Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Children, Education & Families

Forward Plan Ref: 2014/097

Contact: Matthew Edwards, Corporate Parenting Manager Tel: (01865) 323098

Report by Director for Children’s Services (CA9).

The report updates Cabinet on the progress achieved since The Placement Strategy was approved by Cabinet in July 2013.  This report provides an update on the strategy's four major work streams:  residential homes build, delivery model for edge of care and residential provision, re-commissioning of  young people's supported housing , and fostering and adoption reform.   It particularly draws attention to the challenges around foster care recruitment and asks Cabinet to endorse an ambition for Oxfordshire to become "the most fostering friendly county in the country".  It recognises that there needs to be a radical step change in recruitment of foster carers to relieve the pressure on the agency placement budget and that the local authority cannot be the sole driver but needs engagement from a number of partners including from business and the community.  A number of new approaches are recommended in this area and Cabinet is being asked to ensorse and support these approaches. 

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to endorse the initiatives set out in paragraph 13 of this report.

Recommendations agreed.

Cabinet considered a report that updated Cabinet on the progress achieved since The Placement Strategy was approved by Cabinet in July 2013. The report provided an update on the strategy's four major work streams: residential homes build, delivery model for edge of care and residential provision, re-commissioning of young people's supported housing, and fostering and adoption reform. It particularly drew attention to the challenges around foster care recruitment and sought Cabinet’s endorsement of a number of new approaches.

Councillor Gill Sanders, Shadow Cabinet Member for Children, Education & Families, spoke in support of the work being undertaken and in particular the approaches to fostering care recruitment. The increasing costs were a huge challenge and the Council should express its concern to central government over the impact on funding.

During discussion Cabinet welcomed the report and made a number of suggestions around recruitment of foster carers.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to endorse the initiatives set out in paragraph 13 of the report.

At this point it was agreed to vary the order of items on the agenda.