Issue - meetings

This report seeks approval for the Council to enter into a new, updated Collaboration Agreement in respect of the West London Regional Fostering Recruitment Hub along with Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster Councils.

Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)  For the Council to enter into a new and updated Collaboration Agreement in respect of the West London Regional Fostering Recruitment Hub.

(2)  To delegate authority to the Corporate Director Children, Young People and Community Development, in consultation with the Corporate Director of Finance and Resources, to finalise the terms of the Collaboration Agreement.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 3 August 2026.

Concillor Jake Rubin (Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Employment and Climate Action) introduced a report from the Corporate Director Children, Young People and Community Development seeking approval for the Council to enter into a new, updated Collaboration Agreement in respect of the West London Regional Fostering Recruitment Hub along with Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster Council’s.

In introducing the report, Councillor Rubin expressed his view that one of the most important areas of the Council’s work was to provide care and support to its looked after children, of which there were just under 300 in Brent. He advised that the paper responded to some of the challenges in recruiting and retaining foster carers, the main challenge being that the independent sector was, at times, better resourced to market themselves and provide higher payment to foster carers.

In detailing the rationale for the proposal, Councillor Rubin affirmed Brent’s aim to provide foster carers in-house wherever possible, in order to provide greater oversight and establish a better connection to the borough and community amongst foster carers. The new agreement would give a greater role to the West London Fostering Hub, which Brent was already part of with 8 other boroughs, in relation to the recruitment of and, on occasion, the approval of foster carers, with a more end-to-end process in terms of the assessment and training of new carers. He added that the agreement aligned with the Department for Education’s ambition for regional fostering hubs and therefore asked Cabinet to approve the new and updated agreement and associated recommendations outlined in the report.

Cabinet thanked Councillor Rubin and officers for the report and took the opportunity to place on record their appreciation for Brent’s foster carers, who they felt delivered an excellent service on behalf of young people in the borough. The Government’s ambitions in tackling the challenges faced in recruiting foster carers was also welcomed with it recognised that housing, or a lack of available room, remained one of the main contributing factors impacting on the number of individuals and families coming forward to foster.

In once again thanking foster carers for their contribution to Brent, Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)       To enter into a new and updated Collaboration Agreement in respect of the West London Regional Fostering and Recruitment Hub.

(2)       To delegate authority to the Corporate Director Children, Young People and Community Development, in consultation with the Corporate Director Finance and Resources, to finalise the terms of the Collaboration Agreement.