England

Foster carers should be paid annual fees and under-performing councils should have their fostering services taken over, according to a report published on 24 January 2012.

The wide-ranging report, called Fostering Aspirations – Reforming the foster carer system in England and Wales, by the think-tank Policy Exchange, recommended "radical reform" of English and Welsh fostering services to address the national shortage of foster carers.

 

Annual fees should be paid to foster carers, based on their skills and experience, the report recommended. A top tier of the most experienced and highly trained foster carers should be created and the carers paid a formal salary.
Foster carers should be commissioned via anonymous bids from local authority placement teams and independent providers when a child enters care. This will ensure children's needs are prioritised above placement costs, the think-tank said.

 

It also recommended the government should intervene if councils are failing to commission suitable foster care placements. This could involve local authorities handing over their fostering services to independent providers.
Matthew Oakley, co-author of the report, said: "We desperately need to reform the current foster care system. We can start by overhauling a system that can put cost considerations before a child's needs and does not encourage enough families to become carers."  

Friday, 16 December, 2011

 

The Fostering Network has welcomed a Government announcement that it will make additional money available so that foster carers in social housing are not financially penalised for providing homes for fostered children.
Under its plans for welfare reform, the Government’s new “under occupancy” rules would have meant foster carers in social housing faced having their housing benefit cut by up to £700 a year. The financial loss could have led many foster carers to consider giving up at a time when there is a shortage of thousands of foster carers.
However, speaking in Parliament this week, welfare minister Lord Freud said local authorities will be allowed to make discretionary housing payments to foster carers and the Government will provide extra money to make this possible.

 

Commenting on the news, Robert Tapsfield, chief executive of the Fostering Network said: “We have been fighting for foster carers living in social housing to be treated fairly under plans for welfare reform and this decision should now protect them from the loss in housing benefit.
“These plans would have put many foster carers in financial difficulty and deterred other people from fostering, so we are very pleased the Government has listened to our concerns and found a way to ensure foster carers are not penalised.”

 

Once the Welfare Reform Bill becomes law, the new under-occupancy rules will mean housing benefit payments will not cover rooms occupied by fostered children, only those for the foster family.
This additional investment by the Government should enable local authorities to make up the loss in financial support for those foster carers who need it.

 

Edward Timpson MP for Crewe & Nantwich and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Fostering and Adoption, said: "It was clear when I raised this issue with ministers that proposed changes to housing benefit rules were never intended to affect foster carers.

“I am delighted therefore that, following our discussions, the Government has brought forward these new measures that will ensure local authorities have sufficient funds available to support all foster carers who would otherwise have fallen foul of the new under-occupation rules.

 

“That has to be the right priority at a time when we need more foster carers, not less."
FosterTalk says well done to all those foster carers who supported this campaign by emailing Lord Freud to express their concerns- it seems your persistence has paid off!

http://www.education.gov.uk/consultations/

What do you think? Have YOUR say on FosterTalk's Public Forum

---

Children's Minister, Tim Loughton, invites your views and comments about the care system, whether this is about what works, what doesn't work or any ideas that you have about making changes and improvements. Tim Loughton has stated:

"Your views about the care system are incredibly important to me. I'd like to hear from people in care and those who have recently left, foster carers, and all those working with and for children and young people in the care system. I want you to let me and my officials know your thoughts about what works and what doesn’t, and the ideas you might have about changes that would make a difference, to you and others. I want to be able to find out what matters to you and people like you, so that I can make sure I'm putting all my efforts into the things that will make the most difference.

I won't be able to respond directly (so please don't include any personal or sensitive details), but I can assure you that your comments will be read and considered, and will help the Government make improvements to the care system in the future. I'll let you know what I'm doing to make sure the best ideas are shared and how we're tackling the biggest problems, so please visit the Children in care section of the Department for Education website where I will keep you updated."

Share your views with Tim