The Foster Placement (Children) Regulations 1991

PART IV LOCAL AUTHORITY VISITS TO CHILDREN PLACED BY VOLUNTARYORGANISATIONS

Circumstances necessitating visits by local authorities

15.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2) every local authority shall arrange for oneof their officers to visit every child who is accommodated with a fosterparent within their area by or on behalf of a voluntary organisation inany of the following circumstances and within the periodsspecified—

(a) within 28 days of the placement with the foster parent;

(b) where the voluntary organisation which made the placement with thefoster parent make representations to the local authority that there arecircumstances relating to the child which require a visit, within 14days of the receipt of the representations;

(c) where the local authority are informed that the welfare of thechild may not be being safeguarded or promoted, as soon as reasonablypracticable but in any event within 7 days of being informed;

(d) where the local authority are satisfied, following a visit to achild under this regulation in respect of a placement with the fosterparent, that the child’s welfare is being safeguarded and promoted, atintervals of not more than six months.

(2) This regulation shall not apply to children in respect of whom thelocal authority have made arrangements under regulation 8.

Requirements in respect of visits

16.  Every local authority shall make arrangements to ensure that inrespect of any visit made pursuant to regulation 15 an officer of theirs(but subject to regulation 9(2))—

(a) sees the child during the course of the visit, unless he considersit unnecessary to do so or the child is not in fact with the fosterparents at the time of the visit;

(b) if the child is not there, makes arrangements to see the child assoon as reasonably practicable;

(c) takes steps to discover whether the voluntary organisation whichplaced the child have made suitable arrangements to perform their dutiesunder these Regulations and those under section 61 of the Act.