Issue - meetings

Report of the Chief Officer for Children’s Services on proposed changes to Foster Carer Fees.

In addition, the Children’s Scrutiny Committee, at its meeting on 17^th September, in considering the Report and Addendum Report of the Chief Officer for Children’s Services ((CS/18/25), RESOLVED that the Committee endorse the principles behind the changes to the Foster Carer fees and allowances structure, as set out in the Report and Addendum (CS/18/25), but that Cabinet be strongly urged to:

(i)         guarantee income protection for carers until all current foster placements come to an end;

(ii)         pay birthday, holiday and festival allowances on or near the relevant date, rather than as part of the weekly allowance; and

(iii)        ensure that the fostering service look favourably upon requests for additional support, in circumstances where there are childminding and/or transportation needs, where this is consistent with the child’s care plan.

The Cabinet are asked to consider these recommendations as part of their deliberations.

(Councillors Biederman, Dewhirst, Hannaford, Hosking and Wright attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

(Councillor Parsons declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in this matter by virtue of being a foster carer and having foster care placements and withdrew from the meeting during its consideration).

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Chief Officer for Children’s Services (CS/18/29) circulated prior to the meeting in accordance with regulation 7(4) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 relating to a revised fees and allowances structure for Devon’s foster carers.

Circulated at the meeting, but published prior to the meeting, was a revised recommendation to the Chief Officers Report and an updated scheme of fees and allowances incorporating all the recommendations of the Children’s Scrutiny Committee (Minute *74 of 17^th September 2018).

The Report highlighted that the Council was a corporate parent and, in all decision-making relating to children in care, must have the welfare of the child as the paramount consideration. 

The Council was also responsible for determining the fees and allowances it paid to its foster carers and the Cabinet noted that an engagement with foster carers, an analysis of practice in other Local Authorities and Independent Fostering Agencies had informed the proposals.

Detailed papers were previously prepared for Children’s Scrutiny Committee who considered the matter on 17 September 2018.  That Committee, in reviewing the Report and Addendum Report of the Chief Officer for Children’s Services ((CS/18/25) and hearing representations from a number of foster carers, RESOLVED that it endorsed the principles behind the changes to the Foster Carer fees and allowances structure, as set out in the Report and Addendum (CS/18/25), but that Cabinet be strongly urged to:

(i)         guarantee income protection for carers until all current foster placements come to an end;

(ii)         pay birthday, holiday and festival allowances on or near the relevant date, rather than as part of the weekly allowance; and

(iii)        ensure that the fostering service look favourably upon requests for additional support, in circumstances where there are childminding and/or transportation needs, where this is consistent with the child’s care plan.

The Cabinet welcomed these recommendations and had therefore incorporated them into the recommendation now before the Cabinet.

The proposed model was set out in the appendix (NEW), the governing principles being that it recognised the individual support needs of the child, was equitable and fair, gave reward and recognition for ongoing training, was affordable, recognised that support from the Council continued to be valued, had a fair assessment process, was simple and competitive with Independent Fostering Agencies, had clear expectations for carers, flexibility to reward work done and was transparent and understandable.

Under the proposals, 50% of carers (135 carers) would see an increase in fees, 10% would stay the same and 40% (108 carers) would see a decrease. 

The model showing relevant payments was highlighted in the papers and details of the engagement and consultation processes were set  ...  view the full minutes text for item 237