Asked by: Lord Mackay of Clashfern (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of peer-to-peer support groups in improving foster care retention.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The independent review into the fostering system, ‘Foster Care in England’, published 6 February 2018, and the Education Select Committee report, published 22 December 2017, considered the recruitment and retention of foster parents and the support foster parents receive, including peer support. The department is carefully considering the recommendations and the government response will be published later this year.
In addition, the department funds projects to support foster families through the Children’s Social Care Innovation Programme. This includes the Mockingbird Family Model. One of that project’s aims is to increase rates of foster parent recruitment and retention, which includes providing peer support to foster parents. The project will be subject to rigorous independent evaluation and will inform the evidence base of what works in children’s social care.
Asked by: Lord Mackay of Clashfern (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage local authorities to improve the quality of their responses to enquiries about fostering.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
Foster Care in England, an independent review of the fostering system, published on 6 February 2018, and the Education Select Committee report, published on 22 December 2017, made a number of recommendations relating to the recruitment and retention of foster parents. The reports include specific recommendations regarding initial enquiries into fostering, as well as improving the exit interview process and advocacy for children in foster care. We are carefully considering the recommendations made by both reports and the government response will be published in the coming months.
Asked by: Lord Mackay of Clashfern (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to making it mandatory for local authorities to conduct exit interviews with every foster carer who leaves the role.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
Foster Care in England, an independent review of the fostering system, published on 6 February 2018, and the Education Select Committee report, published on 22 December 2017, made a number of recommendations relating to the recruitment and retention of foster parents. The reports include specific recommendations regarding initial enquiries into fostering, as well as improving the exit interview process and advocacy for children in foster care. We are carefully considering the recommendations made by both reports and the government response will be published in the coming months.
Asked by: Lord Mackay of Clashfern (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to raise the awareness of children in foster care of their right to advocacy services.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
Foster Care in England, an independent review of the fostering system, published on 6 February 2018, and the Education Select Committee report, published on 22 December 2017, made a number of recommendations relating to the recruitment and retention of foster parents. The reports include specific recommendations regarding initial enquiries into fostering, as well as improving the exit interview process and advocacy for children in foster care. We are carefully considering the recommendations made by both reports and the government response will be published in the coming months.