Purpose

To consider joining a Regional Fostering Hub partnership alongside Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Councils to maximise opportunities to recruit new foster carers for Milton Keynes.

Decision

1. That Milton Keynes City Council’s participation in the Department for Education End-to-End (E2E) Fostering Programme through the Home and Future Regional Care Cooperative arrangements, be approved.
2. That Milton Keynes City Council’s participation in the Thames Valley North locality hub with Oxfordshire County Council / Buckinghamshire Council, within the wider Home and Future regional framework, be endorsed in principle.
3. That any implementation be phased, risk-managed and designed to build on Milton Keynes City Council’s existing fostering improvement work, recruitment momentum, foster carer support and wider placement sufficiency strategy.
4. That authority be delegated to the Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Cabinet member for Children and Young People, the Monitoring Officer and the Section 151 Officer, to:

(a)       enter into the necessary Memorandum of Understanding, partnership agreement, data-sharing agreement and related delivery arrangements; and

(b)       finalise and implement Milton Keynes City Council’s local implementation and transition plan, ensuring continuity for children, foster carers, prospective carers and staff.

1. That continued engagement with foster carers, prospective foster carers, staff, trade unions, children and young people, elected members and regional partners takes place throughout implementation.