How are children’s views included in residential foster care decisions?

Children’s views are included in residential foster care decisions through direct conversations, observation, advocacy and formal review processes. The child’s wishes and feelings are recorded, shared with the professionals responsible for their care and taken into account when decisions are made about placement, contact, education, health, routines, activities and future plans. Their preference is not automatically decisive, because professionals must also consider safety, welfare, legal responsibilities and the needs of other children, but any decision that differs from their view should be explained in a way they can understand.

The approach should be individual to the child. Age, maturity, communication needs, cultural background, previous experiences and level of understanding all affect how their views are gathered. A young child may communicate through play, drawings, behaviour or simple choices, while an older child may prefer a private discussion, written information or an advocate. Children with additional communication needs may need visual aids, interpreters, specialist communication tools or more time to express themselves.

Before a placement is agreed, the child’s social worker should explain the proposed arrangements and seek the child’s response. This can include:

• where they will live and who they will live with;
• what the household or residential environment is like;
• how their school, hobbies, faith, culture and relationships may be affected;
• arrangements for seeing parents, siblings and other important people;
• what support will be available if they feel worried or unhappy; and
• what they would like adults to know about their routines, interests, boundaries and experiences.

Matching should therefore involve more than assessing whether a placement has an available room. The child’s views can help identify what may make the setting feel suitable or unsuitable, such as the number and age of other residents, distance from school or family, the presence of pets, household routines, privacy, or the way adults respond to distress. A child may not be able to choose the placement, but their information can reveal risks and practical needs that might otherwise be missed.

At the start of a placement, children should receive clear information about the people involved in their care and how to raise a concern. In a residential setting this may include the registered manager, key worker, residential care staff, social worker, independent reviewing officer and any other professionals involved in the care plan. Information should be given in a form the child can use, rather than relying only on formal documents. Staff should check the child’s understanding and revisit the information as circumstances change.

The placement plan sets out how the agreed care arrangements will work in practice. The child’s contribution may cover daily routines, preferred ways of receiving help, contact arrangements, education, healthcare, personal belongings, activities, privacy and strategies that help them manage difficult emotions. Residential staff and carers should distinguish between a child’s preferences and information indicating that they are frightened, unsafe or being harmed. A child’s behaviour can be an important form of communication, but it should not replace asking them directly wherever that is possible.

Children’s views are also relevant to everyday decisions. Staff should involve them in matters such as meal choices, activities, room arrangements, personal appearance, bedtime routines and how support is provided. This does not mean that every request can be accepted. House rules, safeguarding requirements, court orders and the rights of other children may place limits on what can happen. The reason should be explained without blaming the child, and alternatives should be considered where possible.

Formal looked-after reviews provide a structured opportunity to consider whether the placement is meeting the child’s needs. The child should be helped to prepare for the review and given a choice about how to contribute. They may attend all or part of the meeting, speak privately with the independent reviewing officer, provide written views or ask someone they trust to represent them. The review should consider not only what adults report, but also whether the child feels safe, settled, listened to and involved.

The independent reviewing officer has a specific role in checking that the care plan is being followed and that the child’s wishes and feelings have been taken into account. If a child does not agree with a decision, the disagreement should be recorded rather than removed from the account. The reasons for the decision, any safeguards, and the circumstances in which it will be reconsidered should also be clear.

Children can be supported by an independent advocate when they want help expressing their views, understanding a decision or making a complaint. An advocate is separate from the people making day-to-day placement decisions. Depending on the situation, support may also come from a social worker, independent visitor, trusted relative, teacher or another suitable adult. Confidentiality should be explained carefully: a child’s information may need to be shared if there is a safeguarding concern or a serious risk of harm.

Good recording is essential. Records should distinguish the child’s own words from an adult’s interpretation and should show when the child was consulted, who was present, what they said, how their views affected the decision and why a different course was chosen where relevant. Records should be factual, respectful and updated when the child’s circumstances or wishes change. Children should be able to access information about decisions concerning them in an appropriate format, subject to the rules governing confidential and third-party information.

For a child’s voice to have practical value, adults need to close the feedback loop. After a meeting or decision, someone should tell the child what was agreed, what will happen next and which parts could not be changed. The child should know who to speak to if the arrangement does not work. If the placement is being considered for a move, the child’s explanation of what went wrong and what they need next should inform the planning, alongside professional assessments and safety considerations.

When assessing a residential foster care placement, useful questions include:

• How will the child be introduced to the setting and the people living or working there?
• Who will speak with the child privately before and after important decisions?
• How will communication needs, culture, identity and relationships be respected?
• How are preferences about contact, education, routines and activities recorded?
• How can the child access an independent advocate or make a complaint?
• How will staff respond if the child disagrees with the plan or stops communicating openly?

In practice, involving children properly means treating their views as evidence that informs professional judgement, not as a procedural formality. The strongest decision-making combines what the child says, what adults observe, the available assessments and the legal and safeguarding duties that apply to the placement.