All children need a safe, loving, and supportive environment in order to thrive and overcome any challenges they may face as they grow up.
Children and young people with a disability are, first and foremost, children and young people. However, children and young people with a disability often contend with additional challenges in their lives, and providing care may present additional practical or emotional challenges to foster carers.
The term 'SEND' (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) is often used in education and social care settings. The term 'additional needs' is often used for children and young people who have a health or developmental condition that impacts on their everyday life. These needs could be developmental, physical, learning, behavioural, or sensory.
The Equality Act 2010 describes disability as a physical or mental impairment that has a large and long-term adverse effect on someone’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. It includes children and young people with mental health problems, developmental delays, physical or sensory impairments, or long-term illness.
Children and young people with a disability need foster carers for the same reasons as any child in need of alternative care. They may also be more vulnerable to abuse, particularly if they have limited communication skills.
Some children or young people with a disability may have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan. This may include arrangements for short break care, to give the child or young person the opportunity to have new experiences with an approved foster carer they know, and the child's parents or carers a chance to recharge their batteries.
All children and young people can face potential barriers to achieving their potential: children with a disability can face multiple barriers. For them to succeed, their foster carer needs to use a range of positive communication and advocacy skills to speak up for them and make sure their legal rights are understood and enforced. If a foster carer needs help to find an advocate for a child, then contact the child’s responsible local authority advocacy service, or speak to the child's social worker.
Foster carers caring for a child or young person with a disability will need to provide the support they need to reach their full potential. This will often mean working with other professionals such as paediatric consultants, community nurses, speech and language therapists, or occupational therapists. In some cases, they may be liaising with professionals for any required adaptations to the foster home.
The foster carer may also need training in giving any clinical interventions to the foster child, often provided by the local hospital or nurse practitioner. There may be a requirement to complete this on a named child basis and to undertake refresher training. The foster carer may need to understand and receive training in moving and handling, and using any equipment or disability aids needed for the child or young person. Foster carers should ensure they are familiar with and adhere to any medication policies and recording requirements. Risk assessments and safer care policies should also be updated to reflect the specific needs of the child, and consider the needs all household members.
The Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) is responsible for ensuring the local authority carry out their duty in the care planning, to ensure there is an EHC plan in place and to ensure all the requirements for the young person are met by the care plan including financial and funding needs.
