Agenda item

Officers introduced the fostering offer in Hillingdon, including information on recruitment, support, achievements, impact, and future plans.

The fostering offer had been launched in May 2024 to improve recruitment and retention of foster carers and outcomes for cared for children. Hillingdon had established a strong community, or ‘village’, for children. This including recruiting the best possible carers for young people as this is what the young people deserved.

Recruitment of foster carers had been highly successful, with over a 120% increase in inquiries compared to the previous year. Hillingdon was also part of the West London Fostering Hub, and had received some of the highest number of inquiries (127) among eight local authorities.

Over 20% of inquiries converted to expressions of interest, while most rejections were due to unsuitable requests or living arrangements.

The Care Friends app had been introduced in September to incentivise foster carers to promote recruitment, with other boroughs consulting with Hillingdon on its strategy.

There were currently 78 fostering households, with 13 more expected to be approved by the end of the financial year. Of these, 34 were single carers with the remainder being couples.

The service aimed to widen ethnicity and religious representation of foster carers, reflecting Hillingdon’s diversity. Over 50% were from the global majority.

Age ranges of foster carers were broad, ranging from 20 to 80 years old. The longest-serving foster carer had been with Hillingdon for 40 years.

Twelve connected carers provided family link fostering for 17 children, contributing to the sufficiency strategy.

Specialist placements, including parent and child placements, were being developed. There was currently one parent-and-child carer, with growth in this area anticipated.

Foster carers could receive up to £1,500 per week for children with higher or more complex needs, alongside annual energy bill contributions, Council Tax reductions, and reimbursement of Merlin passes.

Trauma-informed training was provided, including access to over 100 online and in-person courses, with additional consultations from the MAPS team.

Recruitment used real-life stories and digital tools to attract carers from diverse backgrounds.

Foster carers were celebrated through events and award schemes, including appreciation events and long-service awards. This included awards for resilience, sibling support, community impact, exceptional care, and two long service awards for 10- and 40- years service. The ‘Star by Far Award’ had been introduced bi-monthly to recognise carers going above and beyond.

Feedback was regularly sought from carers, children, and professionals to highlight positive relationships and experiences.

All cared for children aged 2–18 had an allocated education officer in the virtual school team, who would lead their Personal Education Plan (PEP) meetings, which also involved foster carers, social workers, and designated teachers, to celebrate successes, note areas of praise and development, and set SMART targets. The voice of foster carers was very important in these meetings, and it was noted that children who were living with foster families tended to have better outcomes than those who did not. The Virtual School worked alongside the foster team and could address any school issues affecting the home. This ensured a holistic approach and stability for the young person.

The Virtual School helped designated teachers understand the journey of a child in care and the importance of the foster experience. Furthermore, the Virtual School provided training for designated teachers and foster carers, including sessions on resilience, transitions and caring for children with challenging behaviours.

Officers emphasised the importance of both recruitment and retention of foster carers. Specialist recruitment was being developed for carers able to support children with disabilities and adolescents, as this was where a need was seen.

The Care Offer approach aimed to ensure residential care was a step, not a destination for young people, with transitions to family environments prioritised wherever possible.

Officers were also looking into recruiting out of hours foster carers as, due to being a port authority, young people can arrive at Heathrow at any time and so this could help avoid the young people having to stay in the airport. This would also assist with young people who become looked after.

A fostering placement coordinator role was being piloted to optimise matching of children and carers.

The Mockingbird scheme was a license scheme that provided a hub for a group of foster carers who are supported by experienced foster carers in how to care for young people. The scheme had been piloted and was under review for future expansion.

Members asked about support for foster carers experiencing challenges, such as when placements triggered personal challenges. Officers advised that the assessment process was intensive and could last eight to nine months, with training, including trauma-informed training, provided throughout the assessment period. This training model was the same as that for residential homes, and feedback on the training had been positive. The MAPS service supported both children and foster carers, helping carers understand and respond to challenging behaviours. The supportive relationship between foster carers and their supervising social workers was important as the social workers could assist in supporting the foster carers when young people moved on after their placement.

Officers were re-launching the buddy system of peer support, and coffee mornings and events were available. New foster carers coming through were from diverse backgrounds and this helped with peer support.

Members asked about the inclusion of LGBTQ+ carers, and about instances of carers entering and leaving relationships. Hillingdon did not discriminate and had recruited same-sex couples and single carers. There had been instances of foster carers entering and leaving relationships, and support was provided for carers experiencing life changes, with consideration for the needs of children in placement. There were also annual reviews and updated assessments for changes in household composition. These changes could also be referred to the Fostering & Permanence Panel.

Members asked about placements for young people with potentially prejudiced backgrounds. Officers explained the matching process, which considered personality, culture, religion, identity, and perceptions. These profiles were shared with potential carers. Transition periods and dialogue were used to ensure suitability, with support from supervising social workers and the MAPS team.

Members asked about the Care Friends app and ensuring safeguarding. Officers explained that the app had been launched originally and been popular in Wales, and it had led to a 30% increase in update of recruitment of foster carers. It also allowed foster carers to be actively involved in the recruitment process. Locally, it had been launched at the recent Foster Care Appreciation event. It also aided in strategic recruitment and the need for specialist carers, and officers were currently assessing a potential carer who had come via the app from an agency. There were small cash incentives for using the app. Word of mouth was also an important promotional method. Safeguarding was ensured through rigorous assessment processes, with no details of any young people shared via the app.

Members commended officers and asked how the Committee could add value given the rapid progress in fostering. Officers welcomed scrutiny and input from Members, emphasising the importance of community engagement and feedback. The Committee was encouraged to help promote recruitment and retention, and to provide insights from their constituencies, as well as their own insights. Officers also highlighted the upcoming witness sessions with foster carers and young people, who would also give useful feedback.

Members asked how many foster carers were needed. Foster care remained the preferred option for young people who cannot live with their birth families as it provided a stable, family-based environment for those children. Foster care can also enable the young people to stay in their local community, attend the same school, access the same GP, see their friends and have contact with their birth family. As at 31 March 2025, 50% of cared for children were in foster placements. After this, officers would look at connected carers and extended family members. There was not a finite number of foster carers required as there had to be the right foster carer with the right skills for the right young person. It was also noted that foster carers can move on or retire, so there would always be some turnover. The more foster carers that were available, the more ability to match foster carers to the needs of the young people, including those with disabilities or those who were slightly older.

Members requested data on the number of children needing foster care, placement durations, and churn rates among foster carers. Officers agreed to provide this information.

Members commended officers and acknowledged the progress made in fostering.

RESOLVED: That the Committee asked questions of officers as part of its review.