments, medication and other services;
• how the child’s belongings, documents and important information will be transferred; and
• which professionals and family members will provide support after the move.

If the child returns home , the local authority should assess whether the home environment is safe and whether the support identified in the plan is in place. A return may happen gradually, beginning with additional contact or overnight stays, or it may take place on an agreed date. The arrangements depend on the child’s circumstances and the reasons for the voluntary placement.

Returning home does not necessarily mean that professional involvement ends immediately. The family may continue to receive support, and the local authority may review how the arrangement is working. Foster carers may be asked to share relevant observations about the child’s routines, health, education, relationships and presentation, while maintaining the child’s confidentiality.

If the child moves to another placement , the local authority should explain why the move is needed and provide information to the new carers or placement provider. The child’s records, school information, health details, medication and daily routines should be passed on securely. A move may be required because the child’s needs have changed, the current placement is no longer suitable, or a longer-term arrangement has been identified.

Where possible, the child should have an opportunity to visit the new home, meet the people who will care for them and ask questions. Familiar belongings, photographs, comfort items and information about important relationships can help reduce disruption. The child’s age, understanding and communication needs should be taken into account when explaining the change.

Parents can ask for a voluntary placement to end. Voluntary accommodation is based on the parent’s agreement, usually under section 20 of the Children Act 1989. A parent with parental responsibility can withdraw consent and request the child’s return. This does not mean that the child will always be returned immediately: the local authority must consider whether returning home would be safe. If it believes the child needs to remain away from home, it may need to seek a court order or take other lawful safeguarding action.

Foster carers should not agree independently to return a child or arrange a move. If a parent arrives unexpectedly, withdraws consent or asks to take the child home, the foster carer should contact the child’s social worker or the relevant local authority contact provided for the placement and follow the agreed safeguarding instructions.

Some endings are unplanned. A placement may end suddenly because of an immediate safeguarding concern, a serious change in the child’s needs, an emergency affecting the foster household or a breakdown in the arrangement. In these circumstances, there may be less time for preparation, but the local authority should still explain the decision, identify the next safe arrangement and provide information about the child’s belongings, medication, education and contact arrangements.

Foster carers should keep factual records up to the child’s departure, including significant events, injuries, medication, appointments, contact visits, conversations and any concerns. They should pass records to the supervising social worker or placing authority in line with the agency’s procedures, and should not retain confidential documents unless instructed to do so.

The foster carer’s role after the placement depends on the agreed plan. The carer may help prepare the child, attend a final meeting, provide information for the next carers and support a gradual transition. They may also need to return equipment, complete final records and discuss outstanding health, education or safeguarding matters with their supervising social worker.

Fostering payments and any expenses linked to the placement normally stop or change when the placement ends, according to the fostering service’s policy and the terms of the individual placement. Foster carers should ask their supervising social worker how final payments, approved expenses, notice arrangements and any ongoing support will be handled rather than assuming that the same arrangements continue.

A placement ending can affect the foster family as well as the child. Foster carers should have an opportunity to discuss the ending with their supervising social worker, review what happened and identify any support or training needed before accepting another placement. Information about the child must remain confidential after they leave.

If you are unsure whether a proposed ending is lawful or safe, raise the concern promptly with the child’s social worker, your supervising social worker and the local authority’s safeguarding contact. The child’s welfare must remain the priority, and urgent concerns should be reported through the safeguarding route given for that placement.