Agenda item

9.1

It was moved by Councillor Dawn Dale, and seconded by Councillor Laura McClean, that this Council:-

(a)      believes that every child should have the best start in life;

(b)      is committed to making Sheffield a place where all children belong, and all young people can build a successful future and believes that foster carers in Sheffield help that become a reality;

(c)      says a big thank you to all foster carers and kinship carers who open their home to support children and young people;

(d)      believes that foster carers provide loving, stable homes for children and young people;

(e)      says thank you to the network of foster carers who provide support for each other, and thanks the Council’s Fostering Team for their work to provide training for foster carers and 24/7 support;

(f)       welcomes the recent government announcement of £44 million to support kinship and foster carers;

(g)      notes that Sheffield needs more foster carers to help look after children and young people in our city;

(h)      believes that all elected members should help to raise the profile of fostering in Sheffield so that more children and young people have a safe, loving home;

(i)       encourages people in Sheffield to consider becoming a foster carer;

(j)       notes the Council’s ‘Fostering Friendly Employer’ policy aims to set an example for other employers to follow, including providing five days extra leave for Council staff if they foster a child;

(k)      recommends that anyone interested in becoming a foster carer should contact Sheffield Fostering Service to find out more;

(l)       notes National Care-Leavers Week (28 October to 3 November) with the Council delivering a 7-day programme of activity for our care-experienced young people, aged 16-25, including activities like film screenings, learning and cooking sessions, Breakfast Clubs, and an Education and Employment Fair;

(m)     congratulates Speak Up Now youth group (for older care-experienced young people) for their nomination for a National Voice Award, noting their innovative work on ‘Comfy Cozy Crates’, which provide blankets, pots and pans, cutlery, a cookbook and a doorbell, as many care leavers report feeling unsafe where they live;

(n)      believes it is important to ensure the voices of care-experienced young people are heard by the Council and all public bodies so that they help to shape our work, and notes that since 2022 the Council has recognised care experience as a protected characteristic; and

(o)      congratulates the Council’s Voice and Influence Team for their work in ensuring the voices of care-experienced young people help to influence our work.

9.2

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Mohammed Mahroof, and seconded by Councillor Rebecca Atkinson, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the addition of a new paragraph (h) as follows, and the re-lettering of the original paragraphs (h) to (o) as new paragraphs (i) to (p):-

(h)      notes that the Education, Children and Families Policy Committee received a proposal to reduce the amount that the Staying Put Provider receives in skills allowance to 50% once a young person has turned 19;

9.3

It was then moved by Councillor Peter Gilbert, and seconded by Councillor Douglas Johnson, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the addition of new paragraphs (p) to (r) as follows:-

(p)      notes that over the last year, 45 foster carers left the Council’s fostering service, while only 11 were recruited;

(q)      further notes that a quarter of Sheffield’s 433 children in foster care live in care provided by private companies; and

(r)       believes that the conditions for foster carers need to be improved if this Council does not want to see more children in for-profit care.

9.4

Following a right of reply from Councillor Dawn Dale, the amendment moved by Councillor Mohammed Mahroof was put to the vote and was carried.

9.4.1

(NOTE: The result of the vote was FOR - 37 Members; AGAINST - 0 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 35 Members.)

9.5

The amendment moved by Councillor Peter Gilbert was then put to the vote and was also carried.

9.5.1

(NOTE: The result of the vote was FOR - 38 Members; AGAINST - 0 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 35 Members.)

9.6

The original Motion, as amended, was then put to the vote as a Substantive Motion in the following form and was carried:-

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

(a)      believes that every child should have the best start in life;

(b)      is committed to making Sheffield a place where all children belong, and all young people can build a successful future and believes that foster carers in Sheffield help that become a reality;

(c)      says a big thank you to all foster carers and kinship carers who open their home to support children and young people;

(d)      believes that foster carers provide loving, stable homes for children and young people;

(e)      says thank you to the network of foster carers who provide support for each other, and thanks the Council’s Fostering Team for their work to provide training for foster carers and 24/7 support;

(f)       welcomes the recent government announcement of £44 million to support kinship and foster carers;

(g)      notes that Sheffield needs more foster carers to help look after children and young people in our city;

(h)      notes that the Education, Children and Families Policy Committee received a proposal to reduce the amount that the Staying Put Provider receives in skills allowance to 50% once a young person has turned 19;

(i)       believes that all elected members should help to raise the profile of fostering in Sheffield so that more children and young people have a safe, loving home;

(j)       encourages people in Sheffield to consider becoming a foster carer;

(k)      notes the Council’s ‘Fostering Friendly Employer’ policy aims to set an example for other employers to follow, including providing five days extra leave for Council staff if they foster a child;

(l)       recommends that anyone interested in becoming a foster carer should contact Sheffield Fostering Service to find out more;

(m)     notes National Care-Leavers Week (28 October to 3 November) with the Council delivering a 7-day programme of activity for our care-experienced young people, aged 16-25, including activities like film screenings, learning and cooking sessions, Breakfast Clubs, and an Education and Employment Fair;

(n)      congratulates Speak Up Now youth group (for older care-experienced young people) for their nomination for a National Voice Award, noting their innovative work on ‘Comfy Cozy Crates’, which provide blankets, pots and pans, cutlery, a cookbook and a doorbell, as many care leavers report feeling unsafe where they live;

(o)      believes it is important to ensure the voices of care-experienced young people are heard by the Council and all public bodies so that they help to shape our work, and notes that since 2022 the Council has recognised care experience as a protected characteristic;

(p)      congratulates the Council’s Voice and Influence Team for their work in ensuring the voices of care-experienced young people help to influence our work;

(q)      notes that over the last year, 45 foster carers left the Council’s fostering service, while only 11 were recruited;

(r)       further notes that a quarter of Sheffield’s 433 children in foster care live in care provided by private companies; and

(s)      believes that the conditions for foster carers need to be improved if this Council does not want to see more children in for-profit care.

9.6.1

(NOTE: The result of the vote on the Substantive Motion was FOR - 71 Members; AGAINST - 0 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 0 Members. Although Labour Group Members voted for, they abstained from voting on paragraphs (h), (q), (r) and (s) of the Substantive Motion.)