Agenda item

To consider a report seeking approval for the proposed changes within the refresh of the Fostering Strategy 2022-25.

Cabinet received a report seeking approval for the proposed changes within the refresh of the Fostering Strategy 2022 to 2025, attached at Appendix 1 to the report.

The strategy sought to give effect to the Authority’s duties under Section 22G of the Children Act 1989, which required the Authority take steps to secure, so far as reasonably practicable, sufficient accommodation within the Authority’s area which met the needs of children that the Local Authority cared for and whose circumstances were such that it would be consistent with their welfare for them to be provided with accommodation that was in the Local Authority’s area (the so-called ‘sufficiency duty’).

The Fostering Strategy had the following key aims and objectives:

1.     To increase the total number of local Foster Carers available for the children and young people of North Tyneside who required care;

2.     To increase the number of Foster Carers with the skills to care for teenagers;

3.     To increase the number of Foster Carers with the skills to care for sibling groups;

4.     To improve the resilience of our Foster Carers through our support to them, reducing the number of foster care arrangements which break down;

5.     To cease the use of Independent Fostering Agency placements in emergency situations;

6.     To reduce the number of external Children’s Home placements for children and young people in favour of placements with skilled Foster Carers.

The Authority had pledged to the children and young people of the Borough that it would only care for them when it had first worked tirelessly to keep them safe within their family home. The Authority successfully delivered on this pledge and hundreds of children who remained within their family home and connected to their community because of the help and support that the Authority and its partners provided to make it safe for them to do so.

When it was absolutely necessary for a child or young person to move from their family home to keep them safe, the Authority would try to place a child or young person in the care of someone known to them and part of their family and friend’s network. Such placements minimised the impact on children and young people having to leave their own home. At the current time there were approximately 100 of our children helped in this way by the Authority. Where the network of family and friends around a child or young person was not able to care for them, the Authority required Foster Carers – residents who opened their door and their lives to a child or young person in need of love and care. At any one time, approximately 100 of our children and young people were cared for in Foster Care. Accordingly, Foster Carers made an extraordinary and important contribution to the life of our community.

Nationally, there were too few Foster Carers for the number of children and young people requiring care. This was also the situation locally. The Authority had faced significant challenge in recruiting and retaining sufficient numbers of Foster Carers to meet the needs of the Borough, in particular Foster Carers skilled at caring for teenagers, and Foster Carers who are skilled at caring for sibling groups. Set against this challenging need, the Authority was recruiting in an increasingly competitive marketplace for new carers, with other local authorities and Independent Fostering Agencies actively recruiting residents within our Borough.

The Authority understood that wherever possible children in care should live in a family environment for their health and wellbeing.  The Authority’s in-house fostering arrangements were the most cost-effective way of caring for our children, costing on average £199.54 per week.  Alternative arrangements proved more costly, which included;independent agency foster care arrangement – average cost of £777 per week;in-house children’s home – average cost of £2,894 per week; and children’s home with a private provider – average cost of £4,481 per week (with the range of costs between £3,500 and £10,000 per week).  These costs were increasing, not only due to market forces but also as a result of current inflationary pressures and the increased costs of living.  

It was the ambition of the Authority to provide a competitive foster care service to children and young people who needed it, by recruiting the right number of Foster Carers with the right skills. To achieve this ambition, the Authority had refreshed the Fostering Strategy to offer a competitive fostering allowances payment structure to improve recruitment and retention of Foster Carers, and which met the Government recommended levels, and included proposals to:

·             Annually review and increase age related allowances in line with the National Minimum Allowance as set by the Government  

·             Phase out the use of teen supplement

·             Introduce a £75 second child fee

·             Cease the out of hours Foster Carer Advice and Support telephone service

·             Introduce Foster Carer clinics with HIVE counsellors

·             Expand outreach support offer

Detailed information regarding each of the above proposals were set out in sections 1.5.2 to 1.5.7 of the report.

The Authority had engaged with other Authorities within the North East region about their approach to the payment of age-related allowances.  The Authority not only paid below the recommended levels, but also paid the lowest rate compared to other regional Authorities.The Authority had received letters from Will Quince MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children and Families, seeking reasons why it currently paid below the recommended levels.

Adopting the National Minimum Allowance would impact on Special Guardianship allowances, Child Arrangement Order allowances, and Adoption Order allowances due to the means testing and financial calculation of these allowances, with fostering allowance as the base measure.

As Cabinet members, it was their collective duty to ensure the Authority provided a high-quality foster care service that met the needs of children and young people who needed it, by attracting and retaining Foster Carers. 

Cabinet considered the following decision options: to approve the recommendations set out in paragraph 1.2 of the report; or alternatively, to not accept the recommendations.

Resolved that (1) the Fostering Strategy 2022-25 attached at Appendix 1 to the report, be approved; and

(2) the Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Learning, the Director of Resources and the Assistant Chief Executive, be authorised to review the Fostering Strategy and to make any amendments to the Strategy as appropriate.

(Reasons for decision: The Authority needs to increase the number of mainstream Foster Carers to meet the needs of children and young people in the care population, particularly teenagers and sibling groups.  Keeping these children in North Tyneside maintains their family network, community links and stability in education.  Children have better future outcomes by living within a family environment.

Many Foster Carers in North Tyneside are from older generations who have the time and resources to look after children in their homes.  However, this does mean that the Authority regularly have carers who choose to retire from the profession.  In 2021/22 the Authority received 13 resignations.  This year to date there has been 8 resignations.  It is imperative that new Foster Carers are recruited to ensure that numbers are maintained and, to deliver on the aims of the strategy, increased.    

Adopting the strategy, with the aim of recruiting 30 mainstream Foster Carers, will allow the Authority to:

·       reduce the use of IFA care arrangements by 1 child per year (saving on average £30,000 per year)

·       reduce external children’s home care arrangements by 1 child per year (saving on average £222,600 per year.)