Report No. 81/2018 from the Director for People was received.

Mr R Foster, Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People (Safeguarding) introduced the report the purpose of which was to set out the Fostering Recruitment and Retention Policy and to seek approval from Cabinet for the policy.

During discussions the following points were raised:

The County had highly skilled foster carers that it wanted to retain and hoped that this policy would do this and in addition lessen the use of independent fostering agencies (IFA)

DECISION

1.    Cabinet APPROVED the Fostering Retention and Recruitment Policy for the provision of retaining and future recruitment of carers for our our children looked after.

2.    Cabinet APPROVED the change in payment structure to foster carers for second and subsequent children as set out in the Fostering Retention and Recruitment Policy.

Reasons for the decision

1.    The Fostering Retention and Recruitment Policy was intended to ensure Rutland’s carers felt valued. They undertook a very important role for the Council and should be rewarded appropriately for doing so.

2.    This Policy would enable more in-house carers to take sibling groups and improve the Council’s in-house provision for this.

3.    The Policy made better use of the skills, support, expertise and knowledge of carers to support other carers, work directly with families and offer a service which really held families at the centre of all we do.

4.    Whilst there would be initial cost to bring current carers in line with the new policy, this would be met within the current placement budget.

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Ms R Wilshire left the meeting and did not return.

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