Our Principles
The same principles and values underpin everything that we do as an agency; these principles and values are essential for staff and foster carers working with children and young people. They apply to all care work with children, young people and their families.
At Acorn House the principles and values we adhere to are:
- Each individual is unique and has an inherent right to develop their potential, regardless of their previous life experiences.The agency is managed in an ethical and efficient manner.
- All staff and foster carers will work to established policies and procedures.
- Adults need to respect the significance for the child of their birth family, their race, culture, religion and their area of origin.
- Children have the right to be looked after by adults who offer them respect, concern, affection and experiences appropriate to their individual needs.
- Acorn House has adopted the principle, set out in The Children Act (1989), that the welfare of the child is paramount. This principle is applied to the agency’s standards of care, decision making, planning and daily work.
- All staff, foster carers and suppliers of services who may come in to contact with our children/young people will be subject to appropriate checks and vetting procedures.
- Foster carers and staff have a right to regular supervision, training and support that promotes their professional development.
- To provide a service that is best value for Local Authorities.
- Foster carers contribute to children and young people’s care, learning and development, and safeguarding. This is reflected in every aspect of practice and service provision
- Foster carers support parents and families who are partners in the care, learning, development and safeguarding of their children, recognising they are the child or young person’s first, and in most situations, their most enduring carers and educators
- Foster carers are integral to the professional team supporting children and young people in public care
Our Values
- The needs, rights and views of the child or young person are at the centre of all practice and provision
- Individuality, difference and diversity are valued and celebrated
- Equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice are actively promoted
- Children and young people’s health and well-being are actively promoted
- Children and young people’s educational needs are given high priority to ensure that they reach their full potential
- Children and young people’s personal and physical safety is safeguarded, whilst allowing for risk and challenge, as appropriate to the capabilities of the child or young person
- Self-esteem and resilience are recognised as essential to every child or young person’s development
- Confidentiality and agreements about confidential information are respected as appropriate unless a child or young person’s protection and well-being are at stake
- Professional knowledge, skills and values are shared appropriately in order to enrich the experience of children and young people more widely
- Social inclusion and advancement of children and young people are actively promoted as specified in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child