Minutes:
The Head of Early Help, Inclusion and Vulnerable Children provided an update on the number of foster care households, informing the Panel that 29 new foster care households had been recruited and 22 foster care households had left the service which provided a net increase of 7 households.
The Panel received information on recruitment activity taking place which aims to reach the target of 35 new households, with specific marketing campaigns in respect of disabled young people, sibling groups and unaccompanied asylum seeking children. The Panel will be provided with an update on the impact of the campaigns in the autumn.
Members discussed ways in which they could assist with recruitment, including leafleting households within Members’ respective electoral divisions, local shops, businesses and community buildings. Members commented that it would be useful to have information as to how many new foster carers were being recruited and from which areas, which could help to gauge whether leafleting was having an effect. Members were asked to inform the service when they are leafleting in order that data can be gathered. Members wishing to obtain marketing leaflets were asked to inform the Senior Partnerships Officer.
In response to a question from the Panel as to the amount of pop-ups on social media by private adoption agencies, the Head of Early Help, Inclusion and Vulnerable Children clarified that private agencies pay to advertise and he added that the service is exploring IT solutions in order to maximise the reach.
The Panel asked whether marketing information could be disseminated to families through school bag-drops and the Head of Early Help, Inclusion and Vulnerable Children responded that whilst this method would not be considered appropriate, the service was ensuring that positive messages are provided through schools.