To consider a report setting out the Foster Carers’ Charter and Care Leavers’ Charter for adoption by Central Bedfordshire Council.

The Panel considered a report by the Acting Assistant Director Children’s Services Operations which sought comments on the proposed Foster Carers’ Charter and Care Leavers’ Charter.  Both Charters had been jointly produced by Government, fostering organisations, charities and children and young people.  However, it was noted that, whilst it had been possible to amend the Foster Carers’ Charter by adding local commitments, a request to similarly tailor the Care Leavers’ Charter was still under consideration by the Department for Education.

Copies of both draft Charters were attached to the report at Appendices A and B respectively.

In response to a query raised by the Chairman regarding the publicising of the Foster Carers’ Charter the Head of Adoption and Fostering stated that consideration was being given to launching the document at the Foster Carer Awards ceremony.

References were made by Members to typographical errors in the document and a number of amendments to the text were suggested.  In response the Head of Adoption and Fostering stated that she would correct the typographical errors and would raise the proposed amendments with the Chairman of the Foster Carers’ Association at their forthcoming meeting. 

A Member commented that measures should be taken to ensure that the terms of the Charter were being adhered to and she advocated some form of monitoring and feedback. 

Turning to the Charter for Care Leavers a Member queried the use of the term ‘punish’ in the section on the support offered to care leavers.  In response the Assistant Director Children’s Services Operations explained that the document was produced by the Department for Education and it was currently uncertain whether the Council was able to amend it.  He suggested that, to reflect a more local approach, consideration could be given to attaching an addendum.  The Chairman welcomed the suggestion as an addendum would ensure that care leavers in Central Bedfordshire were fully aware of the Council’s position of support for them.  The Participation Officer added that the Charter had been considered by the Children in Care Council and had indicated that they would want the document to be easy to read for care leavers.

RESOLVED

1          that the Foster Carer’s Charter be approved and adopted subject to the following:

a)         that the date of the Foster Carers’ Charter be amended to reflect the revision date and include the month and year of the launch on the front of the document;

b)        that the typographical errors identified by Members be corrected;

c)         that the suggested amendments to the document first be considered at the forthcoming meeting with the Chairman of the Foster Carers’ Association before incorporation in the document to ensure there was no objection;

b)        that comments on the implementation of the Charter be gathered by the use of surveys, one-to-one interviews and annual foster carer reviews and then collated and submitted to the Corporate Parenting Panel in 12 months time;

2          that the Care Leavers’ Charter be approved and adopted subject to resolution 3 below;

3          that should the Department for Education refuse to allow the amendment of the Charter for Care Leavers in order to clarify issues on a local basis Director Children’s Services Operations investigate the possibility of attaching an addendum to the document setting out this information instead.