Purpose

The local authority is
experiencing a shortage of foster placements, particularly for
sibling groups and children with complex needs. This is resulting
in:

• Children being placed outside the local area.
• Increased costs for independent fostering agencies.
• Increases in children placed in residential settings where
their plan is foster care.
• Disruption of sibling relationships.

A policy has been developed to support foster carers to receive
financial support from the local authority to make alterations /
extensions to their homes which enable them to look after more
children. Foster carers have been surveyed and there is a strong
interest in this scheme from them. Two foster carers have actively
come forward and are requesting support to enable their current
children to remain with them.

Decision

(1) 
To agree the proposal to offer housing alterations for foster
carers, and note the draft policy Housing Alterations Policy for
Bath & North East Somerset Foster
Carers. 
 
(2) 
To agree the delegation of final approval for
the policy and associated processes to the Director
of Children’s Services in consultation with the
Cabinet Member for Children’s Services.
 
(3) 
To note  the allocation
of £500,000 of capital funding for the works which is
included in the proposed capital programme as provisionally
approved, delegating responsibility for the full approval of the
funding to the Director of Children’s Services in
consultation with the Director of Finance (S151 Officer), and to
delegate decisions on each individual case to the Director of
Children’s Services.

Reasons for the decision

This policy will help to address the shortage
of foster carers, which is placing considerable pressure on
children’s services and social care.  Currently, at least 11 children remain in
residential care despite their care plan being foster care. To
address this, the Council is developing a policy to fund home
extensions or alterations for existing foster carers whose housing
limitations prevent them from accommodating more children.
 
The policy will enable existing foster carers
to care for more children in care. 
Survey results show that an overwhelming majority of existing
foster carers responded positively to the proposals. 
 
Supporting more children and young
people in local homes, means that travel times to school and other
settings is reduced, and social workers and other have shorter
travel times. This delivers a more sustainable model of social
support that is both environmentally responsible and community
focused.

Alternative options considered

This project is part of the
wide-ranging Children’s Transformation programme underway in
Children’s Services.  No other
options related to this project have been specifically
reviewed.