What records must a single parent foster carer keep?

Record keeping for a single parent foster carer means creating a clear, contemporaneous account of the child’s care and any decisions made during the placement, using the forms, secure systems and procedures provided by the fostering agency. The purpose is to help professionals understand what has happened, support consistent care and provide an accurate record if a concern, complaint or safeguarding matter is later reviewed.

Follow your agency’s recording system

Each fostering agency should explain which records you are expected to complete, how often they should be updated and where they must be stored. This may include an online portal, paper files, secure email templates or a combination of these. Use the agency’s forms rather than creating an informal system of your own, unless your supervising social worker agrees otherwise.

Ask for clarification if you are unsure whether an event needs to be recorded. It is better to check than to leave out information that may later be important. Your supervising social worker can also explain which records should be passed to the child’s social worker, which are reviewed during supervision and which you should retain for your own reference.

Write objectively and distinguish fact from opinion

A good record allows another professional to understand what happened without having to guess. Write what you saw, heard or did, rather than presenting an assumption as fact. For example, record that the child was crying, remained in their room and said, “I do not want to go”, rather than writing that they were being difficult or deliberately refusing contact.

Where you need to give an opinion, identify it clearly as your view and explain what led you to it. Avoid labels, speculation, sarcasm and language that could be interpreted as judgemental. Do not attempt to diagnose a child or assign blame. If another person gives you information, make clear who provided it and, where relevant, record their words accurately.

Make each entry traceable

Entries should normally include:

• the date and, where relevant, the time of the event and the time you made the entry;
• the child’s name or identifier, following the agency’s instructions;
• a concise description of what happened, including relevant context;
• the action you took and who you informed;
• any advice or decision given by a professional; and
• your name or electronic sign-off.

Make records as soon as reasonably possible while your memory is fresh. If there is a delay, state when the entry was made and explain the reason if this is relevant. Do not backdate an entry. If you remember additional information, add a dated supplementary note rather than changing the original account.

Record decisions and professional communication

It is important to record not only events but also significant decisions about the child’s care. This can include advice from your supervising social worker, changes agreed with the child’s social worker, arrangements made with school or health professionals, and instructions about contact or activities. Note the date of the communication, who was involved, what was agreed and any action you are responsible for taking.

Keep a clear distinction between a message you have received and an action you have taken in response. If you leave a message or do not receive an expected response, record that fact and follow the agency’s escalation procedure rather than relying on memory.

Give particular care to safeguarding information

Any disclosure, injury, unexplained change in behaviour or other safeguarding concern should be recorded using the agency’s specific procedure. Write the child’s words as accurately as possible, using quotation marks where appropriate, and avoid asking leading questions. Record the immediate steps taken and report the concern to the designated professional without delay in accordance with your agency’s instructions.

Do not investigate the matter yourself or promise the child secrecy. If the concern involves a member of your household or another adult connected with the child, seek advice immediately and preserve the original record. Your agency should explain how allegations and serious incidents are reported and what information must be kept.

Keep placement information separate from family notes

As a single parent, you may also have records relating to your own children. Keep the foster child’s placement records separate from personal family diaries, school files and general household notes. Do not include unnecessary private information about your own children in the foster child’s record, and do not copy placement information into your children’s records.

If an event affects more than one child, describe only the information relevant to the placement record and ask your supervising social worker how information about another child should be documented. This protects everyone’s privacy while ensuring that professionals have the information they need.

Store records securely

Paper records should be kept in a locked place that children, visitors and unauthorised household members cannot access. Digital records should be held only on systems approved by the agency, protected by strong passwords and not saved to shared devices, personal cloud storage or unapproved apps. Avoid discussing or sending placement information through personal social media or ordinary group messaging.

Take care when printing, photographing or transporting documents. Check recipients before sending information, use the agency’s secure method and dispose of handwritten notes or printouts in the way the agency specifies. Do not leave files visible in a car or unattended in a public place.

Share information on a need-to-know basis

Foster carers are part of a professional network, but this does not mean that placement information can be shared freely. Follow the agency’s instructions about who may receive information and what can be discussed with schools, health professionals, family members and other people involved in the child’s life. If someone asks for information and you are unsure whether you can provide it, check with your supervising social worker before responding.

Information should be shared promptly when there is a safeguarding reason or when a professional needs it to carry out their role. At the same time, record what was shared, with whom and why. Data protection rules do not prevent appropriate safeguarding information sharing, but they do require information to be relevant, accurate and handled securely.

Keep records after the placement ends

Do not throw away or delete placement records when the child moves on. The agency should tell you whether records must be returned, uploaded, retained for a specified period or securely destroyed. Follow that instruction exactly, including for duplicate notes, emails, photographs and digital files. If you are unsure whether a document is part of the official record, ask before deleting it.

Records may later be needed to understand the child’s history, respond to a complaint, review a decision or provide information through the appropriate access process. Accuracy and secure retention therefore remain important after the placement has ended.

Use supervision to review your recording practice

Bring questions about record keeping to supervision. Your supervising social worker can check whether entries are sufficiently clear, help you decide what needs escalating and explain any changes to the agency’s forms or procedures. A simple routine can help: complete required entries, check that actions have been followed up, store information securely and raise anything unclear at the earliest opportunity.