To consider the Fostering Agency Quarter 4 Performance Report for 2014/15.

The Committee considered the report of the Executive Member for Social Care and Housing which introduced the Quarter 4 Performance Report for the Fostering Agency.  In view of the overlap in content with the next agenda item, which dealt with the Fostering Agency Annual Report for 2014/15, it was agreed that both reports should be considered concurrently (Note: Minute CPP/15/7 below also refers).

Following an introduction by the Practice Manager, Fostering  the meeting turned to consider various issues contained within the reports.

A Member referred to the Quarter 4 report and to the increase in Special Guardianship Orders (SGO’s) from 81 at the end of March 2014 to 114 at the end of March 2015 and how the Orders helped to maintain links within families.  The meeting noted that the majority of the SGO’s granted were to family and friends and foster carers so the children they cared for were no longer classified as Looked After.  However, the Assistant Director Children’s Services Operations queried the role of the Council to fund long term family care arrangements through the use of SGO’s in view of the budget implications.  He indicated that consideration would need to be given to this issue in the near future and a report would be forthcoming which identified the options available.  The Assistant Director Children’s Services Operations referred to the changes in family court arrangements which placed an emphasis on placing children within their family of origin though the cost to local authorities of providing this service was high.  In connection with this matter the Practice Manager, Fostering advised that the Government was also undertaking an examination of how SGO’s were used.

The Children in Care Council representatives invited the members of the Panel to the Awards Evening scheduled for 25 September 2015.

(Note: The Children in Care Council representatives left the meeting at this point).

Further discussion followed relating to fostering and adoption activity being carried out concurrently by the same persons.  In response the Practice Manager, Fostering explained that fostering and adoption rarely took place within the context of the same carers at the same time as these functions were undertaken by different types of people.  However, some carers might first foster a child and then adopt him or her.  Discussion also took place with regard to the extent that life story work was undertaken with Looked After Children and the role it played.  The Member commented on the absence of any reference to this in the Annual Report.

(Note:  Councillor M A G Versallion left the meeting at this point to attend another meeting).

In response to a query by a Member the Practice Manager, Fostering stated that whilst some foster carers might have vacancies this could be a short term position.  She stressed that the Council never experienced a situation where there were no vacancies. The Practice Manager, Fostering added that the Council had a list of foster carers with vacancies and that the list was reviewed every day.  In response to further queries from the Member the Practice Manager, Fostering acknowledged that some foster carers had been highly specific in the children which they fostered however, moves were being made to expand the range of children that carers were willing to foster.   She also referred to the peer mentoring scheme for all new and existing carers to offer encouragement, support and opportunities for collaborative working.

The Assistant Director Children’s Services Operations referred the meeting to the report of the Fostering Panel Chair and the role undertaken by the Panel Advisor.  The Assistant Director briefly set out the difficulties that had been experienced as a result of not being able to fill the post of Panel Advisor on a permanent basis.

NOTED

1          the Fostering Agency Quarter 4 Performance Report for 2014/15;

2          the Annual Report of the Fostering Agency for 2014/15.