Agenda item

7.1

Fostering Service

7.1.1

The Executive Director, Children, Young People and Families, submitted a report providing an update on the Fostering Service.

7.1.2

In attendance for this item were Jon Banwell, Assistant Director, Provider Services, and Liz Spaven, Fostering and Adoption Service Manager, Children, Young People and Families. 

7.1.3

Members of the Committee raised questions and the following responses were provided:-

·                     On the basis that there was a very robust marketing strategy in terms of the recruitment and retention of foster carers, it was not considered that there was a need to refresh the Business Case 2010.  The Fostering Recruitment Campaign, which was launched in January 2011, and continues to date, had included television and radio advertising, web activity, advertisements on public transport and JCDecaux sites, and attendance by Council officers at community events across the City. The Local Authority was currently looking at implementing shared recruitment arrangements with Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham. 

·                     The number of foster carers having children of their own varied greatly.  This would not have any effect on their ability to become a foster carer. 

·                     A number of foster carers do go on to adopt children placed with them. 

·                     In terms of making efforts to ensure that children’s cultural and religious needs were met, staff would target and visit specific communities in order to recruit foster carers from all sections of the community. For example, staff had attended an event in the  Somali community to raise the profile of foster care.  If it was not possible to match children with foster carers having the same cultural and religious beliefs, the child’s Care Plan would determine fully how his/her needs would be met, and address any cultural needs.  Every effort would be made to match a child and foster carer with the same cultural and religious needs, and staff would occasionally look for a suitable match, if necessary, outside the agency by using an independent fostering agency.  Whilst it was not imperative that a child was culturally matched with a foster carer as the matching was in relation to the child’s holistic needs, every effort would be made with this in consideration.

·                     There were currently approximately 75 children with an Adoption Plan, together with a number of children who had been placed for adoption, but had not yet received an Adoption Order.

·                     Some foster carers simply wanted to foster children, and not adopt them.  The application process for prospective foster carers was different to the application process for prospective adopters.  The priority of the Fostering and Adoption Service was ultimately to find permanence for the child. 

·                     The Service has looked at offering Housing Extension Loans to those foster carers wishing to increase the capacity of their homes to accommodate additional children. Whilst there had  been difficulties linked to this, a number of possible properties suitable for this purpose had now been identified. One important benefit to this was that it increased placement choice in regard to placing siblings together.

·                     Whilst details in terms of the number of foster carers who were from a BME background were not available, this information would be obtained and circulated to Members of the Committee. 

·                     Whilst the Service had not noticed a reduction in the number of foster carers, or applications to become foster carers, following the introduction of the ‘Bedroom Tax’, officers would be monitoring this situation. 

7.2

Adoption Service

7.2.1

The Executive Director, Children, Young People and Families, submitted a report providing an update on the Adoption Service.

7.2.2

In attendance for this item were Jon Banwell, Assistant Director, Provider Services, and Liz Spaven, Fostering and Adoption Service Manager, Children, Young People and Families. 

7.2.3

Members of the Committee raised questions and the following responses were provided:-

·                     Every effort was made to keep siblings together where possible, although this was dependant on their assessment and Care Plan.  In some cases, siblings were kept together in the short-term, in foster placements, to assess how the arrangement works.  In those cases where it was not suitable or possible to keep siblings together, arrangements would be made for them to have direct contact at agreed times, as defined in the individual’s Adoption Support Plan. The arrangements in terms of maintaining relationships between adopted siblings were included as part of the Adoption Support Plan.  There may be cases where the adopters would not want contact between siblings to continue, and it could potentially be left up to the children themselves as to whether they maintained contact, although this was very unusual.  Every effort was made to encourage adopters to allow contact between siblings.

·                     The Adoption Regulations determined that the local authority that placed the child/children with the adopters remained responsible for the adoption support three years post the Adoption Order being granted.  The responsibility would then transfer to the local authority that the family resided in.

·                     Whilst the age range in terms of children placed for adoption varied, children of certain age groups proved more difficult to place than others, this included boys of five years or older, and sibling groups. 

·                     Despite all the work and publicity in terms of recruitment, there was still a shortage of people wanting to adopt. This was a national issue.

7.3

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)       notes the information contained in the reports now submitted, together with the responses to the questions raised; and

(b)       thanks Jon Banwell and Liz Spaven for attending the meeting and responding to the questions raised.