How are allegations handled in connected person fostering?

In connected person fostering, an allegation is handled according to safeguarding procedures that consider the child’s immediate safety, the seriousness of the concern and the role of the adult involved. This may include an allegation about the connected person foster carer, a member of their household or another adult who has regular contact with the child. The fact that an allegation has been made does not, by itself, establish that harm occurred.

What happens when a concern is raised?

The concern should be reported promptly to the child’s social worker, the supervising social worker or the fostering service. If there is an immediate risk of harm, the police or children’s social care may need to be contacted without delay. The professionals receiving the information will record what has been said, consider whether urgent protective action is required and decide which agencies need to be involved.

A connected person foster carer should not try to investigate the allegation themselves. They should avoid repeatedly questioning the child, asking relatives to obtain information or confronting anyone who may be involved. Instead, they should write down what they were told, using the child’s own words where possible, and pass the information to the relevant professional.

Who may be involved?

• The child’s social worker, who considers the child’s welfare and any immediate changes needed to the placement or contact arrangements.
• The fostering service and supervising social worker, who consider the carer’s approval, household arrangements and any safeguarding risks.
• The local authority designated officer, often called the LADO, where the concern relates to an adult in a position of trust and meets the local threshold for that process.
• The police, where the allegation may involve a criminal offence or where police involvement is needed to protect the child.
• Health, education or other safeguarding professionals where their information is relevant to understanding the concern.

The exact route depends on the allegation and the local authority’s safeguarding arrangements. A referral to the LADO does not mean that the allegation has been accepted as true. It means the concern requires consideration through the appropriate safeguarding framework.

How is the investigation carried out?

Professionals may hold an initial discussion or strategy meeting to assess the information and agree what should happen next. They may consider whether the concern is best addressed through a criminal investigation, child protection enquiries, a fostering review, or more than one of these processes. These strands can run alongside each other, although one process may need to wait for information from another.

The child should be spoken to in a suitable way by trained professionals. A foster carer should not interview the child or try to persuade them to change what they have said. The investigation may also involve speaking to the carer, household members, parents, teachers, health professionals or other witnesses, as well as examining relevant records and communications.

The carer should be given information about the concern wherever this can be done safely and lawfully. Some details may be withheld to protect the child, another person’s confidentiality or the integrity of a police investigation. The carer may be asked to provide an account, identify relevant evidence and comply with agreed safety arrangements.

Can the child remain in the placement?

There is no automatic outcome in every allegation. The child’s social worker and the fostering service will carry out a risk assessment. Depending on the circumstances, arrangements could include keeping the placement in place with clear restrictions, changing supervision or contact arrangements, moving the child temporarily, or suspending the carer’s approval while enquiries take place.

Suspension is an interim safeguarding measure, not a finding that the allegation is proven. Similarly, a child may remain in the connected placement while enquiries are completed if professionals judge that this is safe and appropriate. Decisions should take account of the child’s wishes and needs, the strength and nature of the concern, the carer’s ability to protect the child and the possible effect of any change on the child’s relationships.

In connected person fostering, the people involved may be relatives or close family friends. This can make decisions about contact and communication particularly sensitive. A disagreement between adults must not be dismissed as a family dispute, but neither should an allegation be treated as proof without proper consideration. Professionals should manage contact and information-sharing so that the child is protected from pressure, retaliation or being drawn into adult conflict.

What support and rights does the foster carer have?

A connected person foster carer should be told who is managing the process and how to raise questions. They can ask for an independent support person, seek legal advice and obtain help from a fostering support worker, social worker or another appropriate professional. The available support may depend on the local authority’s arrangements and the nature of the investigation.

The carer should have a reasonable opportunity to give their account and correct factual errors. They should also be informed about significant decisions affecting their approval or the placement, subject to the need to protect the child and comply with legal restrictions. Confidentiality is important: the allegation should not be discussed widely, posted on social media or shared with people who have no legitimate role in the process.

How is the outcome recorded?

When enquiries finish, the relevant professionals decide the outcome using the evidence available. The terminology may include:

• Substantiated — the evidence indicates that the concern is more likely than not to have occurred.
• Unsubstantiated — there is insufficient evidence to reach the required conclusion. This does not necessarily mean that the allegation was deliberately made up.
• Unfounded — the information shows that the alleged event could not have happened or was based on a misunderstanding of the facts.
• False or malicious — the evidence indicates that the allegation was knowingly untrue, or deliberately made to cause harm.

The wording used and the decisions that follow can vary according to the process involved. A substantiated safeguarding concern does not automatically mean that a criminal offence has been proved, because criminal and safeguarding investigations use different tests and procedures.

Following the outcome, the fostering service may review the carer’s approval, household safety plan, training needs and support arrangements. In serious cases, the matter may be referred for consideration by the fostering panel or agency decision-maker, and approval may be changed or ended. Where the allegation is not substantiated, professionals should still consider whether any practical learning or safeguarding improvements are needed.

If a connected person foster carer believes that the process was not followed properly, they can ask how to use the local authority’s complaints procedure or any available review and representation process. They should keep communication with professionals factual and continue to follow agreed safeguarding arrangements until the matter is formally concluded.