The Acting Director of Children’s Services reported upon the outcome of the announced inspection of the Wirral Fostering Service by Ofsted and an update on the work of the Fostering Service since the last report in January 2010 (minute 51 refers). This was the first report and inspection since the publication of new Fostering National Minimum Standards and since updated guidance and regulations had come into force on 1 April 2011.

The overall quality rating by Ofsted for the fostering service was ‘good’ for the quality of care with some ‘outstanding’ outcomes for children and young people who were fostered. Appended to the report was an action plan which had been developed by the Fostering Service to address the areas for improvement which would be monitored through a Fostering Task Force which had membership of senior managers, staff from the Fostering Service, foster carers, training and development, and other professionals supporting children in care.

According to the new statutory guidance for family and friends care, the allowance paid to connected carers had to be calculated in the same way as mainstream foster carers, with any variation relating to the child’s needs, the skills of the carer or some other relevant factor that was used as a criterion for all of the service’s foster carers. Currently connected carers received the fostering allowance without any skills based fee unless they in addition fostered children that were not known to them. The additional cost for all connected carers to be paid an additional skills fee for each child in their care was estimated to be in the region £450,000. It was intended that the budget implications to address a required amendment in the foster carers’ payments policy would be reported to Cabinet as part of the budget process.

Responding to comments from Members, Simon Garner, Strategic Service Manager and the Acting Director commented that the fostering network had led on the drive to professionalise foster care. There was a need to use professional organisations where it was in the best interests of the child especially those with specialist needs. With regard to the pupil premium, the Acting Director had written to all schools requesting details of what this money had been spent on.

With regard to the drive to professionalise foster care, the Chair commented upon the need not to lose sight of the loving and nurturing standards which were required of all foster carers.

Julia Hassall, Acting Deputy Director, commented upon the recent publication of the Adoption League Table and that Wirral, in the three years up to the end of March, 2010 had placed 69% of children up for adoption within 12 months. This placed Wirral 105th out of 152 local authorities nationally.

Resolved –

(1) That this Committee, having considered the information in the report, is satisfied that the service is being managed effectively and that there are good outcomes for the children and young people that are fostered.

(2) That the financial implications arising from the payments to connected carers are reported to Cabinet and this Committee expects these payments to be made.