Issue - meetings

This report provides an update to the report presented to Committee in September 2012 and describes recent changes and performance in the Fostering Service.

The Committee noted the challenges in the Fostering Service and a review of the service was being commissioned with a provider to be chosen in the next few weeks. The Committee noted that, although a review was taking place, the 2 vacant team manager posts & 4 social work posts would still be recruited to and they were currently out to advert.

The Committee noted that the service review will include looking at where improvements can be made to encourage more residents in Haringey to take on children/ young people that need care in the borough.  The review will examine what other local authorities do well and what Haringey can learn from them and apply to the service.

In response to a question about the difference between having a service and an external review , it was noted that the  latter  will  consider the market for  fostering and  consider all fostering services  that are deemed ‘excellent’ to understand what can be leant from them.  It will also take an overall analysis of the different component parts of the Fostering service such as foster care recruitment and consider alternative delivery methods.

Once the provider for the review has been chosen in May, they will begin work immediately and report their findings in September.