Issue - meetings

Report of the Executive Director of Children’s Social Care and Education

Further to Minute No. 19 of 24 September 2019, the Committee considered the report of the Executive Director of Children’s Social Care and Education that provided a summary of the fostering service; highlighting practice; and plans to build on current achievements for the period 2019/2020.

The Fostering Service provided a range of short-term and permanent placements for Looked After Children with foster carers who had a diverse range of skills and experience. Foster carers provided respite support to each other, support to birth parents and carers, emergency care, and care for children in preparation for adoption and long-term permanence. Many young people had chosen to Stay Put with foster carers and carers had been able to support them beyond 18, through to independence and into adulthood.

As of 31 March 2020, Sefton Fostering Service had 89 approved mainstream fostering households caring for 159 children and 62 connected carer households caring for 67 children. The remainder of the children in care were placed with Independent Fostering Agencies, residential units, residential schools, Staying Put placements, Supported Lodgings or in semi-independent accommodation and children placed for adoption.

The Sefton Fostering Service Annual Report 2019/20 was attached to the report.

Members of the Committee asked questions/raised issues on the following:

·       The timing of the Sefton Fostering Service Annual Report.

·       If Covid-19 affected the figures for children placed into emergency care.

·       Factors taken into consideration for the recruitment of foster carers, particularly the unsuitability of the bedroom.

·       Figures on the number of people with disabilities who were foster carers. This could be provided.

·       Kinship data and the number of requests for viability, in particular. Links with this to panel activity.

·       Progress and monitoring of the Foster Service Improvement Plan.

RESOLVED: That

(1)      the report be noted;

(2)      annual reports in relation to the progress of the Children’s Social Care Fostering Service be continued to be received by the Committee; and

(3)      the Head of Children’s Care be requested to provide figures on the number of people with disabilities who are foster carers to the Senior Democratic Services Officer, for circulation to Members of the Committee.