Hello and welcome to CHARMS : the user-friendly, flexible Fostering Software, Foster care software, Adoption software and Residential software.

CHARMS is recognised as one of the most comprehensive and user-friendly childrens services systems in the UK. Much of it’s success is due to the fact that new developments have been driven by the needs of you, the children's services providers.  As foster care software it has become the market leader in the UK. Local Authority and Independent Fostering Agencies have equally recognised the benefits of a dedicated fostering database system.

CHARMS is designed specifically for fostering, adoption, residential and other children's services. It is a complete database system - designed for care providers.

Developed over the last 14 years, CHARMS can manage the entire process from initial enquiry, through assessment and training to the placement of children and post placement support. The complete record of placement episodes (including disrupted placements) can be viewed at any time.

CHARMS - Fostering database, Adoption database, Foster Care database, Residential database.

“When we were a small fostering agency, we tracked our placements manually, on spreadsheets. As our business grew, we realised we needed a more professional solution. We looked at other products, but CHARMS was the one that our staff got really excited about. It’s easy to use and has enabled us to replace our manual processes.”
Lesley Davidson, Fostering Solutions North

Children – Stores key personal and sibling information, special needs and contact issues. Records placement history and progress plus permanency plans. Creates Schedule 8 checklist, post log and safeguarding action list.

Families (Carers) – Stores personal and address details for main carers and other family members, contact and special needs preferences and full history of placements and progress. Records statutory checks and health & safety assessments undertaken and outstanding and training qualifications held.

Diary – The diary function provides reminders for requirements such as reviews, CRBs, medicals and un-announced visits and can be used for tracking potential applicants’ progress. Can be used to re-allocate workload between Social Workers

Reports – More than 200 in-built reports ready for use covering all aspects of recorded information, including:

- Child referrals between specified dates (52)
- Summary of all families with vacancies showing placement type(s) (150)
- Social worker case load of children and families (160)
- Number of enquiries received from potential families between specified dates (153)

Custom reports feature also allows for creation of your own ad-hoc statistics

CHARMS is tried and tested at every level and has been the chosen software behind the Adoption Register for England and Wales since it’s conception. The register also went live with CHARMS Online in April 2007 allowing adoption social workers from across the UK to make referrals of children and families through secure logins.

“The CHARMS database has been an integral part of the Adoption Register’s success over the past 2 years as we have found adoptive families for an increasing number of children.”
Andy Stott, Adoption Register Manager

System Features - CHARMS : THE Foster Care, Adoption and Children's Services Database System

• Quick search feature for easy access to records

• Extensive child record including personal information, special needs and contact details

• Extensive family record including personal household information, placement types and approvals, CRB checks and training records

• Children and families are recorded only ONCE therefore the entire history is available at a glance

• Monitors family progress from initial enquiry, through assessment and training to the placement of children and post placement support

• Full history of all placement episodes – including disrupted placements

• Stores photographs of children and families

• Generates potential matches between children and families based on specific criteria

• Tracks time taken to place children

• Measures time between key events in the assessment, matching and placement process

• Summary check list of key events and correspondence

• Permanency plans

• Ability to record multiple approvals

• Add events to child in placement from family record and vice versa (single entry of data etc.)

• Automatic generation of referral forms to the Adoption Register

• Duplicate record option for ease of data entry (e.g. Siblings)

• Creates and stores standard and non-standard letters for single or multiple recipients (batch printing) for both children and families

• Retains a complete history of all letters sent, and when

• Produces the vacancy list for families

• Creates front sheets/record cards at the click of a button

• Full progress history for all associated event. Unlimited history for each case allow you to record and report in details on work carried out for each case

• Ability to link key event reminders to MS Outlook

• Ability to link electronic documents/files to records including scanned documents – no more looking at paper files!

• Space to record unlimited case notes

• Reporting sources of interest from prospective families to help plan future marketing campaigns

• Staff management records including training management, appraisals, CRB checks and qualifications

• Ability to export records to MS Excel

• Tailored drop down lists

• Comprehensive Diary with the ability to re-allocate workload and events

• Includes more than 200 in-built comprehensive reports to meet user/management requirements

• Custom reports feature for creation of ad-hoc statistics

• Built-in audit trail recording data changes

• Multi-tiered, user-level access allows administrators to allocate user permissions

And there are a host of optional modules to support other areas of related work and to help with the completion of Government/Ofsted returns ……

CHARMS – Ofsted/National Fostering Contract reporting -
This can generate the Fostering Data Set for Ofsted. Schedule 2 of the National Framework Contract and Schedule 4 Individual Placement Agreements.


Five Outcomes – Available as a ‘stand alone’ system! -
To record the "Individual Outcomes Tracker" for Schedule 3 of the National Framework Contract.
• Unique approach to simply record “Every Child Matters” Five Outcomes against each child
• Store your own questions for every child against each outcome
• Measure progress against a simple scoring system
• Maintain a complete audit of progress and produce a chart to visually present the Outcomes
• Produce statistical analysis of numbers against each Outcome


Adoption Allowances -
• Calculate Adoption Allowances based on current rates; carer income, outgoings and allowances, assessment and approval process
• Auto generate letters, reviews and reminders
• Store details of all contact with carers and professionals
• Produce management information


Carer Training (ETC) -
• From initial enquiries, through assessment, training and approval, every detail of the process is recorded
• Reminders are generated, so key dates do not get missed
• Reports show the effort involved in carer recruitment and the successes achieved


Inter Country Placements -
• Record eligibility and suitably checks along with details of training
• Store DfES (or other devolved authority) certificate, assessment and approval process
• Store all associated paperwork against the prospective carer records
• Monitor applications submitted to foreign countries and processing of paperwork on the child(ren)
• Hold all details of immigration requirements
• Manage post adoption support
• Provide statistical reports on numbers and outcomes


Letter Box -
• Create, Store and Manage Letter Box Agreements
• Manage all related correspondence
• Generate reminders ensuring that no event is overlooked


Payments -
• Record all standard payments, retainers, fees and additional allowances as well as ad-hoc payments, assessment and approval process
• Manage respite processes and payments
• Maintain a complete payment history and produce monthly, quarterly and yearly statements
• Produce payment run files for BACS and Finance systems
• Generate Remittance Advice Notes
• Generate Invoices for Local Authorities (independent providers)
• Manage placement ends and balance accounts accordingly
• Produce all management and finance reports/exports
• Link to Finance/Accounts systems


Post Adoption Support -
• Manage Birth Record Enquiries
• Manage all related confidential correspondence and generate follow up letters
• Generate reminders ensuring that no event is overlooked

“Charms Online has enabled Local Authorities and Voluntary Agencies in the North West to refer, share and run searches securely against each others data. We are delighted to be the first region in the UK to pioneer this approach.”
Adoption 22 Information Manager, David Bamford

All of this is backed up by excellent customer care and support services provided by CHL’s skilled team of software developers, business and project managers, and administrators who are all experienced in working in the public and private sectors.

We listen to our users and provide guidance on their questions and queries

All of our systems are constantly reviewed and improved to keep them fit for purpose. We guarantee that your data is safe and accessible at all times; every day; every week; every year.

We also provide:

• Full after sales support for those who want it and this is incorporated in our annual hotline support where you get to speak to real people!

• Free software upgrades for subscribers to the Annual Hotline Support.

• All levels of training in the use of the system and in customising your own reports. Each course provided by CHL’s specialist trainers includes full training literature and certificates. We are flexible in the delivery of training; it can be carried out in our dedicated training suite in Manchester or at customers’ own sites (depending on infrastructure). Our training suite has capacity for up to 10 users.

• Data transfer from your existing system to ensure a quick and easy transition

• Business analysis to help you choose the right system for you

To arrange a free demonstration of CHARMS - THE Fostering and Adoption system - at your workplace, please contact us on 0161 237 1872