To consider a report outlining the activity in the Fostering Service from July to September 2015.

The Panel received a report by the Director of Children’s Services which outlined activity in the Fostering Service during Quarter 2 for the period

1 July - 30 September 2015.

The report contained updates on various issues including the following:

·         Recruitment of Foster Carers

·         Assessments

·         Referrals/Placement

·         Training

·         Ofsted Notifications

·         Allegations

·         Complaints

·         Compliments

·         Annual Budget

·         Reporting to Members – Legal Requirements

·         Risk Management

·         Staffing

·         Conclusion and Next Steps

In addition a copy of the Fostering Service Statement of Purpose dated 1 April 2015 was attached for approval at Appendix A of the report.

The Head of Corporate Parenting introduced the report and highlighted particular items of interest.

Whilst welcoming the way in which the report had been written a Member asked that future reports include information on the number of Looked After Children in the foster care system on a given date within each quarter, whether the children were in short or long term foster care, the proportion of children moving between carers over a particular period and the frequency that this occurred, the number of Special Guardianships and the possibility that children involved could re-enter the care system due to, for example, carer vulnerability such as the age of the family members who had the responsibility for them.  In response the Assistant Director Children’s Services Operations undertook to review the content of future quarterly foster care reports to the Panel and the submission of fostering information to the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee having regard to these comments.  The Chairman welcomed this development.

The Assistant Director Children’s Services Operations then updated Members on the introduction of more rigorous assessments for Special Guardianships and the tension between the government’s wish to encourage adoption and the Children’s Court viewpoint that adoption should take place only if no other option was left.  The Assistant Director added that the Council’s current safeguarding policy was to be reviewed to ensure that children were being protected effectively.

Members then made further comment on the report.  The Vice-Chairman sought clarification on the geographical spread of foster carers within Central Bedfordshire and whether carers were coming forward to care for those children with more challenging behaviour.  In response the Head of Corporate Parenting explained that he was unsure as to the full location of foster carers but he could investigate further. ???????? He also stated that foster carers were being encouraged to expand the range of children they were willing to foster in response to the shortages of carers for certain groups such as teenagers.

 In conclusion the Chairman referred to the proposed revision to the style and content of future reports and suggested that the relevant reports produced by other local authorities could be considered.  She then thanked the Assistant Director Children’s Services Operations and his team for their positive achievements in this area.

NOTED

the content of the Quarter One report on the Fostering Service for the period July to September June 2015.

RESOLVED

that the Fostering Service Statement of Purpose dated 1 April 2015, as attached at Appendix A to the report of the Director of Children’s Services, be approved and signed by the Executive Member for Children’s Services and Director of Children’s Services.