The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People approved the council's participation in a regional fostering hub and agreed to a one-off goodwill uplift for existing independent fostering agency placements. Additionally, interim contracts were approved to ensure continuity of supported accommodation for young people.

Home and Future Fostering Hub Arrangements

Oxfordshire County Council will join the Thames Valley North Regional Care Cooperative, an end-to-end hub for foster carer recruitment and approval. This initiative, supported by the Department for Education, aims to increase the number of foster homes nationally. Buckinghamshire Local Authority is the proposed host authority for the hub, which will be responsible for marketing, recruitment, assessment, and approval of new foster carers. This regional model is expected to improve carer recruitment and retention, reduce assessment delays, and strengthen placement sufficiency for children. The hub is scheduled to commence operations in April 2027.

South Central Independent Fostering Agency Framework

A one-off 2% goodwill uplift for existing placements made through the South-Central Independent Fostering Agency Framework was approved. This decision, estimated to cost up to £220,000, aims to address provider concerns about commercial sustainability and support provider retention. The uplift will be subject to a majority vote of the South-Central consortium, with a 50% quorum requirement. This measure is intended to help maintain placement sufficiency and choice for children and young people, and to reduce the risk of greater reliance on more expensive SPOT placements. The framework itself has been extended until 31 March 2028.

Young People's Supported Accommodation (YPSA) - Contracts and 18+ Asylum Seeker Care Leaver Service Contract

Interim short-term contracts and/or contract variations were approved for Young People's Supported Accommodation (YPSA) and the 18+ Asylum Seeker Care Leaver Service. These arrangements, with a total cost of £3,233,120, will be in place from 1 October 2027 to 31 March 2029. The purpose of these interim measures is to ensure continuity of provision for young people requiring supported accommodation during the period of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). The authority to finalise these contracts was delegated to the Director of Children's Services, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer. A full recommissioning process will be undertaken once the new local authority arrangements are established.