Agenda item

The Panel received the Fostering Annual Update from Anne Middleton, Service Manager for Fostering and the Panel welcomed Anne and foster carers Angela, Helen, Lesley and Jennifer.  Between them, the foster carers offered homes to nine children and young people including siblings. Two of the foster carers were also Mockingbird Hub carers (for copy of report, see file of minutes).

The Service Manager presented the Fostering Annual Report, outlining the work of the service and fostering panels during 2023-24, including a summary of activity and marketing, challenges and achievements and key priorities for 2024-25.

The Service Manager reminded the Panel that one of the key priorities discussed in 2023 had been to increase the number of in-house foster carers and during the last year, 23 new foster carers were recruited and 13 foster families were deregistered.  Analysis of the data as to why foster carers left the service found a number of foster carers left due to retirement.  The marketing strategy had been reviewed to offer a wider range of fostering options and the new Pathfinder Hub which comprised of the 12 local authorities in the North East working, together to increase the number of foster families, had led to an increase in referrals.  Work was ongoing to improve timings to enable young people to be in permanent homes as quickly as possible. The team had also strengthened matching arrangements and worked to reduce unnecessary placement moves.  It was reported that 72% of children in our care lived in fostering arrangements and the number of connected carers continued to increase.  From 2023 – 2024, 65 connected foster carers were deregistered and 39 of those occurred as Special Guardianship Orders were made and 12 were due to children being returned to the care of their parents. The Service Manager clarified that for some connected carers it was not appropriate for Special Guardianship Orders to be sought.

The Service Manager concluded by highlighting priorities for 2024-25, including to increase sufficiency, to build on the success of the Pathfinder and Mockingbird Hubs, to progress early permanence plans, as well as increase the connected carers capacity and develop their training offer to align with that offered to mainstream foster carers.

The foster carers remarked that hearing the comments from the young people at the meeting, emphasised that a ‘one size fits all’ approach was not appropriate. The foster cares spoke of the benefits of the Mockingbird model which had established an alternative approach to foster care and they echoed the young people’s comments with regard to the positive input from foster carers in family time arrangements.

The Chair commented on the difficult balance to be achieved in the family time offer as some of the processes in place which may be perceived as bureaucratic were safeguarding measures.

The Head of Early Help, Inclusion and Vulnerable Children commented on the success of the foster carer awards ceremony and how heart-warming it had been to meet the long standing foster carers and hear their feedback on the value in the training delivered by young people.  He asked the foster carers for their views on how the foster care offer could be improved. The foster carers responded that improvements in the links between services would be of benefit, particularly during the transition from children’s to adult’s services.  The foster carers commented that the young people in their care were part of their family and they experienced the same range of emotions as all parents did when preparing for their child to move on. The foster carers said they would like young people to be encouraged to stay in touch with their former foster carers, when it is in the young person’s best interests.  Luke spoke of the work done through the Next Venture Fund which aimed to support care leavers to build their networks on leaving care, to reduce feelings of isolation, which included maintaining links with their former foster carers.

The Service Improvement Manager responded that the service recognised the transition to adult services was challenging for young people and foster carers and work was ongoing to support the process.

The Chair thanked the foster carers for giving up their valuable time to contribute to the meeting, adding that they were welcome to attend future Corporate Parenting Panel meetings.

Resolved:

That the recommendations in the report be agreed.