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Rotherham to consider family-based placements rather than children’s homes for children in care (5 September 2016)

Date: 05/09/2016
Duncan Lewis, Child Care Solicitors, Rotherham to consider family-based placements rather than children’s homes for children in care

Rotherham City Council has announced that children in care are to benefit from family-based placements as the preferred option, as the council seeks to make Rotherham a child-centred borough.

The council says it wants to increase the capacity it has for placing children with its in-house foster carers – and wants family-based placements to be the natural path for looked after children, where possible.

A number of recommendations are to be considered to pave the way for the change, including the council closing two of its three remaining children's homes – Cherry Tree House and Silverwood.

It follows a period of targeted consultation with children and young people, staff, elected members, trade unions and other key stakeholders, after concerns were raised at both homes through Ofsted reports.

Although subsequent improvements were made, the council says these were not enough to maintain confidence in the future operations of both homes.

The council has also been advised that commissioners should increase council fees to in-house foster carers, in order to help strengthen its recruitment and retention drives, to ensure there are sufficient carers locally to meet the needs of looked after children.

The council says it is committed to being a child-centred borough – and wants the children in its care to have a family-based placement, in accordance with their assessed needs and circumstances. This is because foster care provides children with a safe, stable and loving environment when they are unable to live with their birth families.

The move represents a shift in council practice – and is consistent with its improvement journey to enhance practice and assure the quality of the care it provides.

Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, Deputy Leader Councillor Gordon Watson, said:

“We are endeavouring to ensure that we have sufficient high-quality, family-based care placements to keep children placed locally within easy access of their communities, services and birth family, to promote continuity of support and contact.

“Residential care placements will continue to be appropriate for some children and young people with very specific needs and circumstances – but these will be fewer in number going forward.

“In these austere times, we also need to strive to deliver value for money and high-quality placements for children – while continuing to take our responsibilities for managing public money very seriously.

“Increasing foster care fees will be on an invest to save basis.”

Children's Commissioner Patricia Bradwell added:

“Foster carers provide a safe and loving environment – and the more we invest in our foster carers, the better care we can offer to our looked after children.

“It also means we won't be using the independent or residential sector, which is more costly.”

Currently, carers on the council's books are paid lower fees than those paid in neighbouring authorities or independent agencies. The move to increase the fees follows a period of consultation with current foster carers to make life as a foster carer easier.

In particular, the council wants to attract people to foster teenagers and young people over the age of 11. The council says the severe shortage of places for adolescents has meant a number of children having to be placed outside the local authority area because the council does not have sufficient local places.

This can have severe impacts in terms of children being able to rebuild family relationships and can impact on achievements at school, with sometimes wider long term ramifications for the rest of their lives.

Commissioners will decide on the future of both children's homes and the potential increase in foster care fees at a meeting on Monday, September 12.

Duncan Lewis Children Lawyers

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For expert legal advice on family and child care law, call Duncan Lewis children lawyers on 0333 772 0409.


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