Price: £29.95

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SIGNIFICANT DISCOUNTS are available for multiple copy purchases of this book. Please see below for details.

"A good carer is someone who sits down and listens to you and discusses things with you." A young person's view.

Acclaimed across three previous editions, this handbook can help anyone looking after young people aged 12 years and over, including those with special needs, to provide care that equals or surpasses what is required.

"All practice should be based on ensuring 'it is good enough for my child'. We hope this book will help." The authors.

For foster carers who are working with young people, it is also useful for residential carers and for anyone helping prepare young people for adult life. It is packed with detailed guidance about looking after young people, being a foster carer and living in a fostering household or care home. It explains the law, procedures and roles of the people involved; and gives detailed advice on how to manage the numerous large and small things needing attention in any young person's life - education, health, respect, money, relationships, and much more. It aims to:

Explain how carers can work with and care for the young people in their care.

Enable young people to return to their families when appropriate.

Enable carers to meet the full range of a young persons needs.

Explain the caring roles and responsibilities.

Although there are differences in detail, the governments of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all make similar requirements of carers. This book aims to help all carers achieve the expectations placed on them and maintain standards. It underlines and encourages the use of relevant government standards, and gives examples of good practice.

A comprehensive guide that can be called on when just about anything arises, it has been developed:

For carers to read themselves; to read with the young people they are caring for; and to read with their own children.

To help carers make appropriate decisions, and answer the many questions young people may ask about their time 'being looked after.

For use as a 'talking tool': it includes photocopiable supporting activities to help young people understand the present, face the future with confidence and, in time, become independent adults and move on.

For use in supervision and training.

Anyone wishing to combine this book with their own material can obtain a loose-leaf version from the publisher.


From reviews of previous edition...

"A book which will have considerable value for carers and young people alike... refreshingly direct... without jargon... deserves a wide readership." Community Care.

"This well-presented and accessible publication is to be commended for its clarity and sheer practical usefulness." Care and Health.

"Provides answers to the questions young people may ask. Covering subjects such as living arrangements, money, education, health, personal development, the law, and becoming independent, it is an easy to use and reliable reference guide." ChildRight

"Covers the details of care system bureaucracy as well as nuts and bolts issues." Young People Now.

A4 paperback. 192 pages. 9781905541812. Published May 2012. £29.95.

Please note: The previous editions of this book have been published under different titles: the First Edition Answers for Carers was published by Longman in 1994; the Second Edition Answers for Carers was published by Pavilion in 1999; the Third Edition Young People in Foster and Residential Care was published by Russell House in 2003.


DISCOUNTS
Substantial discounts are available on bulk purchases of this book, in either paperback or loose-leaf format:
- single copy £29.95 (paperback only)
- 25 copies £23.00 each
- 50 copies £21.00 each
- 100 copies £18.50 each.
Terms and conditions apply. Please note, there is a minimum order of 25 copies for the loose-leaf format. Please contact RHP for details, and for prices for quantities other than those listed (tel: 01297 443928; fax 01297 442722; e-mail help@russellhouse.co.uk).


STANDARDS
The way England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have been devolved over the past years has resulted in variations on the way each country takes responsibility for social care. This has led to some marked differences, and one such is in the requirement to work with nationally proscribed standards. Please refer specifically to the website for each country's government department for more details. BAAF and the Fostering Network also work across the four countries, and are able to give more details.

Although there are differences in detail, the governments of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all require that carers:

Understand the principles and values essential for fostering children and young people.

Understand their role as a foster carer.

Understand health and safety and health care.

Know how to communicate effectively with children.

Understand the development of children and young people.

Know how to keep children and young people safe from harm.

Know the importance of self-development.

The aim of this book is to:

Help all carers achieve the expectations placed on them and maintain standards.

Underline and encourage the use of relevant government standards

Give examples of good practice.

READERSHIP
Social workers and trainers in social services, voluntary and independent agencies. Foster and residential carers working with children approximately 12 years and over. Anyone working with care leavers. NVQ/SNVQ students. Anyone involved in parenting education or family support.


ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Ann Wheal was a teacher in inner-city schools and colleges before working at the University of Southampton in the Social Work division. Her areas of research were children in care and children leaving care. Ann has been a governor at a special needs nursery and a volunteer in a secure unit. She has published widely in the area of children and families.
Meral Mehmet is a freelance social work consultant with 30 years' experience in social services, and 20 years' in fostering. She has worked with a variety of fostering providers and in a range of fostering and child care related roles, including for social care in Turkey and UNICEF, and has for the past 12 years been a freelance consultant and trainer and for the past 5 years a tutor at Middlesex University.


CONTENTS
About this book
Who is the book for?
How the book works
Background
Inch by inch: helping young people to succeed
How to use this handbook
Who Cares?
Carers' responsibilities
Foster care agreement/annual review
Support groups
Allegations against carers
Complaints against carers
Men who foster
Insurance for carers
Unaccompanied asylum seeking and refugee children
Training and guidance for carers and social workers
Registration of social workers
Who's who in helping young people
Being Looked After
Settling in
Meetings
The placement plan
The care plan
Young people's reviews
Disruption meetings: when a placement breaks down
Family group conferences
Child protection conference
Working with parents
Children of foster carers
House rules
Cover stories
A welcome book
Collecting mementos
Life work
Complaints
Discrimination
Victimisation
A Place to Live
Foster homes
Children's homes
Supported lodgings
Secure units
The home environment
Health - Physical and Mental Well-Being
Introduction
Staying healthy
Health matters
Advice and confidentiality
Alcohol
Allergies
Asthma
Brain development
Dental care
Visiting the dentist
Drug and solvent abuse
Eating disorders
Eye care
Facts of life, puberty and sexual health
Foot care
Hay fever
Health assessments
Health record
Hearing
HIV/AIDS
Mental health/emotional health and well-being
Personal hygiene
Preventative Medicine
Smoking
Sun
Health record sheet 1
Health record sheet 2
Education
Some of the problems and how to help
Partnership with parents/carers
Young people out of school
Education and school
Discipline
Truancy and exclusions
Education: a young person's checklist
Helping with homework clubs in your area
Tackling coursework
Aiding revision
Qualifications
Education of young people with special educational needs
Careers
Part-time jobs
Glossary of Terms
Different types of schools
Mainstream schools
Units
Special educational provision
Respecting Diversity, Understanding Religions and Culture
Religion and spirituality
Race, nationality, ethnic origin and culture
Sex and sexuality
Religions
Personal Development
Introduction: growing up
Decision making
Going to college in the next town
Encouraging positive behaviour
Care and control
Privacy/confidentiality
Self respect/confidence/self-esteem
Know yourself checklist
Values
Self harm
Listening and being listened to
Forming Relationships
Introduction: friendships
Making and keeping friends
Staying with friends
Personal relationships and sex
Sex and the law
Indecent exposure
Rape
Grooming
On-line grooming
Bracing the topic of sex
Contraception
Pregnancy
Coping with Crisis or with Sadness: Improving Well-being
Introduction: expressing pain
Worries
Worries checklist
Abuse
Loss and bereavement
Leisure: what to do in your free time
The electronic age: TV, computer games and surfing the net
Mobile phones
Social networking sites
MoneyIntroduction: money matters!
What are you entitled to?
Managing money
Bank accounts and savings
Managing money/budgeting/saving checklist
Becoming IndependentIntroduction. After care: a young person's view
Preparation and planning
Making a plan
Training
Housing
Housing checklist
Careers
Works experience/internship
Getting a job
Preparing your CV
What is a person specification?
Job interviews
At the interview
Getting an offer
Getting a rejection
Hearing nothing at all
Review sheet
How to keep your job!
Keeping up appearances
What is an apprenticeship?
Apprenticeships
Advanced apprenticeships
Higher apprenticeships
Moving OnFeeling isolated and lonely: support networks
Independence checklist
Legal and Other Useful Information
Going to court: implications and support
Introduction
Being in care or being accommodated
The Children Act 1989, The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 and The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995
Court orders: a summary of what they mean
Adoption
Children's Guardian (previously Guardian ad Litem (GAL), Curator ad Litem (CAL) or Safeguarder)
Guardians
Parental responsibility
References

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