There are many things that Foster Carers can do before and after a Contact Visit to support the child and make the visit as successful as possible.
Prepare the Child Beforehand
Children often feel excited as well as worried before contact. Giving them a clear, simple reminder the night before and again in the morning is enough. Don’t build them up too much as this can create too much anticipation which can tip from being excited to being anxious.
Record What You Observe
Keep a contact diary which sets out the child’s mood before and after the contact, any comments they have made during the contact and their overnight behaviour. The foster carer’s observations are crucial to the social worker’s review of the child’s plan and in understanding the child’s behaviour.
Handle Post-Visit Emotions Calmly
Some children return after contact feeling tearful or upset. Try to keep things as calm as possible and return to familiar routines i.e. have their favourite snack, get involved in quiet activities and try not to ask too many questions.
Sort Transport Early
Make sure you confirm with your supervising social worker the time and date of contact visits well in advance. If you are expected to transport the child, also factor in time for parking and waiting for other family members to collect other children.
Keep Your Social Worker Informed
Also please flag for the social worker anything of concern that has happened prior to contact or in its aftermath whether this has been something that the child has disclosed or a change in the child’s behaviour. The guidance on children’s rights during contact arrangements highlights the importance of clear communication between children, carers and professionals.
A useful reference for Foster Care Barry is https://saferfostering.org.uk/foster-care-wales/barry/.
It’s the consistency between each contact visit that helps to secure a child’s sense of safety.