Parent & Child Fostering: What the Assessment and Daily Role Really Look Like

Becoming a parent & child (often called “mother & baby”) foster carer is a uniquely skilled role. You’re supporting an infant and coaching the parent—usually under the pressure of a legal timetable—while keeping clear, court-ready records. Here’s how the assessment works in practice, what your day looks like, the legal framework behind it, and how to decide whether this specialism fits your home and strengths.

What parent & child fostering actually is

In a parent & child (P&C) placement, a baby or young child lives with their parent(s) in your foster home. Your job is to provide a safe, stable household, model good routines, observe care, and help the parent build skills so professionals can decide whether the child can stay with them safely. It is not simply accommodation; it’s a structured support-and-assessment environment.

Legally, arrangements sit within the Children Act 1989 and the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations 2010. A crucial point: foster carers do not have parental responsibility (PR). If a child is accommodated under section 20 (with parental consent), the local authority does not acquire PR; if there is a care order, PR is shared between parents and the local authority, which can determine how it’s exercised to keep the child safe.

Assessment vs. support placements

Local practice distinguishes two broad models:

• Assessment placements: time-limited, focused on evidencing whether parenting is “good enough” for the child to remain at home.
• Support placements: skill-building and coaching (often for very young or care-experienced parents) ahead of, or alongside, any formal assessment.

Good protocols emphasise “step back” to allow parenting, and “step in” if safety is at risk—along with clear expectations, safer-caring plans and recording standards agreed upfront.

When a P&C placement is used

A P&C arrangement may be identified pre-birth, during the Public Law Outline (PLO) process, or ordered/directed as part of care proceedings. Courts can also direct assessment living arrangements under section 38(6) Children Act 1989 when a child is subject to interim care proceedings; this allows a period of assessment of parenting within a foster home.

How long it lasts (and why 12 weeks is common)

Most assessment placements run for around 12 weeks, with scope to shorten or extend depending on progress and court timetables. You’ll see this “~12 weeks” pattern in many authority schemes and agencies; some offer interim reports at weeks 6–8 and a final report after week 12, or seek an extension where the court agrees more time is needed.

What the assessment actually looks like

Think of assessment as three interlocking parts:

1. Planned objectives and measures: Before placement, professionals agree what “progress” looks like, how it will be tracked, and the timescale. Parents must consent to the plan and to carers observing and recording daily care.
2. Daily observation and recording: You’ll make contemporaneous notes on feeding, soothing, sleep safety, hygiene, bonding, responsiveness, routines, medication, appointments, and any risk incidents. Where devices (e.g., baby monitors) are used, agencies expect clear guidance and privacy safeguards set out in parent/carer information.
3. Multi-agency reviews and reports: Supervising and child’s social workers visit and review regularly; many services run formal review points mid-way (e.g., week 6–8) and compile a structured final report with recommendations for the court or decision-makers.

In some cases, a structured parenting tool such as PAMS is used; these typically span 8–12 weeks and blend education with assessment, tailored to learning needs or additional vulnerabilities.

The daily role of a parent & child foster carer

Your day combines coaching, safeguarding and household life:

• Modelling and mentoring: Demonstrate safer sleep, responsive feeding, winding, bathing, nappy care, baby cues, and age-appropriate play. Then step back to let parents practice, praising progress and narrating “why” as they build confidence.
• Observation without intrusion: Keep your presence calm and routine so parents don’t feel constantly judged, but intervene promptly where safety is compromised. Record factually—what you saw and heard—avoiding opinion unless asked for analysis in reviews.
• Appointments and networks: Support GP/health visitor registrations, infant immunisations, weigh-ins, children’s centre groups, and nursery/school (where relevant). Build a supportive, non-isolating routine around the family.
• Working with professionals: Expect regular contact with supervising and child’s social workers, plus unannounced visits. You’ll attend placement planning meetings, PEP/CIN/LAC reviews as relevant, and contribute to court-facing reports. Quality expectations flow from the National Minimum Standards and SCCIF inspection framework.

House setup and safer caring

Most services expect a bedroom large enough for the parent’s bed and the baby’s cot, safe storage for medication and cleaning products, a bathroom and kitchen access, and essential baby equipment (car seat, steriliser, etc.). Safer-caring plans cover room-sharing rules, visitors, smoking areas, and what happens at night—including how and when carers may check on the infant.

Rights and responsibilities (who decides what)

Because PR stays with the parent(s) (and sometimes is shared with the local authority where a care order is in place), you’ll need clear delegation on routine decisions (appointments, consent for photos, trips, etc.). If the child is under section 20 accommodation, parents retain PR and consent to the child’s accommodation; under a care order, the local authority and parents share PR and the authority can determine how it’s exercised for safety. Foster carers never hold PR.

Confidentiality and respectful recording are non-negotiable—your logs could be read in court. Keep names and sensitive details secure and follow your agency/authority’s policies on data protection and sharing. (These expectations are reflected in inspection frameworks and minimum standards.)

What “good” looks like to Ofsted

Inspections evaluate the effectiveness and impact of your care on experiences and progress—are children safe and thriving, and is the assessment practice robust and respectful? Inspectors look at the quality of matching, safer-caring, involvement of parents, and whether guides/policies (e.g., use of monitors, household rules) are clear and appropriate for the cohort. Agencies with strong P&C practice show well-structured observations, reflective conversations, and timely reports.

Support, supervision and training

Expect specialist training on attachment, infant care, motivational coaching, therapeutic and trauma-informed parenting, de-escalation, and record-keeping to court standard. You should also be offered regular supervision, unannounced visits, peer groups/mentors, and out-of-hours support. Many authorities/agencies encourage carers to build their personal support networks to reduce isolation and burnout.

Payments and allowances (high-level)

P&C is usually paid above basic fostering rates because you’re caring for a baby/child and delivering an intensive assessment. Rates and structures vary widely by local authority and agency. As a local example, Suffolk pays at a higher tier for the parent and another tier for the child, reflecting the complexity and time commitment of the role (your area will differ—always check your service’s fees and terms).

Common questions (fast answers)

How intrusive is the assessment?
It’s structured but should be respectful. Observations focus on safety, responsiveness, and the child’s development. Parents must be given opportunities to practice, receive feedback, and see what “progress” means from the start.

What happens if the parent walks out?
Services will prioritise the child’s stability and safety. If a parent leaves early, the authority reviews next steps quickly; the child may remain with you or move depending on the plan and legal position.

Do placements always last 12 weeks?
No—12 weeks is a common starting point, but courts and services can shorten or extend based on the child’s needs and evidence emerging during the assessment.

Is there a formal tool?
Some placements use structured tools such as PAMS to assess and teach, typically over 8–12 weeks.

Is parent & child fostering right for you?

You’ll thrive if you can coach without controlling, observe without judging, and hold boundaries kindly. You need stamina for broken nights; confidence to challenge unsafe care; clarity to write evidence-based notes; and teamwork skills for multi-agency decision-making. If you enjoy mentoring and believe early parenting can be learned with the right support, P&C can be one of the most rewarding roles in fostering.

A quick start checklist

• Make an enquiry with your local authority and one or two reputable agencies—ask specifically about their P&C training, supervision, and out-of-hours support.
• Audit your home for space (parent bed + cot) and safer-caring; draft a household safer-caring plan you can refine with your supervising social worker.
• Practise recording: write short, factual logs using dates/times, what you saw/heard, what you did, and the child’s response—ready for court scrutiny.
• Know the legal basics: PR arrangements, s.20 accommodation vs. care orders, and how s.38(6) assessment directions work within proceedings.
• Understand timescales: expect a ~12-week assessment with mid-point reviews and a final report; extensions are possible if ordered or agreed.

Key sources you can cite in your article footer

• Children Act 1989 guidance on care planning, PR, and placements; Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations 2010.
• Ofsted SCCIF for IFAs and National Minimum Standards (quality benchmarks).
• Local authority and agency guidance on 12-week assessment patterns (Leeds, Warwickshire, Foster Wales Flintshire, NFA, Capstone).
• Practice guidance and procedures for P&C placements (Suffolk; Procedures Online exemplars).