Experience shows that the placement of looked after children can make huge demands on family life. Outlook Fostering Services provides a high level of carer support to help meet the demands of children who have often been exposed to deprivation or abuse.

We ensure that each foster carer is given a qualified, registered social worker. Support from the identified social worker and the Outlook team begins at the matching stage of a placement and is then ongoing and tailored to the individual child and carer.


Outlook’s support services include:

• A qualified social worker to supervise and support the carer and the child in placement
• Out of hours advice and support line
• Frequent supervisory visits and telephone calls
• Out of school support
• Monthly term-time carers team meetings
• Monthly term-time training sessions
• Two weeks’ paid respite a year
• Organised residential and day activities for looked after children
• Membership of the Fostering Network offering free legal advice and other benefits
• Theraputic assessment of the looked after child
• An Service Manager who identifies appropriate therapy and education for the Looked After Child

Annual reviews are carried out in accordance with the Statute Law, Regulations and National Minimum Standards. In some cases where there have been significant changes within the carers home, Outlook may ask for the review to be brought forward. The review procedure is based on the core competencies as dictated in the BAAF Form F assessment.

There are times when the demands of a placement may make it essential for a foster carer to take time out to spend time with their families or simply to re-charge their batteries! We provide 14 days’ paid respite each year.