Agenda item

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 out in the scrutiny papers, linked from the Report now before the Cabinet.

A snapshot of children in placement on 31^st March 2018 was used as the baseline for the financial modelling in respect of the original proposal and then subsequently in respect of the scrutiny recommendation to offer protection to the end of existing placements. The Report highlighted the cost of each option. The costs of the Scrutiny recommendation was higher, but the risk profile in relation to placement stability for children was lower.

The Chief Officer’s Report incorporated an Impact Assessment which outlined the financial impact on foster carers had been carefully considered with extensive financial modelling and any losses to allowances being ameliorated as far as practicable.  There was a risk that the new model might mean some foster carers left fostering, however, Devon’s market position was competitive and carers who decided to work for another authority or an Independent Fostering Agency (IFA) were unlikely to receive a higher financial package. The assessment reported that the risk was felt to be outweighed by the benefit of attracting new foster carers into the fostering service due to the new fees model being more fair and consistent.

The impacts and actions would be monitored as part of the project governance that had been in place since the project commenced. Any issues would be escalated to Childrens Senior Leadership Team via the senior responsible officer (SRO).

In summary, the Cabinet Member highlighted that the Council valued its foster carers and the current system was both complex and unfair. The proposed new model was based on the child and supported training.  The aim was to create a fair and equitable system, a more transparent fee structure and coupled with highly regarded support for foster carers and be in a stronger position to recruit more foster carers in the future.

The matter having been debated and the options and/or alternatives and other relevant factors (e.g. financial, sustainability, carbon impact, risk management, equality and legal considerations and Public Health impact) set out in the Chief Officer’s Report and/or referred to above having been considered:

It was MOVED by Councillor McInnes, SECONDED by Councillor Hart, and

RESOLVED

(a) that the revised scheme of fees and allowances for Devon County Council’s Foster Carers, attached as Appendix (New), which incorporates all of the recommendations of the Council’s Children’s Scrutiny Committee of 17 September 2018 (set out in paragraph 3.1 of Report CS/18/29) be approved; and

(b) that the scheme commences three months from the date of this Cabinet meeting in order that the operational arrangements be finalised and that an evaluation and review, in 12 months time, is reported to the Children’s Scrutiny Committee.

[NB: The Impact Assessment referred to above may be viewed alongside Minutes of this meeting and may also be available at:  http://new.devon.gov.uk/impact/].