Agenda item
Brent Fostering Service Quarterly Monitoring Report 1st October - 31st December 2016
This report provides information to the Committee about the general management of the in-house fostering service and how it is achieving good outcomes for children. This is in accordance with standard 25.7 of the Fostering National Minimum Standards (2011). The report covers the third quarter of this reporting year.
Minutes:
Nigel Chapman (Operational Director, Integration and Improved Service) introduced to the committee the Brent Fostering Service Quarterly Monitoring Report for the period 1 October 2016 to 31 December 2016. Members’ attention was drawn to changes in placement activity and recruitment activity over this period. In particular, the committee heard that the number of children placed with Brent Foster Carers had reduced in quarter 1 to twenty-six per cent, which fell below the corporate performance target of thirty-five per cent. During this time, there had also been a stabilisation of the numbers of unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) approaching the borough for support. It was anticipated that the recruitment target for foster carers for 2016/17 would only just fall short of the target of twelve to fifteen, with the number of approvals by March 2017 projected at eleven. Future developments for the service were outlined to members, including the rolling out of social pedagogy training to foster carers and a joint bid with Ealing and Harrow local authorities to the DfE to pursue better collaboration and sharing of services regarding foster carer recruitment.
A member noted that the reference to the delays caused by the slow return of information from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) had become a standing item in the monitoring report and queried what action had been taken to address the issue. An appraisal of the current situation with UASC was requested, to include comment on support offered by schools, collaboration with colleagues in the housing service and whether there was a need for more semi-independent provision. A member highlighted the benefit of liaising with the Adults Safeguarding Board in supporting a young person transitioning to adult services and the potential for learning and sharing lessons regarding the provision of semi-independent and assisted living accommodation. It was questioned to what degree financial considerations contributed to foster carers resigning from Brent and further information was sought regarding the out-of-hours support line for foster carers. Queries were raised regarding missing children and the awareness of the procedures in place for foster carers in such circumstances.
In response, Nigel Chapman advised that the difficulties caused by the DBS delays had been raised via the London Directors of Children Services to senior levels of the Metropolitan Police. Whilst the council had not lost foster carers it had resulted in delays in their approval. Gail Tolley advised that officers would contact the London Safeguarding Board, the membership of which included Senior Metropolitan Police Officers, to seek a resolution to the situation.
Turning to the issue of UASC, Nigel Chapman informed the committee that Brent had the third highest numbers, after Croydon and Hillingdon. As one of eight London boroughs where the number of UASC exceeded 0.1 per cent of the child population, Brent was no longer included in the UK Border Agency rota for accommodating UASC. The national scheme was currently ineffective as it relied on local authorities voluntarily accepting UASC and lobbying was taking place at senior levels to try to address this. Gail Tolley (Strategic Director of Children and Young People) advised that Ofsted had visited during the reporting period and provided very positive feedback on the support for young people with English as a second language. Nigel Chapman advised that collaboration with colleagues in the housing service principally related to preventative action to support people into larger accommodation and prevent children coming into the care system. The council had a range of providers of semi-independent accommodation for young people and now had a framework agreement with the West London Alliance for commissioning additional provision.
Nigel Chapman advised that a benchmarking exercise was underway to ensure that Brent offered a competitive allowance for foster carers. Further information on the reasons for Foster Carers leaving Brent would be included in the next monitoring report. The council had an emergency duty team of social workers, of which foster carers were aware; however by the start of the new financial year it was anticipated that a support line would be available for foster carers to access non-emergency advice and support. Gail Tolley confirmed that foster carers were made aware of the procedures to follow in an urgent situation and would contact their supervising social worker or the out of hours emergency duty team if they needed to report an incident.
RESOLVED: that the Brent Fostering Service Quarterly Monitoring Report 1st October - 31st December 2016 be noted.
Supporting documents: