Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Children and Young People

Forward Plan Ref: 2025/174

Contact: Alison Walker, Commissioning Officer Promote and Prevent (Alison.Walker@oxfordshire.gov.uk)

Report by Director of Children’s Services (CMDCEYP)

The Cabinet Member is RECOMMENDED to: 

1. Approve the option to extend the South Central Independent Fostering Agency (SC-IFA) Framework for an extended period of 1 year (1^st April 2026-31^st March 2027). 

The Commissioning Officer for Promote & Prevent introduced this item.

Firstly, the Cabinet Member asked the officers what age parents had to be to benefit from the service. The officers said most beneficiaries were 18 years old or younger, although sometimes those who were older could be eligible, and in any event the criterion was whether the parent could care for the child in the community.

Secondly, the Cabinet Member asked the officers about Enhanced Placements. The officers clarified that Enhanced Placements were for children who had more complex needs and required additional support, for instance, because of a medical diagnosis.

Thirdly, the Cabinet Member said that he approved of the report and the Council’s objectives, especially with respect to paragraph 7, maintaining ‘service continuity, market stability, and placement quality and sufficiency for vulnerable young people’; and paragraph 12, ‘two of the key priorities set out by the Start Well Commissioning Team’ and ‘three of the priorities set out in the Council’s Corporate Plan’ as detailed in the report.

Fourthly, the Cabinet Member asked the officers what would happen after March 2027. The officers said that they would report to South Central after the decision had been taken with respect to renewal for one year. During that year, there would be discussion with the provider about what happened thereafter, and re-tendering remained an option. The Cabinet Member further asked about the impact of the Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) on that decision. Officers said that fostering services would remain a statutory obligation. The Cabinet Member encouraged them to think about LGR in terms of their future delivery.

The Cabinet Member said that he understood the risk associated with taking no action with respect to the Framework and asked the Shadow Cabinet Member if he had any questions. The Shadow Cabinet Member did not have any questions.

RESOLVED to approve the option to extend the South Central Independent Fostering Agency (SC-IFA) Framework for an extended period of 1 year (1st April 2026- 31st March 2027).