Agenda item

The Sub-Committee received a report that provided an update on fostering arrangements in relation to developments, on-going performance and challenges in Havering pre and post the Ofsted inspection.

The report detailed the developments, on-going performance and challenges within the Fostering Service. Members noted that there had been significant work in maintaining foster carer recruitment, which had now expanded to include recruitment of specialist foster carers.   

The report informed the Sub-Committee that the number of Looked After Children was increasing and the in-house foster carers were not able to accommodate the volume of children requiring placements. It had resulted in the use of Independent Fostering Agencies, with some children being placed outside of the Local Authority. The current arrangement was to match children in long term foster care arrangements in order to promote stability and consistency for children who were looked after. This has required commitment from the foster carers. 

The Sub-Committee noted that the proposal was to sustain and build upon Foster carer recruitment and retention with the aim to support children with complex needs with specialist foster carers and build a system that can support challenging placements and provide value for money. 

The report detailed the profile/inspection outcome of the service, it was noted that as at 27 June 2017, there were 257 children being looked after by the authority.  79 children being placed in-house compared to 85 placed with Independent Fostering Agency (IFA) placements; 33 within semi-independent and 26 within residential placements.

The Sub-committee was informed that between April 2016 and March 2017 the Fostering Service received 181 enquiries from members of the public interested in foster caring. From April 2017 to date 28 enquires were received.

The Service had recruited 15 carers for 2016/2017, three carers below the set target of 18. It was mentioned that this was impacted by delays with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. It took five to six months to fully recruit a foster carer and present to Panel for approval. Since March  to 27 June 2017 there have been a further 11 fostering households approved, 7 approved for 0-18 and 4 for 0-12 years; 9 of these are available for sibling groups of at least 2.

The Service also monitored the reasons foster carers leave Havering as this also provided an indication of potential areas for attention/improvement. There have been a number of de-registrations in regard to quality standards. Over the year April 2016-17 seventeen foster carers have resigned with the following reasons:

• 2 shared carers (Short Breaks carer’s children with disabilities living at home) for whom Direct Payments were now used.
• 3 Carers who have moved out of the area and transferred to their new local authority.
• 6 Carers who were not prepared to work to the Local Authority’s standards and child centred approach.
• 5 retired/family circumstances
• 1 following an unsubstantiated allegation made by children previously placed.

The Sub-Committee noted that the innovation programme was being used to target specialist foster carers in recognition of the range of multiple and complex needs of some the children coming to care. This is explained as follows:

Face to Face Pathways; a programme of innovation lasting two years, to implement a new and different approach to respond to the issues facing young people in care aged 11-17 and those leaving care aged 14-24. The programme would require the Local Authority to develop, test and redesign provision to support care leavers and looked after children. The ambition was to be a regional centre of excellence for successful transitions to adulthood.

To support the enhanced Fostering offer; an additional remuneration category would need to be added for those Carers who were willing to offer placements to children with multiple complex emotional/behavioural difficulties.

The Sub-Committee noted the following action plan for the service:

• The Care Resources Service to continue to ensure fostering responded effectively to current challenges for children and the recruitment drive be  further developed. The work would address Ofsted’s recommendations and findings from practice week/auditing.
• To continue with the recruitment campaign to expand the number of in-house carers (with a particular focus upon over 11’s) and ensure foster carers were committed to working to keep sibling groups together wherever possible. The campaign would be evaluated in autumn 2017.
• To strengthen in-house offer and build a proposal in relation to an enhanced fostering model based upon the existing/projected profile of service demand, by first quarter 2017/18.
• To explore a range of joint commissioning options which included fostering capacity within the East London sub-regional. Further information to be provided in quarter one of 2017/18.

The Sub-Committee noted the update report.