The aim of the Family Care Workers Scheme is to provide care, within a family environment, for young people whose assessed needs cannot be met by traditional foster care or residential placement – and who have probably faced multiple placement breakdowns.
Typically, such young people will present complex behaviour, requiring a specific and individual programme of care. They are likely to have been excluded from school and to have difficulty in making relationships with adults and other young people. They may have been considered for, or have returned from, and out-of-county placement or have been unable to cope in a residential/group living environment.
Each young person accommodated within the scheme will have an individual care and placement plan, which will include details of the support package agreed for the young person. Every effort is made to ensure that appropriate placement, matching carer and young person as best we can, attempting to ensure the needs of both parties are met.
The object of the Family Care Workers Scheme is to provide high quality child care which will enable the young person accommodated either to
Experienced Carers. When a young person is placed with a couple, the nominated carer will have no other paid employment.
Carers will be able to work within the framework of a Care Plan and support a range of assessment or task centred programmes for the young person.
Dedicated support of up to nine hours a week, provided by experienced Support Workers. The support package is flexible and forms an integral part of the Family Care Workers Scheme. Each carer worker and an individual agreement ensures the appropriate level of support for both the carer and young person.
Generally a single placement per household, however, carers can now accommodate two young people if suitably matched. In some circumstances, carers may be able to take sibling groups or parents and baby placements
Care Managers will be informed of all developments within the placements via the designated Support Worker. Carers will maintain daily records and send fortnightly reports to the scheme. Each contact will be recorded and a report sent to the Care Manager. At the end of each month, there will be a monthly summation from the Support Worker, to ensure that the Care Management Team are fully aware of any developments within the placement and can readily deal with any issues that arise.
Unless there are exceptional circumstances, a carer will give twenty eight days notice if they wish to terminate the placement outside of the agreed Care Plan.
Referrals should be made through the normal referral process for accommodation services. Please contact Placement Coordinators in the relevant Districts. Funding arrangements need to be agreed within the District. A more detailed description of the service is available from The Family Care Workers Scheme at the above address. Please address all queries to Hilary O'Leary, the Practice Manager. Alternatively, please
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