To provide an update on the reduction strategy to reduce the number of children looked after (CLA). To include an update on cases that had been identified for Special Guardianship Orders (SGOs) or reunification.

The committee considered a report from the assistant director safeguarding and family support (ADS&FS) which provided an update on reducing the number of children looked after (CLA). The report was introduced by the Head of Children Looked After (HCLA) who explained that the COVID-19 pandemic had impacted upon foster placements and the number of children looked after currently in residential units was a concern. An initiative to retain and recruit foster carers was in effect and marketing improvements were being made to the campaign. An update on changes to the Herefordshire Intensive Placements Support Service was provided to the committee.

The committee raised the points below in the debate that followed:

·         The edge of care service had been in effect since April 2020 and it was queried what percentage of children had been diverted from care during this period. It was recommended that monitoring and recording of numbers of children prevented from entering care by the edge of care service was undertaken. The HCLA explained that the service had worked with 14 children and prevented 12 from entering care arrangements. Of the two that had entered care one had returned home and the other had remained in care.

·         The reason for delays in progressing long-term matching decisions was queried. The HCLA explained that it had not been afforded sufficient priority which had now been corrected by ensuring there was more effective monitoring arrangements including a review at 9 month intervals.

·         The reasons that foster carers did not wish to enter into special guardianship orders (SGOs) were queried. The HCLA explained the variety of reasons including concern over reduced financial support and the requirement to manage contact with family members. The ADS&FS explained that the notion of SGOs was being introduced to foster carers at an earlier stage of contact with potential carers.

·         Statistics concerning the number of children leaving care and preventing admission to care were raised and how they compared to other areas. The timescales for matching neighbouring areas were queried. The HCLA explained that the number of children leaving care was improving and coming into line with neighbouring areas however the objective of the service was to improve to a level that was better than the performance of neighbours. The ADS&FS explained children would always be taken into care and it was important to avoid drift and delay in decision making over children in care which was potentially harmful to families and children.  The HCLA explained that more detail would be available at the end of the financial year and that the year 2024 had been identified to match neighbouring performance. The Director Children and Families (DCF) explained that it was intended that the level of children looked after would not exceed 320 by the end of 2021 and that an increase in the level of children looked after in residential provision was a trend consistent across a number of councils resulting in overspending budgets. There were a number of plans in effect to reduce the number of children looked after and it was important that scrutiny had oversight of how the plans were taken forward. 

·         The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on foster care placements was queried. The HCLA explained that some foster carers had not been undertaking placements during the pandemic due to health concerns. Some respite placements had been held in reserve to care for children looked after who may have been in the care of foster carers who had become infected during the pandemic. Interest and enquiries concerning fostering had continued during the pandemic.

·         Where no suitable foster placements were found it was queried what problems prevented a placement and what options were available for those children looked after. The placement of multiple children looked after in residential settings was queried. The ADS&FS explained that is was a decision for individual foster carers to accept children and it was recognised that it was a significant undertaking even with the support received from the council. A very active placements team sought appropriate placements for children but if there were none available placement in residential care would occur. The HCLA explained that no two children who were looked after in Herefordshire were currently placed in the same residential unit. There were a number of residential units and providers inside Herefordshire and outside the county which were regularly monitored to ensure the standard and quality of placements was maintained.

·         It was queried whether the construction and operation of a council-owned residential facility for children looked after could be investigated. It was felt that the executive should investigate the cost benefit of the construction and operation of a council-owned residential care facility for children looked after. The DCF explained that this was being looked into together with an investigation into the range of providers in the county and the number of children from outside Herefordshire currently cared for by these providers.

·         The availability of additional funding in the county to support the response to the COVID-19 pandemic was raised and how it was being passed onto communities. The impact of the pandemic on the budget for children and families was raised and whether savings or reductions were expected. The DCF explained that it was an evolving picture with forms of funding being provided, such as the hardship fund, and the possibility that further funding could be announced. It was confirmed that the budget consultation needed to be completed which would ensure that the impact of the pandemic on budgets would be better understood. It was noted that the investment that had occurred in the programme of improvement for children and families had resulted in significant advancements which needed to be sustained in order to avoid the potential for variable performance. The assistant director children’s safeguarding quality and improvement explained that an improvement programme could take up to five years to complete and budget reductions could undermine the pace at which improvement was achieved.

The cabinet member children and families explained that the downward trend in the reduction of children in care was positive and efforts to recruit foster carers were being taken forward.

Councillor Carole Gandy proposed and Councillor Paul Andrews seconded the recommendations below which were agreed by the committee.

RESOLVED: That the committee:

·         Recommends that the children’s and families directorate continue the monitoring of the number of children diverted from care by the edge of care service;

·         Maintains an oversight of plans and initiatives to reduce the numbers of children looked after; and

·         Recommends that the executive investigates the cost benefit of the construction and operation of a council-owned residential unit for children looked after.