Connected carers

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If a child or young person cannot live with their parent(s), Connected Carers can take on the responsibility of looking after them on a temporary or permanent basis (depending on the child’s care plan). The child formally remains a Child in Care to Barnet, but the Connected Carer becomes their approved Foster Carer.

Benefits of Connected Care

The child or young person benefits from the additional support from their social worker but is offered the opportunity to remain within a familiar setting with someone that they already know.

Connected Care is aimed at grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, close family friends or even neighbours. Anyone who has a positive and pre-existing relationship with the child or young person can become a Connected Carer.

How to become a carer

Connected Carers are assessed by a committed team of experienced social workers.

After a 16 week assessment, you are presented to Barnet’s Fostering Panel as part of the approval process. The assessing social worker helps you to prepare by making sure you understand your role as a Connected Carer for the named child or young person. 

If you are interested in being a Connected Carer to a Barnet Child in Care, please speak to their allocated social worker and a member of the Carer Assessment Team will be in contact.

You can also telephone the Carer Assessment Team directly on 020 8359 6274 at the following times:

  • Monday to Thursday from 9am to 5.15pm
  • Friday from 9am to 5pm.

Visits and inspections from social workers

We need to carry out an in depth assessment of you and your family to make sure the Child in Care is in a suitable and safe place. 

We also need to:

  • complete checks on you and the members of your household with the Police, Local Authority, Education and Employers
  • meet with 3 personal referees that you put forward
  • receive a full medical assessment from you.

Support for Connected Carers

Once approved, you will be allocated your own supervising social worker who will meet with you on a regular basis, and will support you as a Connected Carer. 

Your social worker will offer advice, support, supervision and training tailored to your needs.